TOTALLY GEEKED!

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

This Is Why Poor People Pay More At The Grocery Store

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

I don't see or hear anyone standing in judgement of the poor for what they buy at the grocery store. I do see plenty of judgement as to what people purchase with their welfare benefits paid by taxpayers and rightfully so.

What grabbed me about this article is the mention of Hamburger Helper. Who needs that? It is crap and much cheaper to get a can of crushed tomatoes and a package of egg noodles. Perhaps a can of cream of mushroom soup as well.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

A box of the about to expire hamburger helper can cost less than a dollar.

The soup and egg noodles, which still needs seasoning that also costs money, is at least 2 dollars.

It's always easy to tell who has never truly had to think about how much a meal costs to prepare, and who has.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Hamburger helper is simply a handful of dried noodles and some seasonings. You can buy an entire bag of dried noodles for the price of a box of Hamburger helper.

Thinking about meal costs, convenience foods are really expensive. However, if you are single mother working and then have limited time for food prep, that can be hard to do for sure.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Honestly, some education is key. And, these are things should be taught by parents, or at least in Family Consumer science. You can buy an entire chicken for a reasonable price, roast it and eat if for couple days and then make soup out of the carcass. It's a very economical meal. They sell huge half turkey breasts at our grocery store. I can feed 4 people with that. Frozen veggies are cheap and healthy, etc.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

An entire chicken costs roughly $4. Depending on size.

Let's say I want to make a cheap pasta dinner.

A chicken spaghetti, you need

Chicken, cooked and shredded

(The chicken needs to be cooked, and seasoned. That requires at least salt and pepper, an onion, and garlic. That just added at least 2 more items to your grocery list)

Noodles

Sauce, homemade is easy, tomato sauce, garlic, onion, oregano, basil, salt, pepper. (Again, adding things to your list)

That $3 meal just turned into a $5 meal.

Or, a box of 80 cent hamburger helper.

Which most of the time, doesn't get the meat that it calls for because it's too expensive.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

lilyofcourse wrote:
An entire chicken costs roughly $4. Depending on size.

Let's say I want to make a cheap pasta dinner.

A chicken spaghetti, you need
Chicken, cooked and shredded
(The chicken needs to be cooked, and seasoned. That requires at least salt and pepper, an onion, and garlic. That just added at least 2 more items to your grocery list)
Noodles
Sauce, homemade is easy, tomato sauce, garlic, onion, oregano, basil, salt, pepper. (Again, adding things to your list)

That $3 meal just turned into a $5 meal.
Or, a box of 80 cent hamburger helper.
Which most of the time, doesn't get the meat that it calls for because it's too expensive.

You buy dried seasonings. And, yes, there is the intitial cost but those will serve you for many meals. There are lots of times i will simply toss in some chicken simply seasoned with dried seasonings , salt and pepper. And, doing these things little by little will decrease your costs over time. And, rarely do i see HH for 80cents.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

When people say it economical, they are looking at it from the ability to buy it.

It's different when you will not have another cent coming in for another 3 weeks.

There is no cushion.

If you have, as the op said, $12 until your next check in 4 days, you don't have anothe cent. And you have to consider the taxes, too.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

My big three are garlic powder, onion powder, and celery seed. Those are my go to spices. Salt and pepper of course. Those pretty much make anything tasty.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I am saying that over paying for convenience foods is helping, it's hurting. If someone truly wants to improve their diet, they can. You can buy big bags of frozen veggies, a 10lb bag of rice, dried pasta, etc. And, chicken on sale, freeze it. Chicken thighs are nutritious and cheap. And, most people eat too much meat, it can be portioned out.

Like anything in life, one can take steps forward, or not.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

And, getting kids involved in meal prep is also a big help. Kids can peel carrots and help prepare as well.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
An entire chicken costs roughly $4. Depending on size.

Let's say I want to make a cheap pasta dinner.

A chicken spaghetti, you need
Chicken, cooked and shredded
(The chicken needs to be cooked, and seasoned. That requires at least salt and pepper, an onion, and garlic. That just added at least 2 more items to your grocery list)
Noodles
Sauce, homemade is easy, tomato sauce, garlic, onion, oregano, basil, salt, pepper. (Again, adding things to your list)

That $3 meal just turned into a $5 meal.
Or, a box of 80 cent hamburger helper.
Which most of the time, doesn't get the meat that it calls for because it's too expensive.

You buy dried seasonings. And, yes, there is the intitial cost but those will serve you for many meals. There are lots of times i will simply toss in some chicken simply seasoned with dried seasonings , salt and pepper. And, doing these things little by little will decrease your costs over time. And, rarely do i see HH for 80cents.

Have you ever gone to the store with only $20 dollars. No more. You must feed 4 with no more than $20.

That very sound purchase of dry seasoning for $4 is too much of a dent in what you have to spend.

