HOW TO FEED A FAMILY OF 4 ON $30-$40 PER WEEK

Here is how you can feed a family of four for between $30-$40 a weeek. The key is to use what's on seasonal and on sale, make things from scratch, and plan for leftovers. Here is a sample of a weeks grocery list and menus for meals that not boring and delicious.

The Grocery List
oatmeal
canned fruit (14 cans) (or substitute fresh - which ever is on sale)
flour
lard
baking powder
salt
milk
2 doz. eggs
yeast
pancake syrup
potatoes
onions
carrots
celery
cheese (to be shredded)
2 chickens
2 lbs. ground beef
mayonaise
chicken boullion
tuna - 2 cans
macaroni
vegetables - 5 (canned or frozen)
margarine

BREAKFAST:

Oatmeal and Fruit
Biscuits and milk gravy, eggs, fruit
French toast (made from homemade bread)and fruit
Eggs, hashbrowns, fruit
Oatmeal pancakes and fruit
Cheese omellet, fried potatoes, fruit
Egg and cheese biscuit, hashbrowns, fruit

LUNCH:

Chicken Sandwich from supper below)on homemade bread
Chicken Noodle Soup (from supper below)
Tuna Salad Sandwich on homemade bread
Vegetable Soup (from supper below)
Egg Salad Sandwich on homemade bread
Potatoe Salad
Chicken Salad Sandwich (from supper below)

SUPPER:

Roast Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, Roasted Carrots, Fruit
Macaroni and Cheese, Vegetables, Fruit
Chicken Pot Pie (leftover chicken & veggies from above)
Creamed Hamburger over Mashed Potatoes, Vegetables, Fruit
Chicken Soup with Homemade Noodles, Homemade Bread, Fruit
Meatloaf, Baked Potatoes, Vegetables, Fruit
Vegetable Soup, Homemade Bread, Fruit

Another Hint: Try thinking differantly about meat. You don't have to have meat at every meal. Look at meat more as a "flavoring" added to the rest of the meal, as opposed to having meat and the rest of the meal centering around the meat.

-- Karen (mountains_mama2@hotmail.com), April 24, 2002

Answers

How recent is this? At our store, that list of groceries would run more like $50- $60. Maybe food is expensive here. It costs us maybe about that much to keep the family of 6 in groceries for a week. Eating cheaply is very easy (wheat, rice, and beans)(or ramen noodle soup and cheap hot dogs),what is a real challenge is to make 3 meals a day that are healthful, have some variety (not oatmeal two days in a row), and do not take a lot of time and energy to cook.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), April 24, 2002.

This is a current list. Guess groceries must be more expensive where you are. Also depends on what stores you shop. Other than the dairy and meat items, you can also get much of what is on the list so much cheaper at Dollar General or Family General type stores. Canned fruit or veggies at the regular store would be about 89¢ - at Dollar General, 20-25¢. You also have to watch for sales. It can be done. I feed a family of 7 for $70-80 a week and that includes toilet papers, etc. You just have to watch the ads and plan ahead and be willing make from scrath.

-- Karen (mountains_mama@hotmail.com), April 25, 2002.

I was spending about $50 a week for 6 people, but now since we are eating healthier, it is costing me about $10-15 more!!! I hope the average will go down a little as I am pretty stocked up now and the garden will keep us supplied for the summer. But eating healthier does cost a little more. For example, regular peanut butter I can find for $1 a jar, but the natural peanut butter is $2 a jar. Butter is much more expensive than margarine. Whole wheat pasta is about twice as much as regular, etc... Real juice more than kool aid, etc...

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), April 25, 2002.