Cutting food down question

margieanne, it breaks my heart to read this. I'm not sure skipping meals is the best thing, rather I'd cut down on the expense of the foods I was eating. Make sure you get enough protein so that the body doesen't break down muscle tissue to derive protein. Dried beans are very, very cheap and are full of protein. Use your crock pot and fix a large quantity of beans! There are so many varieties are well, pintos, navy, black-eyed peas and many more! Oatmeal for breakfast is very cheap, and combined with a small glass of milk it is very nutritious. Much cheaper than breakfast cereals! Homemade vegetable soup made with just chicken bouillion and canned tomatoes as the stock is very nutritious and cheap. You can use canned or frozen vegetables if fresh are costly. Make a large pot of this and make a grilled cheese. I'm sure you have figured out that buying generic products saves a bundle. A 5-pound bag of potatoes can carry many meals! Many nights we have a 'baked potato bar.' We fix a frozen bag of brocolli, grate some cheese, open a can of chili and whatever else folks want on their potato! You can also make homemade potato soup very cheaply. Macarroni and cheese (homemade, not the boxes) is very cheap, filling and nutritious, again, I'd add a frozen bagged vegetable. I found this website that has numerous 'budget recipes.' Best of luck to you! I wish I lived near you, I'd cook you a big pot of soup today! website w/ budget recipes: http://www.betterbudgeting.com/frugalrecipelist.htm

Ramen noodles are the bomb! Thrown in a little butter and garlic, it is really good. Then there are things like the Hamburger or Chicken Helper that actually comes with the meat in it. It is low cost and is quick and easy. My family also loves to have soup and sandwiches. Oh! And the kids love the pot pies that are less than 50 cents each! Hope this helps. Trust me, I understand! Have you been able to seek an state assistance until he can find another job. I hated doing it myself, but my partner lost his job last year and we did have to fall back on seeking assistance from the state at that time. It really was a lifesaver. I just had to hold my pride in for a little to do it. Trust me, it was hard. But I am grateful we were able to get help!

You should visit your local food shelf Margieanne. It doesn't matter that you own your home or a car. If you have no money you have no money. They will give you food. You shouldn't need to cut out a meal. Make a large pot of soup once a week and dine on that for your lunch. You make homemeade bread. Add a slice of bread and you have a meal. Eggs are a good protein too. You can make so many different things such as a quiche or casserole using eggs. I know what you are going through my dear. It isn't easy, but it can be done. Huggers to you and your husband.

Where do you live I could ship a bit of food to you! You must tend to what the balance of food is so that you don't develop health problems in the meantime. Are there any local churches that have a free soup and sandwich times? Does your Salvation Army have free lunches one week a month. We have these and they do help you. Might even get some fortune to smile on you and they could link you to some possible employment. We also have a church that gives out free food one time a month. They do go on income so go ahead and check you might just qualify! You can message me anytime!! Good luck.

I find that making a good stew or soup the healthiest and best way to save on food. You use up left over veggies and meats. Use dried peas and beans with a good bone (even supermarkets have cheap bones). Serve with bread or biscuits and you have a filling meal. Make a big pot full and you can freeze them so you are not eating the same thing each day. Use a crockpot for the following reason: Crockpots can cook all day long at a low temperature so foods never burn and at the same time they use very little energy.

i feel sorry for you and i dont think there is more cutting down required than what you are doing now already you have cut down on your meal but instead of cutting down on one time meal y dont you make porridge of rice and all of you can atleast have a share from that and fill your stomach also it will not increase on your expenses... try makin soups from a single vegetable for filling ur stomachs whenever ur hungry

I feel sorry to hear that your husband lose their job. As my opinion cut down for wasting money not only in food. if you need to cut down the food take some less price of foods which can available at your local. which food you feel less payment. you take and maintain your family. may i god bless you to earn more and god will help you don't worry. cheer up friend.

