Shopping for the Hunger Challenge

I had a hard time deciding where to shop for a week of meals that were limited to $1 per person. I chose a big supermarket to try and buy a week's worth of food at one time. I don't know if someone on a budget would have the time and transportation resources to go from store to store for the best bargains.







Oatmeal
Barley
Pinto beans
Lentils
Macaroni
Spaghetti
Chicken bouillon
Organic raspberry jam
Organic peanut butter
Eggs
Cottage cheese
Mustard greens (frozen)
Organic green peas (frozen)
Smart Balance spread
Organic milk
High fiber bread
Cremini mushrooms
Organic celery
Raisins
Carrots
Organic romaine lettuce
Organic onions
Grated parmesan cheese

Total bill $55.02. Did I succeed or fail? Hard to say. A family on food stamps might not have $55 to spend at one time on food. But to get the best deals on products I usually had to buy in larger sizes. Some products were inexpensive but many really cost a lot.

Rude awakenings:
* Frozen vegetables are often a much better deal than fresh

* Bread is really expensive these days. I've gotten used to making my own and had no idea

* Some basic items like potatoes were very expensive and had to be left behind

* I tried to buy organic when I could, but it wasn't always feasible. Sometimes though, organic was cheaper than conventional

* The only meat I bought was bacon, which I will use as a flavoring, not a main dish

* Getting enough nutrients is hard! Some tasty foods are just not nutritious enough to make the cut

* Someone on a budget probably wouldn't have several types of olive oils, nut oils, and three kinds of butter. I chose Smart Balance because it is a healthier fat and can be used for cooking or on toast.

The Hunger Challenge kicks off on Monday I'll tell you more about it then, but for now, head to Blog Appetit and The Inadvertent Gardener to hear how my friends and fellow bloggers Genie and Faith are doing with the challenge.

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♥ Join the Hunger Challenge