This past weekend I learned of the eat on $30 challenge hosted by running with tweezers. I thought it was an interesting concept. At first I was curious as to why Tami would host such a challenge.
Tami writes:
I did it for a variety of reasons. The first being…times are tough for a lot of folks these days. Living on a budget is a way of life for many, many folks. Secondly, hunger issues are the cause I most believe in. I’ve chosen to do the $30 challenge again to draw attention to the food and hunger issues that many struggle with, particularly in our current times of layoffs and foreclosures. The facts speak for themselves:
- At some point during the year, 1 in 5 Americans receives food assistance from 1 or more of the 15 programs providing help.
- In 2009, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will help feed 31 million people per month. The average monthly benefit? $101.
- Between March 2007 and March 2008, the global price of food rose 43%. 1 billion people – 1/6th of the world’s population – live on $1 per day.
After reading this I felt that this was a great challenge I wanted to be a part of. I also thought it would be a great opportunity to show how one can live off $30 a week and still buy healthy, wholesome, organic foods. $30 a week meaning per family member. My family is one that lives on a budget. My average grocery bill ranges from $100 – $120 dollars a week, max. So as you can see, I’m already one of those families that lives off $30 a week. I have a family of four, with two young boys. I’m sure once they get older, that budget will have to go up π
To me, $100 – $120 seems like an average dollar amount to spend per week. (I’m curious as to what others spend) In order to stay within this range, I have to be frugal with what I buy and where I buy my products. Especially, since it’s so important for me to buy local and chemical free. I’d like to share with you how I shop.
- I hit the farmers market every Saturday morning. This is the most important part of my weekly groceries. I make sure to be at the market by 8am to ensure the best pick of the day! Before getting to the market, I stop by the atm and pull out $40. This keeps me within that budget and doesn’t allow me to go over. I end up with a ton of fresh, local, chemical free produce, eggs, and meats. Here’s an example of one of my shopping trips at the Downtown Des Moines, Farmers Market.
- I buy my meat in bulk directly from the farmer. This saves so much money and ensures my meat is hormone/antibiotic free.
- I help out local farmers do farm chores. Here I was able to help Coyote Run Farm process laying hens and left with 8 chickens for my deep freeze.
- I grow my own organic vegetables.
- I shop at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club. No matter what, Wal-Mart has enabled my family to buy the rest of my weekly shopping within my families budget. They’ve done a great job bringing in organic produce and products.
- I buy from Azure Standard. This is an invaluable resource for my family. Azure Standard is a buying club that sells organic/natural foods in bulk at amazing prices! Here is an article I wrote for examiner.com.
What allows me to stay within this budget, besides how I shop, is that I cook and have started to make my own bread. Sounds funny, I know, but my family doesn’t go out to eat much. When times get busy, and we do go out for some meals, we quickly realize how expensive it is to eat out. Going out for dinner, for a family of four, can cost us anywhere from $30 – $50. That’s almost half of my grocery bill. So nonetheless, I cook three meals a day.
So to start this challenge here is what I spent for the week (or had in my fridge/freezer/pantry that I have accounted for.
From the farmers market:
- lettuce: $2.00
- potatoes: $2.00
- green onions: $1.00
- butternut squash: $3.00
- cilantro: $2.00
- eggs: $6.00
From Amish in Missouri
- 3 gallons raw milk (1 gallon to make yogurt): $13.50
From Sams Club
- organic raspberries: $3.97
- Hormone Free Farmers Cheese: $5.50 (Total for a little over 2lbs was 11.09 which is enough cheese to last my family two weeks)
From WalMart
- Milk for hubby $5.58
- 3 gallon jugs of filtered water (filter at home broke:( 2.49
- YoBaby organic yogurt meals – $3.00
- Tuna in Olive Oil – $2.24
- Organic Mac and Cheese – $1.42
- Ranch Style Beans (Yes, this is for me, love em!) – $1.56
- Organic Peanut Butter – $3.88
- Organic Juice Boxes – $3.00
- Mexican Chorizo – $1.23
- Organic Coffee – $5.00
- Dried Garbanzo Beans – $1.38
- Bananas – $2.04
- Lemons – $2.16
- Organic Onions – $2.88
- Mango’s – $4.74
- Organic Fig Newmans – $3.88
- Organic Oranges – $5.00
- Wild Caught Whiting Fillets (Merluza) – $5.00
- organic brown long grain rice – $2.87
Total: $98.32
For what I’m going to make this week doesn’t account for things that I buy in bulk, such as wheat berries for bread making. For items such as honey and rapadura sugar, I split these items with friends through Azure Standard. For purposes of what I’m going to be making this week, I would add another $8.00 taking my total to about $106.00. Not Bad!
So here is my menuplan for the week, having started Sunday.
Saturday – Made homemade chicken stock (Chicken was free from chore help on the farm)(Saving chicken for 2 different meals in the week)
Sunday
Early AM: Start on bread for week
- Breakfast – Strawberry/Banana Smoothies with homemade yogurt, raw egg yolk, tablespoon of coconut oil, drop of raw honey. (Strawberries, I had frozen from the spring)
- Lunch – Grilled cheese sandwiches and raspberries
- Mac and Cheese (Quick Dinner!)
