I've done it, and I could do it again if I had to. It's really about priorities and looking past the chicken nuggets. Yes, It would take more planning to eat a nutritious diet on $25 a week, but if you're not working (presumably), I'd suggest you've got the time.

And food stamps aren't a permanent solution. They are supposed to be a temporary supplement in a time of need. If I was down on my luck, you'd better believe I'd be making the most of that $25 a week.

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Egads! That amount is TWICE what I can afford per day! I should quit my job and go on food stamps. Oh. And then I'd get free health care. And a free apartment. Sure it's not much, but gosh darn it, it's free, right? Besides, I could probably find a doctor to get me some SSI disability checks too. All in all, not a bad life at all. And if I shack up and baby's mama has more kids, we get that juicy earned income tax credit. More money. Sho me the money! Where do I sign up to be a societal drag and drop out????

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The trick to feeding a family on $25 a week per person is to know how to buy in bulk and cook from scratch. I could feed my family of 6 on this budget. I would have $150 to work with. Here's how I'd do it, and I "shopped" on line at Sam's for my grocery list.

SAM'S CLUB reserves the right to limit quantities of any item.
Item Description Sku # Qty Unit Price Totals

WHOLEBEAN COFFEE BREAKFAST BLEND 40OZ 022785 $13.82 $13.82
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BROWN SUGAR 7LBS 924101 $3.84 $3.84
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Butter SALTED SOLIDS 4-1LB 907588 $8.32 $8.32
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BB CH LT TUNA 66.5OZ 66.5 OZ 714105 $9.22 $9.22
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2% MILK 1 GALLON 114568 x3@$2.73 $8.19
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EB LG GRADE A EGGS 18 CT 663453 $3.02 $3.02
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ORGANIC MINI CARROTS 5 LB 908032 $5.44 $5.44
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BROCCOLI FLORETS BE 4 LB 246681 $4.83 $4.83
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BANANAS 3LB 362153 $1.44 $1.44
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EX FINE CANE SUGAR 10 LB 537672 $4.74 $4.74
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WHEAT SPAGHETTI 4 LBS 718414 $5.52 $5.52
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RED DEL APPLES 8 LB 749615 $9.42 $9.42
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BREAD & PIZZA FLOUR 25LB 415788 $10.69 $10.69
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CALIFORNIA BLEND BE 5 LB 246667 $5.82 $5.82
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subtotal for products $94.31

The remainder I would spend on a whole eye round roast for $20.00
3 whole fryer chickens for a total of $15.00
4 pork tenderloins for $15.00
old fashioned rolled oats for $2.00
10 lbs. potatoes for $5.00

With this I can make a delicious meat, potato or pasta, and veggie dinner every night with leftovers for lunch the next day. I would probably cook the pork loins in the crock pot with jerk seasonings and serve it over the whole wheat spagetti and I'd roast the chickens with potatoes. The eye round roast can be cut thinly on the meat slicer and last for 2 dinners and several sandwich lunches. Tuna salad and fresh fruit and fresh mini carrots with homemade cookies can be packed for a for a bag lunch. Breakfast could be hot oatmeal with apples and cinnamon, eggs and homemade biscuits, or pancakes topped with fresh fruit syrup (homemade) with coffee or milk. The possibilities are endless with a little planning and creativity. If you need help, go to the library and check out "Whole Foods for Whole Families" and similar cookbooks.

The flour, sugar and butter would last at least a whole month because I bought in bulk at Sams. I also purchased 3 gallons of milk to last the whole week. Throw in a few large cans of tomato sauce and some beans and you can make chili. Homemade pizza can be made on the cheap with homemade sauce and crust.

These are good skills to have and use no matter what your income!

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Our grocery budget is $120/week for a family of four, or $30/person. It isn't lavish, yet very do-able. I think it would be tougher to feed one person for $25/week, since with a family you get sort of an economy of scale going. It's more expensive to buy single servings, for example.

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You can buy oatmeal or eggs for breakfast. Buy frozen vegetables and bananas and peanut butter and wheat bread for snacks. Thats a vegetable, fruit, wheat and protein. A nutricious meal for about $25 a week.

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I know it can be done, but it's neither extremely easy or nutritious. Even the grocery list that Mary printed out - you go through 1 gallon of milk in a week between 6 people?? You are also not getting enough fruits per person with just 3 lbs of bananas and 8 lbs of apples, nor are you getting the variety that you need. If that's the way you really eat, I didn't see the price of the multi-vitamin that you all would need to take every day.

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I taught at-risk kids for about 20 years. 99%+ of the school came from families living below the poverty level with food stamps. All of the children received free breakfast & free lunch every day - even in the summer. That would make those weekly food stamp amount stretch much further, don't you think?

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Has anyone tried going to a farmer's market? I've gotten 7 pieces of corn for a dollar depending on the farmer, and at least 3-4 pieces with others. I've gotten a quart of apples for $1-2. People EAT TOO MUCH, when you really listen to your body you'll realize that we don't need much food, that undereating extends your life, and that cereal and crap makes you MORE hungry because your cells aren't getting any nutrients and they're demanding more food. I easily live on $25 worth of food a week, and I feel great. The problem isn't money as much as a lack of education.

