What did you eat this week

[Matt71]

My wife and I have a food budget set for $10 a day for the two of us. 
We know it's doable, but we're worried about ending up eating the same thing day after day.

So, what's your weekly menu look like?

Feel free to give recommendations, but I'm primarily interested in what van dwellers are actually eating rather than what they could/should/would rather be eating.

 

[GrantRobertson]

I am not actually living in a van yet, but I am practically living a vandweller's lifestyle already, due to the nasty condition of the kitchen where I am staying. I won't get into the particulars now but suffice it to say that I have tried to clean it up but it is impossible to keep up. So, I have access to a sink that almost always has rotting dishes in it, a microwave, and I have a small dorm fridge with no freezer section in my room. If I put anything in the main fridge, it will disappear.

That said, here is what I had to eat today:
Breakfast: a bowl of oatmeal. One cup dry, before cooking. With brown sugar, cinnamon. I have yet to figure out how much this actually costs me per day.

Lunch: Ham sandwich with cheese. I think that is about $2 per sandwich, maybe $3. (I eat a thick sandwich.)

Dinner: Precooked and packaged chicken casserole. $4.98 for 16 oz. Just barely enough chicken to make me not totally regret the purchase. It tastes OK but is really starchy.

I eat mostly out of cans and cook with the microwave because I don't have much access to the stove (unless I want to spend half an hour cleaning it each time). I am actually looking forward to being in a van because I will have MORE kitchen facilities available to me.

 

[SoulRaven]

I'm a meat and potatoes kind of guy, so a typical consists of meat, potatoes, veggies, and fruit. Add eggs or pancakes for breakfast.

I normally only eat one or two meals per day, depends on how often I get hungry.

Basically I try to eat the same as if I was in a normal home, with the exception that I try to keep a stock of about a month worth of canned foods stocked up including meats.

Snack foods are my downfall, I tend to keep a lot of them around, not because I actually eat that much of them, but because I like having a large variety. Two potato chips, or 4-5 pretzels and I'm happy, maybe 3-4 hours later, a single bite of chocolate. Just a taste, and I'm good to go, not because I was hungry, just because I can.

Since I don't have a freezer, I shop once a week, and stuff will last that long in my cooler just fine.

I average $40-$50 per week just for myself, but I could probably feed two people on that, because I often have visitors that I feed too. I don't eat extravagantly, but I eat well, and enjoy it.

 

[Wabbit]

Just talking about today as a typical day, here was my menu.

Morning - bowl of oatmeal(1.5 serving) with raisins(1 serving) and brown sugar(4 servingish) = .50 cents

Lunch - Package of ramen noodles, can of vegetables, and a sandwich. = 1.50 dollars

Supper - Home-recipe for a chili-mac dish. Chili/chili beans/macaroni noodles/green chili tomatoes. 1.00 dollarish, rest gets ate next day leftovers.

After dinner snack - 18 pack/Busch Light 20.00 dollars

Some of that is silliness, but here in the US, we can eat very cheap. As to healthy eating, that's a bit different lol. I do what I can...kinda.

 

[LeeRevell]

Hard to keep that tight of a food budget these days, without limiting yourself to beans & rice. Even the larger Ramen meals are getting over two bucks a pop. The multi-packs of Ramen are still fairly cheap. Tins of Smoked Kippers are a good meat source on the cheap, if you like processed fish. Salty though. Publix eight piece fried chicken is under $8, and can make three or four meals, with a cheap side. Need refrigeration though to keep it a couple/few days.
The foil packs of chicken or tuna are fairly cheap. I add them to rice to make a meal.
I eat instant oatmeal and grits for breakfast.

 

[Chancebond]

What did I eat??? Hm... Food!!!

 

[Wabbit]

The foil packs of chicken or tuna are fairly cheap. I add them to rice to make a meal.