Monday
- Breakfast – french toast and bananas
- Lunch – PB&J with grapes
- Dried Beef on Toast with a Green Salad, dressing olive oil and vinegar
- night prep for tomorrow: make croquetta masa for tomorrow’s lunch
Tuesday
- Breakfast – Scrambled Eggs, Toast and raspberries
- Lunch – Chicken Croquettas
- Dinner – Chicken Enchilada’s and Spanish Rice
Wednesday
- Breakfast – Strawberry, Mango Smoothie
- Lunch – At Sissy’s
- Dinner – Tortilla Espanola with Fried Green Peppers from my garden
Thursday
- Breakfast – Blueberry Pancakes (Blueberries from Azure Standard purchased 2 months ago)
- Lunch – Fried Rice (Rice also from Azure Standard)
- Dinner – Fried Whiting Fillets with French Fries fried in Olive Oil and Green Salad
Friday
- Breakfast – Fried Eggs with Toast and Grapes
- Lunch – Cheese Quesadillas
- Dinner – Butternut Squash Soup with Green Salad
Saturday
- Breakfast – Smoothie
- Lunch – Tuna sandwiches and whatever fruit is left
- Dinner – Chorizo Tacos with Spanish Rice
After writing this all out, I do wonder how much my bulk items increase my weekly dollar amount. That said, depending what I buy in bulk often time, I spend less at the grocery store. It really does fluxuate. I’m really excited for this challenge and to share with you what I learn from this through the week. It is so difficult to hear the statistics of hunger in this nation and throughout the world. however, with a little planning and improvising one can still feed their family in nourishing ways on a budget. (Think beans, chicken, fish, veggies, fruits and dairy π
Paula - bell'alimento says
Diana! Amazing! I can't believe how much you have squeezed out of that budget. I REALLY wish I lived closer to our Farmer's Market. The largest one is over 35 min from my house π We do have local veggie stands but they don't have a large selection!
tami says
Wow! What an amazingly thorough and thoughtful post! Can't wait to see how your week progresses! Thanks for taking part in this challenge with us <3
– tami
Fresh Local and Best says
Indeed this is quite a challenge and a very thoughtful one! I have a very particular husband, who has expressed the priority of adhering to a somewhat strict organic standard, and also having a huge chunk of meat for dinner. It's costly. And because everything is overpriced (or seems like it) in New York, our daily grocery bill amounts to roughly $30. It would be interesting to try this challenge, very interesting. While I won't participate for the reasons above, I'm glad to see you embracing this challenge!
My Little Space says
This is a great one, Diana! It does help a lot in our daily spending. I too always watch my budget but things are getting more & more expensive lately. Can't do much about it!
Tien says
I went to the pumpkin patch Sunday and bought acorn squash for a quarter and 5 lb butternut squash for 50 cents. This should help keep in the $30/person budget. It helps so much to buy in season. -Tien
Diana Bauman says
Thanks for the comments!!
Fresh Local and Best – I don't think I could stick to this budget in New York, lol! For our meat we buy it in bulk. 1/2 side of beef can cost from $800 – $1,000 which lasts my family about a year. I would have to add an additional $19 a week to my budget.
Paula – That's too bad the market is a drive away π
Carrie Neal Walden says
Wow!! I am impressed with your blog and even more, with your planning powers! I'm worried that may be what "gets" me, but still excited for the challenge. Excited to keep up with your writing this week and beyond!
CinnamonQuill says
The challenge sounds like a great idea, albeit a challenge! I am going to put some major thought into this and see if we can do it.
April says
I have seen this challenge around the past couple of days! I have a family of 5 and I only budget $100 per week for groceries, so I am def in the $30 a week range. Great job!
I love your blog, btw!!
Diana Bauman says
Carrie – So nice to have you!!
CinnamonQuill – Check out Running With Tweezers, would love to see what you come up with!
April – Way to go!!! I'd love to learn how you shop!
Amy says
We only have $50/week for our family of four so this challenge would be a step up for us! With only $50 it gets harder to provide the organic and healthy foods. (although much easier in the summer with the help of our garden!) I need to check out that bulk food source – that may help us out a lot over the winter.
Erica says
Great post Diana! What a great challenge. I usually spend $160 a week in groceries for a family of 3, but Connecticut is very expensive. I am going to try my own challenge this week π
Chow and Chatter says
wow I am so proud of you this is a tough one, I think i spend about the same as you you go girl
5 Star Foodie says
Wow, great job with the budget! I'm looking forward to following your posts and seeing how the challenge goes!
Luray va accommodations says
Awesome!! $30 it is really reasonable. I will try it. Thanks for sharing.
Jen Yu says
Looking forward to seeing what the remainder of your week looks like! π While $30 is doable for many of us who are above the poverty line, I don't think it is necessarily so for those under the poverty line.
Tasty Eats At Home says
I love the farmer's market. I usually end up buying items for cheaper than I'm going to find at the store (2 huge pumpkins for $7, 8-10 lbs pears for $5, etc.) Also, I didn't know about Azure, I'm going to check it out!
Fresh Local and Best says
Kudos for buying beef in that manner! Someday I hope to be able to integrate that purchase into our home life, when we have more space. Someday…
π
juliecache says
check out my sister's "30 days of nothing" challenge. http://www.learningthefrugallife.blogspot.com
Emily D. says
I’m curious…I just ran across this post, so I know I’m over a year late. But, knowing that a person needs roughly 7 servings of fruits and veggies a day–could you do this challenge and fit those in? I notice most days you only have 1-3 servings.
Diana Bauman says
Hi Emily, Goodness, it’s been awhile since I’ve written this post but it would be so much fun to revisit. My family definitely eats at least 7 servings of fruits and veggies a day. A serving size is really small so when you think about how many veggies and fruits go into smoothies, prepared dishes, even spaghetti sauce, it’s not too difficult to reach that when eating 3 meals a day at home. Also, our dinner salads at night have at least 3 servings of veggies included. This would be fun to get back into as so much has changed over the year. Thanks so much for stopping by π