And the 80 cent HH is usually in the back, somewhere around the bathroom, on a small shelf. It's there mixed in with other things that are either out of date or the packaging is destroyed. Things like broken candles, torn and taped bags of cereal, hair dye that has lost parts of its stuff, and things like that.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I can buy garlic powder 2 for $1. You don't have to buy McCormick brand. I am saying there is real help if one take a slightly different approach. I could feed a family on one of those turkey breasts with mashed potatoes and a side of frozen veg easily for less than $40.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I am saying that over paying for convenience foods is helping, it's hurting. If someone truly wants to improve their diet, they can. You can buy big bags of frozen veggies, a 10lb bag of rice, dried pasta, etc. And, chicken on sale, freeze it. Chicken thighs are nutritious and cheap. And, most people eat too much meat, it can be portioned out.

Like anything in life, one can take steps forward, or not.

When a person only has $12 to spend on 4 days of groceries for their kids, they are not looking to improve their diet.

They are trying to feed their kids.

Look. I'm all for cooking, stocking up, using coupons, making smart, informed, purchases that are good for the body and the pocketbook.

But I also know what it is to live with the ability to only buy what keeps a kid from being hungry.

And the difference between those two objectives is what most can not understand.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I can buy garlic powder 2 for $1. You don't have to buy McCormick brand. I am saying there is real help if one take a slightly different approach. I could feed a family on one of those turkey breasts with mashed potatoes and a side of frozen veg easily for less than $40.

And the op only had $12.

For $40 I could feed a family for a week, 3 meals a day.

Do you understand it isn't about smart shopping for money saving meals, it is about being able to feed them for days on a very small amount of money.

Smart shopping vs not being hungry.

I don't know how else to say it.

Vette · Owl drink to that!

I grew up very poor. Like, extremely poor. We would spend our weekends out in the desert picking up pop cans to turn in for grocery money.

I knew I would never want to be that poor again so I made different choices than my parents did.

Off topic but one thing that struck me and really made an impression was that my mom always seemed to have enough money for cigarettes.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

That kills me, Vette.

People who spend what little money they have on cigarettes and alcohol.

I'd rather see a poor person buy a candy bar than cigarettes.

I grew up with the motto "if you can't eat it or wear it, you don't need it."

It served me well in the extremely lean years.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

lilyofcourse wrote:
A box of the about to expire hamburger helper can cost less than a dollar.

The soup and egg noodles, which still needs seasoning that also costs money, is at least 2 dollars.

It's always easy to tell who has never truly had to think about how much a meal costs to prepare, and who has.

Oh I lived it for a very long time. I do know what I am talking about. So you buy less food one week and yes perhaps a tad bit hungry that you can fix with canned soup and bread and splurge on the egg noodles that will last for meals. Been there, done that. Much healthier as well.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
Honestly, some education is key. And, these are things should be taught by parents, or at least in Family Consumer science. You can buy an entire chicken for a reasonable price, roast it and eat if for couple days and then make soup out of the carcass. It's a very economical meal. They sell huge half turkey breasts at our grocery store. I can feed 4 people with that. Frozen veggies are cheap and healthy, etc.

When DS was little I used to roast whole chickens, the meals I got out of that chicken stretched for many meals.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Vette wrote:
I grew up very poor. Like, extremely poor. We would spend our weekends out in the desert picking up pop cans to turn in for grocery money.

I knew I would never want to be that poor again so I made different choices than my parents did.

Off topic but one thing that struck me and really made an impression was that my mom always seemed to have enough money for cigarettes.

Sure on the cigarettes but back in the day they were cheap. Sure money could have been better spent. I didn't grow up either poor or rich. But fact of the matter is if someone has only $12 a week for groceries they certainly can get food stamps.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

And food stamps only go so far.

Food stamps isn't unlimited.

It's just the opposite.

Once it's gone for the month, it's gone.

So if a person only has 12 dollars for groceries, it doesn't matter if it's cash money, gift card, or food stamps.

Besides, there a lot of people who don't qualify for food stamps and only have 12 dollars to spend on groceries.

Domestic Engineer · Guru

Heaven help if I ever have to purchase a big bag of generic pasta for 99 cents ever again. I ate so much of that stuff as base for ground beef or chicken that my stomach still turns at the thought. Many weeks, that was dinner with the left overs for lunch.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Domestic Engineer wrote:
Heaven help if I ever have to purchase a big bag of generic pasta for 99 cents ever again. I ate so much of that stuff as base for ground beef or chicken that my stomach still turns at the thought. Many weeks, that was dinner with the left overs for lunch.

The whole chicken roasting idea is a great solution. One great huge meal and then soup where you add carrots and chopped up potatoes and a bit of pasta or roscuito. (spelling?) That soup will last many evenings. Sure you get tired of it but it is nutritious. Eggs are cheap: Omellets, add some toast to it, add your home grown spices and onions. Sure we all were poor once, but as LGS said, educate yourself on what you can do on that budget. $12 and you can buy a dozen eggs, a whole chicken, bread, carrots and potatoes, perhaps onions, also bananas. Does anyone want to eat that all day long? Of course not but if you are poor and starving it's a welcome site.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Ya'll are also assuming every poor person has a fridge, or even a stove.