My parents made a lot of spaghetti! :) We also had a lot of rice and scrambled eggs! Yum! :) What about mac and cheese? :) If you ever have leftover rice, save it and add it to your soup! :) I haven't tried it but it sounds like a great filler. :) Do you have a Walmart Supercenter you can shop at? They are cheap! :)

All I can suggest is stick to the cheapest Food this is all I was dishing out to beginning of last Year when we where going through big Problem I would not eat apart from a Sandwich for 2 weeks as there was not enough Food for the 4 of us there was me my 2 Kids and my Sons Fiancee

Hi Margie, Nurse Betty did indeed give an excellent response, but there's more. Strangely enough, the one common factor across ALL CULTURES that leads to longevity, INDEPENDENT of all other factors, is NOT EATING MUCH. The people who habitually eat the LEAST typically live the LONGEST. There is WISDOM here. As for PROTEIN, forget the Western propaganda about "needing" meat. Humans don't actually need to eat meat at all, in fact our bodies aren't actually designed for the stuff - we can accommodate it in the diet, and our bodies will work with it, but we DON'T need it. Did you know that you will get the FULL COMPLEMENT of essential amino acids and proteins in your diet if you consume both GRAIN foods (wheat, rice, barley, oats, etc) and LEGUMES (eg, peas, beans, etc)? As far as GRAIN foods are concerned, WHEAT is actually the MOST DAMAGING to the human body - it introduces an acid metabolism if consumed in excess. On the other hand, OATS and RICE are the LEAST DAMAGING of the grain foods. BUT if you want HEAPS of concentrated VITAMINS, ENZYMES and NUTRIENTS - get onto the Internet and learn how to SPROUT seeds, especially things like PEAS, MUNG BEANS, LENTILS and CHICK PEAS (Garbanzo Beans). If you can get hold of them, other things like Alfalfa (Lucerne) and Onion Sprouts are ALSO very good. They are SO full of nutrients that it's almost unbelievable! And sprouting seeds is so easy to do (believe me - I do it daily). And when you do the sums, you'll see that it's REALLY economical. BUT if you want to get the maximum nutritional benefit from these marvellous gifts, then EAT THEM RAW - cooking wipes out 80% of any nutritional benefit in just about ALL foods (notwithstanding that some foods HAVE to be cooked to be palatable and digestible - eg, potatoes). The crazy thing is that under these circumstances, you'll actually be eating BETTER than you probably ever have! More advice - give preference to FRESH FRUIT and VEGETABLES over everything else. If you can, start a little garden and get your greens growing at home - mustard greens are especially prolific, as are some of the lettuce varieties. Even the BOTTOMS off onions - just the bit with the root patch - can be planted and they produce copious quantities of onion stems, AND they'll often also produce more onion bulbs. Similar rsults apply to most veges, actually - plant the heart of a lettuce to get a new lettuce plant in no time. Plant a few potato scraps and you'll end up with a bourgeoning potato crop after a month or two. And lastly, if you possibly can, start a chook pen in the back yard and grow your own eggs. Three laying hens will give you more eggs than your family can eat! And they'll also clean up kitchen scraps very efficiently and keep your vege garden free of pests. Anyway, a few ideas in there. Hope it helps.

We were in your position a long time ago when our three children were small. We lived on beans on toast and scrambled eggs on toast. Thankfully everybody in the family enjoyed this type of food, I think they even liked it better than a good cooked meal.

I don't think that cutting out meals is the answer, margieanne. You both need to get the proper amount of calories and nutrition to remain healthy. Eggs are a relatively cheap source of protein. How about tunafish? It's cheap and tuna sandwiches are healthy. You can get chicken legs or thighs at a good price and make soup or casseroles. Homemade soups with legumes will also give you some added protein. Pasta and rice are great fillers, but you need the protein also. A huge pot of chili will last a while and is loaded with nutrition, as is tuna-noodle casserole or macaroni and cheese with hot dogs (a bit on the high-fat side, but it is cheap). I hate to think that you're worrying about food and meals. I have had my parents worrying about the food in my house since I've been unemployed; in fact my Mom was nosing around in the fridge and freezer the last time that she was here to be sure that I had food! It's something that you can't go without.

