Gwyneth Paltrow Will Live On A $29 weekly Food Stamp Budget

[Cerb]

We're not talking about you, - a productive person with a job - and what you want (need and want are different). We're talking about someone who sits at home and does nothing. Because if the only money they have to eat with is SNAP, it's because they do absolutely nothing productive with their time.

That time allows for easy variety. Watch a stock all day and night? Easy. Add in onions, peppers, rice, pasta, cabbage, or whatever. Change it up.

Same goes for a big batch of <something>-and-rice.

In both the above cases, mixing in some barley with rice adds good flavor, texture, and nutrition, and is not very expensive over time.

It works as well for a big slow-cooked batch of spaghetti sauce (either when canned tomatoes are marked down, or better yet, when tomatoes are in season), the leftovers of which can be frozen.

Oh, and prepared salads. They don't take more than an hour to make, even counting cooking carbs, but you can have so much time to look through recipes to find one that appears interesting. FI, make a buttermilk ranch one, then make biscuits or pancakes with all the spare buttermilk.

Making really good bread is easy with all that time, too, since you can always let it rise again, and knead again, if it doesn't seem like it's going according to plan .

You just gotta find the cheap meats, eat less meat total, and stick to vegetables that keep well, for the most part, to be put in basically everything (onions, garlic, cabbage, carrots, celery, potatoes...). Also, for dry herbs, find alternate sources. Major grocery chains charge a lot for lower quality, but where you'll find better value is going to vary by location.

You can also spend that time organizing what you have based on what needs using up, which creates some variety-by-necessity.

Overall, being jobless SUCKED, but eating well on a tight budget was easier than with a weekday job, because I could make alternating multiple-days-worth of meals by spending half a day around the kitchen, day after day, without much else to do to compete for my time. With all that time to cook from scratch, car insurance, maintenance, and fuel added up to many times the cost of food (especially since occasional trips about town mean crap fuel mileage, and deposit buildup...my car would get shaking and sputtering on the interstate, just getting rid of of junk in the engine, after a few weeks of that ). Since I was using my non-gov social safety nets, and trying to find work, I was unable to qualify for food stamps, though.

 

[BoberFett]

Don't get me wrong, I agree entirely. Someone who isn't working should be able to create some amazing food on a shoestring budget.

But the reason some of those people don't have money to feed themselves is because they're too lazy to do it. Watching Maury is more important than cooking.

 

[vi edit]

Sure people can live on that for a day. But it's not sustainable day after day. Add in even the slightest bit of exercise and you are desperately robbing your body of necessary energy to keep it operating as it should. There's lots of things people *can* do to their body. Doesn't mean it's good. Your immune system, brain function, skin health, and protection of internal organs are at risk with that low of a diet. Not to mention bone strength and overall cardiovascular health.

 

[MarkXIX]

It has been theorized and shown that low price foods are calorie dense albeit generally unhealthy in the quantities consumed.

She has appeared to go the nutrient rich route instead of the calorie dense method typically used. I'm sure her agenda is to show that the purchasing power is low on nutrients and high on calories, but everyone already knows that.

If you want to eat better foods, you must put forth additional work output to compensate. It is why rich people tend to be healthier overall.

 

[gotsmack]

The problem I have with most of the "how to live on $XXX a month in food" is not so much the choices for a week. It's that there's no variety beyond that. That's the real challenge. Not get bored by what you are eating. Sure anyone can get by on a budget for a week or so. But looking at so many of those "Here's my diet" posts there's zero variety.

Eggs. Chicken. Pasta. Rice. Oats. The end. If you can leave eating that way more power to you. But I need some diversity in my meals.

A lot of people that work out to look good don;t have much variety in their diets. Their excitement is the cheat meal they squeeze in every week or two.

 

[gotsmack]

So now the poor need a Costco membership, a freezer, the extra electric for the freezer and a place that actually allows you to have a freezer. It would be nice to buy bulk groceries but it isn't reality for most people.

I know two single people, one that gets social security and the other on social security disability. They both get a little over $800 a month each and they get a little over $30 a month in snap benefits.

I have a Costco membership and I only buy food for me. I also only have the normal top and bottom freezer/fridge combo of which I only have 1/2 the space since I have a roomie. Costo provides for 95%+ of my grocery needs. You can also get in on the free samples at Costco so the membership pays for itself. The real clincher is do these people have transportation to and from Costco.

