Hunger Challenge day one: Low on variety
First, thank you for the helpful advice last week!
Many of you left comments and sent e-mail to me with suggestions on how to stretch my dollars. I spent part of the weekend clipping coupons, and digging around for some recipes that will work for me this week. Thank you again for your support and well wishes.
So, here it is: Day One of the Hunger Challenge. As you've read before, I'm a milk drinker, so I made sure to use the $0.99 coupon from Fred Meyer over the weekend (Thanks Lisa!).
I actually used two coupons and got two gallons. It's more milk than I can drink in five days, but I worried that one gallon might not be enough. I also LOVE cold cereal, and would eat it for all three meals if I could (I know, you have to eat your vegetables sometime).
I bought a box of one of my favorites, Quaker Natural Granola, and it was on sale for $3.99. I eat that everyday for breakfast, and enjoy a cup of it in the afternoon as a snack. I also picked up some bananas, a loaf of bread, some natural peanut butter that was on sale, and some yogurt (10 for $5, woo-hoo!).
I then made a visit to a local produce stand, and didn't find as many good deals as I had hoped for (maybe it's still too early in the season?). Anyway, got some asparagus, a couple of onions, some mushrooms, some tomatoes, and five apples (they were really expensive). Total spent at grocery store and produce stand $20.85
As you know, my budget for the week is $35, so my spending spree leaves me with $14.15
The plan is that I will eat my cereal, a banana, and some milk for breakfast (which I did today), more cereal or peanut butter sandwich, yogurt, and apple for lunch (done), and for dinner, I'll make some pasta with the vegetables I bought. That could last me a few days.
But, I forgot to buy pasta! I have some at the house, and I'll use that, but I have to take it's value off my total. $14.15 minus the bag of pasta leaves me with $11.56.
I have meals planned for today, and I can do the same thing tomorrow. I have to admit though, I don't think I was as savvy at the grocery store as I should have been. I'm worried that it's Monday afternoon, the first day of a five day challenge, and I only have $11.56 left.
Logic says I have enough food for at least a few days, as long as I'm content eating the same things.
When we took the challenge we were supposed to figure out how to vary our daily menu. I think I may fail in this category, but maybe this is how some people have to do it. You make a big meal, and you eat leftovers for a few days.
That's the route I'm taking for now, but if you have any ideas on how I can mix things up later in the week, let me know by logging in or signing up to post a comment below.
Many of you left comments and sent e-mail to me with suggestions on how to stretch my dollars. I spent part of the weekend clipping coupons, and digging around for some recipes that will work for me this week. Thank you again for your support and well wishes.
So, here it is: Day One of the Hunger Challenge. As you've read before, I'm a milk drinker, so I made sure to use the $0.99 coupon from Fred Meyer over the weekend (Thanks Lisa!).
I actually used two coupons and got two gallons. It's more milk than I can drink in five days, but I worried that one gallon might not be enough. I also LOVE cold cereal, and would eat it for all three meals if I could (I know, you have to eat your vegetables sometime).
I bought a box of one of my favorites, Quaker Natural Granola, and it was on sale for $3.99. I eat that everyday for breakfast, and enjoy a cup of it in the afternoon as a snack. I also picked up some bananas, a loaf of bread, some natural peanut butter that was on sale, and some yogurt (10 for $5, woo-hoo!).
I then made a visit to a local produce stand, and didn't find as many good deals as I had hoped for (maybe it's still too early in the season?). Anyway, got some asparagus, a couple of onions, some mushrooms, some tomatoes, and five apples (they were really expensive). Total spent at grocery store and produce stand $20.85
As you know, my budget for the week is $35, so my spending spree leaves me with $14.15
The plan is that I will eat my cereal, a banana, and some milk for breakfast (which I did today), more cereal or peanut butter sandwich, yogurt, and apple for lunch (done), and for dinner, I'll make some pasta with the vegetables I bought. That could last me a few days.
But, I forgot to buy pasta! I have some at the house, and I'll use that, but I have to take it's value off my total. $14.15 minus the bag of pasta leaves me with $11.56.
I have meals planned for today, and I can do the same thing tomorrow. I have to admit though, I don't think I was as savvy at the grocery store as I should have been. I'm worried that it's Monday afternoon, the first day of a five day challenge, and I only have $11.56 left.
Logic says I have enough food for at least a few days, as long as I'm content eating the same things.
When we took the challenge we were supposed to figure out how to vary our daily menu. I think I may fail in this category, but maybe this is how some people have to do it. You make a big meal, and you eat leftovers for a few days.
That's the route I'm taking for now, but if you have any ideas on how I can mix things up later in the week, let me know by logging in or signing up to post a comment below.