$30 a week

[ggbwg]

If you could only spend $30 a week on groceries what would you buy? And say that you do not have a stocked pantry. Please list your recipes as well.
Price will vary on where you live of course and if there on sale. Some of my items were on sale this week.
MEALS
Spaghetti- $1.66- everything for it was on sale this week.

Chicken & Dumplings
Easy Chicken And Biscuits
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups milk
2 cups cut cup chicken
2 cans refrigerated biscuits (10 to can)
sm. package of frozen mixed vegetables

Mix soup, milk, chicken, and vegetables in bowl. Set aside. Lay unbaked biscuits in 9x13 pan. Pour soup mixture over biscuits. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

soup-1.25
milk- was on sale this week for .88 1/2 gal
chicken (bag of chicken breasts, 6.00; I used 2; 1.20
biscuits on sale for 5 for 1.00; .40
vegetables on sale for .69
Total cost is $4.04 and this includes your vegetable serving

Potato Hotdish-$3.44
1 lb. hamburger (browned, drain fat)
6-8 med. potatoes (peeled and cut into bite-size pieces)
1 can tomato soup
1 can vegetarian vegetable soup ("ABC" vegetable will work if you can't find vegetarian)
Combine browned hamburger, cut potatoes and soups in a 2 qt. caserole dish. DO NOT ADD WATER - this will thin it out and make it very "soupy". Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.

Pizza Burgers $3.71

1 lb gr. beef ($1.49)
1 jar any kind pizza sauce (.58 cents)
1 pkg. mozzarella cheese ($.99)
1 8 count hamburger buns (.65 cents)

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Separate buns in half and place on baking pan, heat for 5 minutes.
3) Brown gr. beef and drain, add pizza sauce.
4) Spoon gr. beef onto buns, and top with mozzarella cheese.
5) Bake for 10 minute or until cheese is melted.
Makes 16 pizza burgers.

This is so easy.....and yummy..
you need 2 to 3 cans of regular biscuits, 2 cans cream of chic. soup...and fill 1 can of milk...
1st, you slice the biscuits in strips, then put soup and milk in pan until boiling then add biscuits...that's it..

Eat leftover spaghetti add a salad .99

Crockpot Porkchops $5.55
4 Pork Chops
Red Potatoes, quarted, no set amount
1 onion, sliced into rings
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup (sometimes I use roasted garlic soup, instead)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

I put the pork chops on the bottom of crock. Season chops with salt and pepper. Layer the potatoes on top and season. Last layer will be the onions. Pour the soup over all of this.
Cook in crockpot 6-8 hours on low.

Grilled cheese & tomato soup $2.08

LUNCH
Use leftover sauce from chicken and dumplings and make flour dumplings and serve over that.

PB & J 2X that week $2.00

Banquet Frozen Dinners 3 days $1.98

Any other leftovers

BREAKFAST
Eggs in a Basket- $.59
Cereal 3X .98 for a box
French Toast Free because we have all the ingredients for it.
Baked Apples -$1.50
Breakfast Burrito- Use some leftover tortillas, cheese and eggs, ham. $.99

SNACKS
Popcorn .89
cucumber .39
carrots .99
elephant ears Free- use leftover tortillas and deep fry them and add sugar and cinamon

DRINKS- Water-milk and juice .59
TOTAL $30.59 over by 59cents Which is ok as long as your not over by $1

[Tree0164]

You did a good job! How many people are you feeding? I honestly can do not it for $30 a week. I don't breakdown each meal.

We aim for $300 a month (breakdown $75 a week) I do keep a well stocked pantry as well

[ggbwg]

With us we only feed 4 people. 2 adults and 2 kids. Sometimes grandma as well. Thanks.

[jmjj215]

$30/week is definitely on the low end of the norm I would say. My wife, 10-month old son, and I do about $50 / week. We also keep a well-stocked pantry. And we buy fresh foods - which are more expensive.

[ggbwg]

I don;t always get to spend $30 a week it usually runs from $30-$50. Some weeks i get to splurge more than the other week.

[jacquelynrose]

I like the idea...I mean it is doable...I am a Single Mom with a little girl so I am sure it is possible to do...but I also like to buy extras.

Jacquelyn

[Susapalooza]

ggbwg, what outstanding recipes! And what a great job you did staying so accountable with your food bill. The chicken and dumplings and the pizza burgers look deeeelicious.

Here's an old favorite my cousin sent me. I haven't priced the items, but it's good:

Cheeseburger Bake

Takes about 15 minutes.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 package {7 1/2 oz.} refrigerated biscuits {10 biscuits}


Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper over high heat; drain. Add ketchup and cheese; mix well. Pour into baking dish. Place biscuits on top of the beef mixture and bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden and cooked through.

[Tree0164]

That sound very good !!!

[Susapalooza]

Thanks, Theresa Here's another hamburger oldie-but-goodie, this one from a favorite aunt...

POTATO PAN-BURGER

SERVES 8 to 10
BAKE at 425 for 25 to 30 minutes

Brown...1 1/2 pounds ground beef with
1/2 c. chopped onion in large skillet, stirring occa-
sionally. Drain.

Blend in...1/4 c. flour and
1 T. catsup. Add
3/4 c. beef broth
1/2 tsp. salt and
1/4 tsp. pepper. Cook until thick, stirring
constantly.

Stir in...1 can (10 1/2 oz.) cream of mushroom soup and
1 cup sour cream. Reheat. Mixture must be in skillet
or casserole with 2 1/2-quart capacity.