 

[mrjminer]

Pretty easy to do. I would have chosen wisely, though. The first week I would get some sort of multivitamin and just eat ramen for a week or something. No big deal. Then, if you wanted to be healthier, but have relatively easy meals, you could do something like:

1 Gallon of Milk: $3.25
12 Eggs: $1.50
2 lbs. bread / buns: $2.00
1 lbs. ground beef: $5.00
1 lbs. chicken breast: $5.00
1 lbs. bag of spaghetti: $1.00
1 lbs. bag of rice: $1.25
Jar of pasta sauce: $2.00
Jar of peanut butter: $2.50

Remaining: $5.50

You can usually find some of the above for cheaper I would imagine. For instance, my local Kroger is selling 3 lbs. of ground chuck for $10.47, or like $3.49 per pound. They also have boneless pork tenderloin for $1.99 per pound. I would look for some sales like that, too.

The remaining money could be used to buy some items with more longevity. For instance, some iodized salt for a $1 and lasts a long ass time, black pepper, flour, sugar, butter. After that, I'd switch over to see what I could buy in bulk / larger quantities (ie: a 5 lbs. tube of ground beef might save $0.50 a pound or something, and you could just cut it before freezing, a bigger bag of rice, etc.).

I've lived off much worse for years. I'm still alive.

 

[zanemoseley]

I'd say the majority of those on stamps don't think of alternate means of food like god forbid they go hunt or fish for some food like our ancestors were required to do. Sitting on your ass eating $1 a bag cheese puffs chugging some Dew from a 2 liter is more fun.

 

[PenguinPower]

You mean like most of the people in the world do?

I know plenty of Americans even that live on less than 1000 calories a day. I dated a girl in Dallas that never worked out because she hated it. Instead she just ate 700 calories a day for her entire life. And she was smoke-show hot. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays she'd only eat celery since all of her calories would come from alcohol.

So you dated a 7 year-old? That's the only way she could eat that few calories and not end up dead (That's the TDEE of a sedentary 4ft/60lbs woman).

 

[MongGrel]

My second Wife back in 1987 or so had a Masters in Psychology and basically looked very good and almost lived on Zucchini and Spaghettio's at the time.

First and last time I ever ate a Quiche.

She was a bit of a Psycho even if was good in bed, there is a reason we didn't last long I guess, even if she basically proposed to me and I had to think about it hard at the time.

She regulated her intake of any food she ate.

 

[Howard]

I'm not sure that (diet in OP) would even work out to 1k/day.

Also, anybody working manual labor like that (to require that calorie intake) probably is earning enough money to buy decent food.

If your BMR is that high, you probably should lose weight.

I was weighing in around 130 lbs at 5'10" not too long ago, with a 90th-percentile appetite.

 

[Carson Dyle]

What is she going to do with limes, avacados, or cilantro? Those are expensive flavor enhancers. It's obvious this experience is "set up" as well.

Shop much? Cilantro is something like 39 to 50 cents a bunch here. I inevitably throw half of it away when I buy it.

Mostly sound purchases in that haul, some questionable.

 

[JMapleton]

Shop much? Cilantro is something like 39 to 50 cents a bunch here. I inevitably throw half of it away when I buy it.

Mostly sound purchases in that haul, some questionable.

Ok fair. But limes, avacado? Both expensive.

 

[Ns1]

Ok fair. But limes, avacado? Both expensive.

lime = 33 cents each, avocado = 1.25 each

if you only have $29/week avocado is probably too expensive but lime isn't so bad for what you get out of it (ie flavor)

 

[VirtualLarry]

I don't think it is that stellar. $29 a week is pretty easy. Frozen fruits and veggies, dried beans, brown rice, dried/powdered spices (doesn't have to be bland!) and occasionally some chicken breast ($1.99lbs on sale quite a bit).

$29 a week is pretty easy for food for an individual.

Why hasn't anyone mentioned Ramen bowl noodles? $1.00/ea, or $0.50/ea if you catch a sale, $29/week, would be 29 meals a week, 3 x 7 = 21, so you could spend $8 on veggies, soda, ice cream, or better yet, a bottle of multi-vitamins to keep your ass alive and functioning.

