I have done two blogs about survival shopping. Some people are effected by the government shutdown because they are working without pay; some aren’t working and not getting paid. Some have had January and February snap money in January and don’t know where or when they will get any more .
The basic principal is to buy the basics that you don’t already have first. With a bulk rice, beans, and flour and a few things you need to add to make real food, you could go a long time. Truly, not very fantastic meals but survive. Then, with what you have left, you can take a specified amount and fill in with specials and make decent meals. Maybe not what you are used to, but good meals none the less.
I remember a time when my dad was hurt at work and he wasn’t making any money. We were supposed to get Labor and Industries, but it finally came well into his healing period. My oarents used savings to pay for their mortgage and utilities, and we stretched the pantry and freezer as far as we could. We are liver, and depression stew, and a lot of bananas that were given to us. My dad hated liver, but he ate it without complaining. You just do what you have to do.
Taking the basic supplies, you can study the ads and add the ingredients you need to make meals.
First, check the meat ads if you eat meat. Chicken is a good start. You can make at least four meals for a proverbial family of four. Adding meat to a casserole, pot pie, enchiladas or tacos stretches the meat. Chicken noodle soup for four servings cost me 1.63 for the pot of soup.
Carrots and celery are generally inexpensive and are versatile. That is a key issue. Apples 🍏 are under a dollar a pound in the fall and winter. Anything close to a dollar is good. Frozen vegetables can be found for a dollar a pound. If you don’t have a stock, you need to buy just what you need, so a meal plan based on REAL sales is necessary. Try for a meat that is versatile and try to get enough to stretch into the next week. After a few weeks of that you will start getting more variety.
Breakfast for dinner is a good option, With your flour, you can make pancakes or waffles, and make applesauce and turkey bacon is a dollar at the dollar store. Or, make eggs, English muffins and orange slices. English muffins here are cheapest at Fred Meyers NOT in the regular bread isle, but near the eggs, or cheap at the bread outlet. French Toast is another option.
Bread is cheap to make. Peasant bread costs a quarter to make. Big Family Homestead is a I tube channel and she teaches how to make cheap bread, They also have a lot of really inexpensive recipes and ideas.
Bread and soup make an inexpensive meal that is comforting and filling, Potato soup with carrots and celery and potatoes uses some chicken stock and a cup of milk. Chicken stock can be free.
Chili will use your beans and some diced tomatoes and stock. Add meat if you have it.
Rice and beans uses tomatoes too. Both potatoes and diced tomatoes are cheapest here at Winco.
Pizza is a mainstay around here. Kids usually love it. Pizza dough made from scratch costs .19. Add Some red sauce. You can buy it at the dollar store and freeze it in ice cube trays, it takes two cubes to make a pizza. Or, buy an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce and freeze the rest. Add some Italian seasoning. An 8 ounce can should cost about a quarter, Any more than that you are better off at the dollar store. A months worth of pizza will cost you five bucks. Find cheese for less than 2.50 a pound. The trick is to be frugal. Add lettuce salad if you have enough.
There is always diced ham for around 2.25 on the deli section. Add it to soup or eggs. Vegetable omelette's are good and eggs are still a dollar a dozen here. Of you aren’t here, check Aldi. I’m seeing them there too. When they are a dollar , try buying more than a dozen, like four dozen. They are a good staple and can fill up a family cheap,
Anything you can get for a dollar and feed the family, is a good bet, generally.
Make biscuits and cream chicken and frozen peas. Use up every bit of a chicken or anything else you make, our chili from yesterday is becoming a topping on a baked potato bar. Leftover spaghetti
Can be reheated in a baking dish with some cheese on top.
A grocery list can start with whatever you need to fill in of the basics, like eggs, then find a meat on a real sale. And add fruit , vegetables, dairy and any dry goods you need. If you find pasta on sale for less than a dollar, buy a few weeks supply, like four weeks. Remember four servings is a HALF a box. I would try for a twenty to twenty five dollar a week budget. That makes for a hundred dollars a month. Don’t forget the bulk foods isle and Grocery Outlet. I got pasta for .33 for a almost half pound last week.
Good luck and we will hope all his gets rectified soon. I a, positive of the legislature had to live in the same circumstances, it would have already been a done deal .
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