Drop...Topping by rounded teaspoonfuls to cover filling.

Bake...at 425 for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

POTATO PUFF FILLING

Heat...1 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. butter and
1 1/2 tsps. salt to boiling in saucepan. Remove from
heat. Add
1/2 c. milk.

Stir in...Instant mashed potato flakes (approx. 3-4 oz.)
When flakes are soft and moist, whip lightly
with fork.

Add...2 unbeaten eggs, beating well after each.

Stir in...1 c. all-purpose flour and
2 tsps. double-acting baking powder. Beat well.

You might need to give it about five more minutes than she says, depending on your oven. The potato filling should be done throughout.

[shawni]

I want to shop where you shop! I always try to shop the sales, go to vegetable markets, and bread thrift stores...your prices still beat mine by a mile. I can't wait to get my herb and veggie garden going this year. That should definately save me on my grocery bill.

[ggbwg]

I shop at 2 grocery stores here. Hy-Vee and Super Saver. They always beat prices at Walmart, at least here they do. Plus Super Saver will match prices and take coupons. I usually only buy pork, or sale items at Hy-Vee. I plan my grocery shopping by making a menu for a week. Then i just get the ingredients the recipes call for unless i already have something of it on hand. I don't have but 2 small kitchen cabinets to use so i don't have much room. My kitchen is small because we rent an apartment. Those other recipes you all had listed looked yummy too. And the cheeseburger one would be pretty cheap where i live because i can get biscuits for .20 a can sometimes on sale for .18 a can.

[zakity]

Another idea is to mix the hamburger with TVP. A friend started mixing it half and half and no one noticed.

[CheaplyClever]

Originally Posted by zakity

Another idea is to mix the hamburger with TVP. A friend started mixing it half and half and no one noticed.

OK- I'll bite, what's TVP?

[zakity]

TVP=textured vegetable protien

It is also known as TSP (textured soy protien).

[Jenlee]

One of our favorite meals is to boil chicken quarters (regularly 39¢/# and this week only 29¢/#) in some salted water to make the broth and then remove them and boil a bag of egg noodles or other pasta until done. If all 5 of us eat a chicken quarter and the noodles, the cost of the meal is under $2.50. Of course, you could add some green beans or a salad and still come in under $4.

[momma4]

OMG that is awesome I am going to have to try your method cause I am feeding 7 ppl here and our grocery bill is over $100 a week + We have started eating salads with every other meal or so which has cut my veggie costs to about $13 a week and I try to keep meat costs to about $70 a week so about $10 per meal. If you add that up that does not include dairy, cereal, or any extras nor cleaning supplies.

[momma4]

Originally Posted by ggbwg

milk- was on sale this week for .88 1/2 gal
biscuits on sale for 5 for 1.00; .40
1 jar any kind pizza sauce (.58 cents)
1 pkg. mozzarella cheese ($.99)
1 8 count hamburger buns (.65 cents)
Eggs in a Basket- $.59
Cereal 3X .98 for a box
Baked Apples -$1.50
DRINKS- Water-milk and juice .59

I just reread this wow you have low prices in your area. even on sales.
milk here never goes below $1.80 for a half gal, biscuits are $1 container(if you get the tubes), pizza sauces are $1.99+, Mozzarella chs is $2.99+, hamburger buns I got lucky and the cheapest I got them was 79¢, eggs are like 99¢+ (depends on season I guess cause I have seen lg eggs for $1.60 at the store), OMG $1 for cereal you are so lucky the least I have paid is maybe $1.70, Apples are $2.99 a bag, wow water, juice and milk for a week for you guys is only 59¢ wow we are spending like $21 on juice and milk a week. I am so grateful for WIC they save us alot otherwise we would only drink water here. Anyway I still love your weekly budget and I am going to try to do it myself I just might have to double it since there is 7 of us here. OH how do you deal with too many snackers? I swear it is like they are in the fridge all day. I am trying to figure out how I am going to make what I have in the fridge work for the next two weeks but if ppl don't keep their hands out of the food we won't make it. I have already told them "IT HAS TO LAST TIL THE 8th or we will stare" plain and simple next weeks check is pretty much gone rent is due I will have ONLY $15 for food next week and I figured I could get 4lz of bread, 1 bag of carrots, Mushrooms(?), cheese, and that was about all I think we could afford.

[niki_the_tiger]

Wow none of the stores around here offer prices so low!! About once or twice a year we can get a dozen eggs for $0.77... the rest of the time they are $1.99 for a dozen. Milk is $2.89 at the cheapest for one gallon (gas station). Cheese comes on sale for $2.00 for a package, no cheaper. And cereal is always $2.00 or more.

There is a store called "Sav-A-Lot" that offers a little bit cheaper prices - but it is 60 miles away... and with the price of gas... it's not worth it.

We're going to try buying in bulk and see if that cuts costs.

[catlover15]

I wish my the grocery store I shop at had such low prices. Where do you shop?

[catlover15]

Originally Posted by niki_the_tiger

Wow none of the stores around here offer prices so low!! About once or twice a year we can get a dozen eggs for $0.77... the rest of the time they are $1.99 for a dozen. Milk is $2.89 at the cheapest for one gallon (gas station). Cheese comes on sale for $2.00 for a package, no cheaper. And cereal is always $2.00 or more.

There is a store called "Sav-A-Lot" that offers a little bit cheaper prices - but it is 60 miles away... and with the price of gas... it's not worth it.

We're going to try buying in bulk and see if that cuts costs.

The prices at my store are about the same, but a little higher, I think.