We do canned tuna with rice, but then add a can of peas and a cheap brown gravy mix packet. Vegetables here about .65 and gravy pack is about .50. I use the "pea juice" ( lol sounds horrible!) and tuna juice to mix the gravy up and then add it all together w/rice. On the menu it's called "Tuna Slop"... Lol. Cost is about 2.30 for 2 servings. Add pepper! Really goes nice with this! And it is filling. Oh...and cheap!

Edit-we use canned tuna. Cheaper than foil pack for us.

 

[karl]

I usually eat meals twice a day and snack ...well, often.

Use lots of canned beans, corn, tomatoes, some  of the better soups- boxed and canned.
fresh meat/fish gets cooked for the next meal(s), frozen saved for the next day or so.
Often bake or fry more taters than one meal and brown/reheat them through the week

Breakfast- pretty consistent about having a morning meal -

oatmeal with cinnamon, honey, dried or fresh or frozen fruit

Eggs- fried, scrambled, on/with griddle toast, or fratata(sp?) with leeks, bacon(or bits), sausage, brussel sprouts, onion, tomato...whatever is leftover.

pancakes- with corn or fruit, sometimes buckwheat...add yogurt, honey, jam, peanut butter.

Fish cakes if I have left over fish and taters

other meals-

black beans and rice with tomato, garlic, cumin- yum

fish/beef, fried/baked/sweet taters...corn is my "go to" veg (I know- it's a grain) squash (summer and zucchini mostly- cause they're easy), grilled leeks/ brussel sprouts/ beets...string beans, peas-only when the're fresh

Shepherds pie- the lazy version- slice taters into cast pan with oil, garlic, add corn, onions, browned ground beef or sausage, can of mushroom soup -simmer til taters are done.

stir fry veggies

canned beans with toast, meat if I have it.

Tuna- sandwiches with onion, celery sprouts...or not. Tuna wiggle if I have milk (unlikely)

"baked" enchilada- a fav- black, refried beans, corn tortillas/taco shells/tortilla chips, salsa, onions, mushrooms, jalapenos, cooked beef/sausage/chicken layered and smothered in grated cheese in a covered cast pot, simmered till cheese melts

Snacks include
crackers often with cheese-most any kind, pepperoni/summer sausage, smoked oysters/clams, peanut butter

Clif bars

popcorn- Smartfood with cheddar or fresh popped in a frying pan.

chips

cashews

jerky

fruit- dry or fresh, granola, trail mix alone or with with yogurt, honey and wheat germ.

Haven't kept track of what it costs for my food- feed a dog and cat as well, and usually have paper products, litter, beer, and whatever in the cart too.

 

[Theadyn]

I was horrible this week, eating wise. Bad week for me, I kinda lost myself, I am happy if I ate a burger or two. Sad, but true.

 

[minimotos95]

I've recently noticed my diet of mostly coffee and high carb breakfast food is pretty cheap, poptarts, bagels, white bread, meat once or twice a week as half and half provides most of my protein.

let's analyze what I ate today,
1L of coffee with lot's of sugar and half and half = $? cheap
1 can root beer, 25c
and......
Crap, I need to eat something.

 

[mockturtle]

Yesterday:
Eggs scrambled with sausage
1/2 banana & mandarin orange slices

Thin sliced turkey & cheese rolled up in a hot tortilla
1/2 banana and some almonds
diet soda

chicken thigh
steamed yam slices
steamed Swiss chard
piece of dark chocolate

coffee with all meals

 

[Iggy]

I tend to eat a small breakfast of instant oatmeal or grits, with hot cocoa. Then eat a larger meal at 3-4 pm, generally like soup and sandwich, mac and cheese, or a meal eaten out at a fast food restaurant. I do snack a little throughout the day, trail mix, Cornuts, apples, jerky, etc.
Last night's meal was epic though! A friend here in Phoenix invited me out to Fleming's, a steakhouse. There was four of us in the party and the bill came to $650! Marc paid for everything. The steaks were $50+ each, we had crab cakes, barbecued shrimp, garlic mashed potatoes, fancy mac and cheese, lava cake, and several expensive drinks each. Best meal in my life! My meal cost more than my monthly food budget! Sometimes it's nice to have rich friends.