Do they have food banks where you live? I know in Canada they do and you can visit them if you are unemployed and in your situation. One thing we do when we go to the supermarket is look for meat that has been reduced due to the best before date being the next day. I just but in the freezer until I am ready to use it. I know alot people suggested beans and lentils already. I love rice and there are many different ways to cook it. I have never been to a dollar store in the states but my Mom told me they have some pretty good deals on food. Ground beef up here at least can be found cheap at some of the discount supermarkets. I dont know if you have them in the States. Make a big pot of Chili or spaghetti sauce and freeze it. I am thinking about you and wish there was more I could do to help you.

have you applied for welfare assistance? my girlfriend and i were living pretty poorly and it wasn't until she got pregnant that we finally stopped thinking we were too good for welfare. they're currently giving us $340 a month in foodstamps. it works just like a debit card and we can call and check our balance through a 1-800 number. we're hoping to be able to get off of welfare soon, but it's been a life saver for the past 6 months.

Firstly I am sorry that your husband is out of work margie and hope that something comes his way very soon. I decided when I recently retired and the choice to have to change our spending it since the children had left home and only cooking for 2 instead of 4 if there was anything that could freeze I would make a quantity and freeze such as spag. bol. sauce or casseroles even soups and that way there was something there to fall back on. Skipping meals is not good for your health so you both have to look after yourselves.

I know what you mean.You could get some pork and beans with hot dogs,peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,spam,any kind of canned food that won't go bad within a week.

You can buy a can of chopped clams and a small head of garlic for under $2.00 If some of that pasta is linquine and you have some olive oil in the kitchen, you'll have linguine and clam sauce which is delicious. People sometimes pay a fortune for it in Italian restaurants. Don't know if you've ever made it but it's very simple. Just heat the olive oil and saute the garlic untill it is golden (don't burn or let get brown) add the clams and cook down a little then add the cooked pasta and mix it up. A little fresh basil in there is good but you can save money for now without basil......This is seriously good food and there is protein in there as well as enough starch to fill up....Good luck to you. I'm sure better days are coming. But if you like this pasta as much as I do, you'll still want to eat it.

Well I can't offer anything that hasn't been mentioned. But know we all are keepoing you and your husband in our prayers. God will only give us as much as we can handle. I believe there is a reason for everything. I am sure something wonderful will come from this. I just hope and pray it comes quickly for you. Everyone thinks that america is the place to live.. well maybe but it's not that great for those of us that need help and can't get it. Try not to be embarassed. You've paid your taxes and dues. It may be time to collect on that a bit. After all that's why we pay these taxes isn't it? Oh, I did think of something. Look around your house, closets and storage. You may find things you can list on ebay and make some quick money that way. Keep the faith and keep on trucking...lol

how about beans and rice? That is always so filling and cheap. Plus lots of fiber and nutrients.

We are also on a budget. Crock pots are a great invention. A cheap cut of meat will get so tender and yummy in a crock pot. I buy a 6 dollar pot roast stick it in there with a can of crushed tomatoes a couple cloves of garlic and a chopped up carrot, salt, and pepper. Add a little water and set it on high for about 5 hours. If there are any left overs I shred them and stick them back in the crockpot the next day with some bbq sauce for bbq sandwiches. Of course potato's are cheap and you can do a million things with them. I make soup with any left over veggies I might have in the fridge, I just add water and a can of tomato sauce and let it simmer away. Pasta is easy to make a meal out of, try adding mushrooms or zucchini. White rice is great for breakfast with butter and sugar, of course. Maybe you should see if your town has a wicc program. Its easy to sign up for, they pay for rice, eggs, milk and other things. I hope this helps and I hope your husband finds a new job soon.