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That would be $73.50 for my husband, my daughter, and myself. That's amazing. We can "make do" with this since what we're currently spending on groceries is already quite a bit less than this. Just imagine what more we could buy if we had that amount! Seriously.

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I'm pretty sure I could do it, but I think it's the quality of food we should be concerned with... why should poor people have low quality food ladened with MSG and hormones. But as a whole I think the entire food stamp system is messed up.... I remember being a cashier and seeing people with their nails done and hair done and nice clothes buying a few things with stamps and buying more with cash than my lower middle class family could afford. I think those who need them to to get more and those who could do without them need to be weeded out.

Just my opinion,

Adrien
http://www.TheNakedHippie.com
Organic Tshirts

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Sure, it's absolutely possible to prepare nutritious meals on the budget described. I've done it many times in my life (though never, by the grace of God, having to be on food stamps) and will probably have to do it again. But l know how to cook from whole foods which was not a skill I popped out of the womb knowing...I was blessed with the intellegence to learn, to figure out where the farm market was and how to get there, and do the math, and the health to get myself to the cheap grocery and then to do the work. And if you walked your heels down looking for a job each day are you really going to spend an hour and a half making red beans and rice for dinner?
What if you have a sick child who needs extra nutrition, or who is too ill to keep down pizza or bacon? How many times could you tell your child, who just wants the cereal his classmates eat that "It's a special treat"? How long could you pass up your favorite grocery strore treat, whatever it is, without feeling a little bit bitter about your circumstances? Be honest. Are you a saint? I'm not.
So, sure, like I say, I've done it....but I don't think that makes me anybetter than the chick in front of me at checkout who pays with her Independance card. I know exactly why she's gripping her sons hand in case he reaches out for a snickers bar and then the cashier says "You have to pay for that" - and then she has to put back the bread.
Understanding and compassion are free, so we can all spread that around with reckless abandon.

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I shop ahead, freeze and store food bought at rock bottom prices. We feed a family of 6 very well on $400/month or $100/week=$14.29/day which is $2.28 person. *based upon my upcoming Nov 2-8 week of menus, I will use $82.32 worth of food:
Bfst:
39 oz can coffee $4.02
pint 1/2 nad 1/2 $1
1 lb sugar $1
! lb br sugar 50 cents
large canister oats $2
2 half gal Trop OJ $5

lunch:
3 loaves organic whole grain oat bread.$4.17
2 18 oz jars P butter $4
1 32 oz jar jelly $1.50
1 4 lb boneless turkey breast $5.96
1/2 bottle spicy mustard 25 cents
lettuce -free from garden
3 cans albacore tuna $2.97
1/2 quart mayo $1
2 boxes low fat granola bars $2
30 pieces of fresh fruit=5 pkgs $5 or less
Home made cookies $2
HM soup $1

Dinner:
Sunday-pot roast dinner
4 lb pot roast beef $8
2.5 lbs fresh mashed potatoes 87 cents
can corn 25 cents
salad greens from garden $0
HM vinaigrette-pennies
Mon:beef stroganoff dinner
leftover beef and broth
egg noodles $1
cr mush soup 67 cents
1 gallon milk from powder mix for cooking $1.93
Tues: calico beans, kielbasa and coleslaw
1 28 oz can baked beans $1
2 cans kidney beans 76 cents
2 cans black beans 76 cents
kielbasa $4
2lb cabbage 40 cents
2 lb carrots 67 cents
Wed: hamburger and macaroni
1 lb ground beef $1
box macaroni 50 cents
1 15 oz can stewed tomatoes 50 cents
1 15 oz can tomato sauce 50 cents
1 can green beans 40 cents
Thurs: turkey burgers on buns, 3 bean salad
1.25 lb pkg ground turkey $1.49
1 pkg whole wheat buns $1.39
*mayo and mustard noted above
lettuce-free from garden
3 cans beans: green/wax/kidney-$1.20
hm vinaigrette
Fri: fried catfish sandwiches, coleslaw
2 lbs catfish $6
1 pkg organic seeded white buns $1.39
mayo*noted above
1/4 jar relish 25 cents
Sat: French onion soup and biscuits
2 lbs onion $1
"free" beef broth fzn from other meals
biscuits from scratch $1
msc:
5 pkts Koolaid for kid's lunches $1
28 tea bags 56 cents
tub of Smart Balance $2
1/4 bottle cider vinegar 25
Canola oil $1 worth
msc spices $1
4 gallons fluid milk $12

$95 for the above. I still have $5 to play around with. I usually have extra produce, depending upon what's available for $1/lb or less if it's from the reduced rack. Lately I;ve been making apple and pumpkin pies from scratch. With 29 cents/lb sugar pumpkin and 49 cents/lb Paula Red apples. We eat very well.

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Ground beef for $1 a pound??? Where are you lucky enough to buy that?

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Now try to live with the minimun salary in Mexico, thats:

$0.63 dollar the hour....

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