Edit: I see it was in fact mentioned a few posts up:

Pretty easy to do. I would have chosen wisely, though. The first week I would get some sort of multivitamin and just eat ramen for a week or something. No big deal.

Lastly, you have the old college system, buy your ramen by the case, combine with eggs and fresh veg. That makes work night dinner at 4 minute exercise at $2 a meal.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Why hasn't anyone mentioned Ramen bowl noodles? $1.00/ea, or $0.50/ea if you catch a sale, $29/week, would be 29 meals a week, 3 x 7 = 21, so you could spend $8 on veggies, soda, ice cream, or better yet, a bottle of multi-vitamins to keep your ass alive and functioning.

Even at $0.50, are you going to tell me you can't equal the number of calories and have a better nutritional makeup in a dish based on brown rice and black beans? For the same, maybe less money.

People all over the world - billions of them - have staple diets based on foods like rice, beans, corn, wheat. Not instant Ramen.

 

[VirtualLarry]

If you are going to be on that kind of budget, you should go pure caloric intake and then buy multivitamins. So there should be some calculation of whatever food is cheapest possible per calorie, perhaps sugar itself?


You can buy several pounds of sugar with only $10
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Pure-Sugar-10-Lb/10314931
And just mix in some multi vitamins. You've now maximized your efficiency.


Protien is a waste of money as your body can synthesize it on its own so please stop suggesting eggs. You guys would survive like a week on this budget. I'd still be kicking for years.

Dietary fiber can be found by eating other stuff. Perhaps even non food items, like styrafoam.

Eating nothing but sugar and styrofoam?

You really are insane. Maybe meds would help?

 

[MongGrel]

Just started up a batch of Jasmine rice, and heating up the Great Northern *Soup beans" and ha I haven't even ate yet from the crock pot the other day.

No Cornbread in the house atm, thought we had some

Maybe should have had the wife make grits in the rice cooker.

 

[CZroe]

Even at $0.50, are you going to tell me you can't equal the number of calories and have a better nutritional makeup in a dish based on brown rice and black beans? For the same, maybe less money.

People all over the world - billions of them - have staple diets based on foods like rice, beans, corn, wheat. Not instant Ramen.

I remember hearing some impressive statistic about how many people Ramen saves from starvation. A lot of people practically live off the stuff.

 

[MongGrel]

Actually, yeah, making grits with the ham beans.

Might even plop and egg or two on the whole thing

These eggs are actually really good, and even cheaper than the Publix store brand, we've been getting the all the time lately.

Um, hammy beans.

Yeah it's not in the budget, but wth.

Think I'll make the one stray egg and save the rest for BACON !!!!!!

 

[OutHouse]

Just started up a batch of Jasmine rice, and heating up the Great Northern *Soup beans" and ha I haven't even ate yet from the crock pot the other day.

No Cornbread in the house atm, thought we had some

Maybe should have had the wife make grits in the rice cooker.

we have pinto beans and rice with southern cornbread a couple times a month. not because we are poor but because we like it.

 

[MongGrel]

we have pinto beans and rice with southern cornbread a couple times a month. not because we are poor but because we like it.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

I still use Great Northerns with ham, my grandma taught me that one.

I save the ham fat from when its baked and put it in the soup, why it's a bit darker I guess.

Yeah Red Beans and rice and Shrimp or Sausage I love also with corn bread.

Or Crawdad, haven't been to Louisiana in a long time, I love some of the stuff up there.

 

[Strk]

we have pinto beans and rice with southern cornbread a couple times a month. not because we are poor but because we like it.

Nothing wrong with a cheap meal that's actually good for you

This and some diced up ham is always good and will feed you for a few days and only cost $3-4/.

 

[ControlD]

Why did she spend all that money on cilantro? Cheaper to just buy a bar of soap and use a few shavings off that if that's the flavor your are seeking.

 

[Nebor]

So you dated a 7 year-old? That's the only way she could eat that few calories and not end up dead (That's the TDEE of a sedentary 4ft/60lbs woman).

She was 27. 5'6" 95lbs. Had worked her way up through being an apartment leasing girl to being a secretary at the management company HQ. I just pretended I couldn't taste her boss's dick in her mouth. I wonder if she accounted for those calories...