 

[NWShortyFord]

So I went to my local food bank today as I often do. I prefer it to buying my own food becasue here in Seattle the food bank food is a lot of times better than what I can afford on my salary...besides it would have all gone bad anyways, aside from the few items like milk and eggs which they buy fresh. Here's what I am eating this week at a total cost of $0.00. I may spend $20 on misc. items this week but other than that I am set.

-1 lb. premium ground veal.
-2lbs. premium Organic Smart Chicken brand chicken legs.
-1/2 lb portobello mushrooms.
-18oz box of KIX cereal.
-1/2 gallon fresh 2% milk.
-3/4lb. Cherry Tomotoes.
-15 Oranges.
-3 Artichokes.
-5 carrots.
-1 bundle green onions.
-3 sweet onions.
-1 ruby red grapefruit
-2 Tillamook yogurts.
-16 oz. wide egg noodles.
-1 dozen eggs.
-1 head iceberg, 1 head living lettuce.
-1 head cauliflower.
-2 Fresh Express Jumbo Ceasar salad kits.
-1 stick butter.
-1lb. sour cream.
-1lb. cottage cheese(accidentally got pinapple...oops...regular was available.)
-3lbs. frozen blueberries.
-1 head of garlic.
-2 pears.
-1 papaya.
-1 box Annies natural mac n cheese.
-1 loaf texas toast bread.
-1 pack of pita breads.
-2 lemons.
-5 bell peppers(3 red, 2 orange).
-1 pack Sour Patch Kids.
-1 can Campbells Chunky Philly Cheesesteak Soup.
-24 oz Maguey Sweet Sap(like Agave Nectar).
-1 house plant.

I left a lot of things behind such as pasta, sauce, desserts, potatoes, canned beans and tuna because I already have full stocks. I have also gathered a couple hundred dollars in spices and oils to cook with from them as well.

 

[akrvbob]

Wow, what a haul!
Bob

 

[flying kurbmaster]

gee I thought food banks were there for people who needed them, can anybody go in and get food, silly me I have been going to stores and paying for it, I can't imagine how much money I have wasted.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

Wow that's a great food bank! I have never seen anything like that in a food bank.

 

[NWShortyFord]

Well gee kurbmaster, they are for people who need them but I guess anyone could go if they wanted. Here are the facts. I am very, very poor. I live in a 40 year old van I got for free 7 years ago. My work is seasonal. I do not get food stamps, ebt, ssi or disability(I don't morally believe in it). So yeah, I would rather eat real food than ramen and mac n cheese, or have to struggle with $10 a day budgets like I had to in other cities. The people at the food bank know me, I am not taking advantage of them, they all know I am broke and live in a van...I'd say 50% of the people who shop there live in vehicles. I go when I need to, when I have enough money to buy food I buy food mainly becasue I don't have time what with work taking all day.

The food bank is a great resource but trust me, you wouldn't want to go if you didn't have to. It takes hours, you have to sit with fellow van dwellers like myself which is nice, we have a good group here, but also all the insane, drug addicted and otherwise unsavory characters are there too.

Keep in mind a lot of this food would otherwise be in the dumpster.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

Sorry about that Shorty, my bad.

 

[mockturtle]

insane, drug addicted and otherwise unsavory characters are there too

People with mental illness are 'unsavory characters'?  Maybe that kind of thinking explains why there are such poor mental health policies in this country. 

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

Last night I was at the 29th annual Babe Ruth birthday party at Nemo's bar in Detroit Michigan.  We had hot dogs with chili and onions, baby ruth candy bars, cracker jacks, peanuts, birthday cake, and or course beer.  It's a good thing I don't eat that way every day.