I went for years without a microwave and only a stovetop to cook with.

I kept the basics on hand. I could use mom's oven to bake.

I could make cornbread, biscuits, and a sweetbread of some kind, and took that home to have until it was used up.

I'd make a pot of beans, or soup, or chili, we ate that until it was gone.

Breakfast was eggs or oatmeal.

I usually didn't have a lunch, he took a bowl of whatever I had made, and either a biscuit or cornbread.

Vette · Owl drink to that!

When I was single almost the only things in my food supply was mayo, bread and eggs. Yep, fried eggs sandwiches almost every single day lol. I still make them every once in a while just for nostalgia.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

lilyofcourse wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I am saying that over paying for convenience foods is helping, it's hurting. If someone truly wants to improve their diet, they can. You can buy big bags of frozen veggies, a 10lb bag of rice, dried pasta, etc. And, chicken on sale, freeze it. Chicken thighs are nutritious and cheap. And, most people eat too much meat, it can be portioned out.

Like anything in life, one can take steps forward, or not.
When a person only has $12 to spend on 4 days of groceries for their kids, they are not looking to improve their diet.
They are trying to feed their kids.

Look. I'm all for cooking, stocking up, using coupons, making smart, informed, purchases that are good for the body and the pocketbook.
But I also know what it is to live with the ability to only buy what keeps a kid from being hungry.
And the difference between those two objectives is what most can not understand.

I meant less than $20 in reference to your family of 4 comment.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

lilyofcourse wrote:
Ya'll are also assuming every poor person has a fridge, or even a stove.

I went for years without a microwave and only a stovetop to cook with.

I kept the basics on hand. I could use mom's oven to bake.
I could make cornbread, biscuits, and a sweetbread of some kind, and took that home to have until it was used up.
I'd make a pot of beans, or soup, or chili, we ate that until it was gone.
Breakfast was eggs or oatmeal.
I usually didn't have a lunch, he took a bowl of whatever I had made, and either a biscuit or cornbread.

Well one can put up blockades to any suggestion on the bolded. Not sure what to tell you there. I know of no one poor that does not have such appliances. If one doesn't have a working fridge coolers are good.

Tignanello · My dog name is, Sasha!

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I can buy garlic powder 2 for $1. You don't have to buy McCormick brand. I am saying there is real help if one take a slightly different approach. I could feed a family on one of those turkey breasts with mashed potatoes and a side of frozen veg easily for less than $40.

And you're having it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 2 people (per the OP) for an entire week?? Wow - that is some great economizing.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Tignanello wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I can buy garlic powder 2 for $1. You don't have to buy McCormick brand. I am saying there is real help if one take a slightly different approach. I could feed a family on one of those turkey breasts with mashed potatoes and a side of frozen veg easily for less than $40.
And you're having it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 2 people (per the OP) for an entire week?? Wow - that is some great economizing.

Cheap to feed two people. If on a tight budget you can do it, you just don't get the variety. But it also means you will not starve.

Tignanello · My dog name is, Sasha!

Domestic Engineer wrote:
Heaven help if I ever have to purchase a big bag of generic pasta for 99 cents ever again. I ate so much of that stuff as base for ground beef or chicken that my stomach still turns at the thought. Many weeks, that was dinner with the left overs for lunch.

I deliberately avoid anything that has lentils. Enough of the dried lentils!!

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Tignanello wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I can buy garlic powder 2 for $1. You don't have to buy McCormick brand. I am saying there is real help if one take a slightly different approach. I could feed a family on one of those turkey breasts with mashed potatoes and a side of frozen veg easily for less than $40.
And you're having it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 2 people (per the OP) for an entire week?? Wow - that is some great economizing.

Less than $20 i meant. Read above.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Did i say breakfast, lunch and supper?? No

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
Tignanello wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I can buy garlic powder 2 for $1. You don't have to buy McCormick brand. I am saying there is real help if one take a slightly different approach. I could feed a family on one of those turkey breasts with mashed potatoes and a side of frozen veg easily for less than $40.
And you're having it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 2 people (per the OP) for an entire week?? Wow - that is some great economizing.
Less than $20 i meant. Read above.

That's a lot of money for one meal.

And the op was talking about $12 for 2 for 4 days worth of food.

So, yeah, we are talking breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I challenge any one here to go to the grocery store with just $20.

Buy four days worth of meals, 3 meals a day, for four people.

The $20 is all you get to spend. No more.

And the thing is, this is just food.

What about toilet paper, soap, basic hygiene things? No one is accounting for that.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Is anyone saying one can live on $20? No. But if you only have a small amount it's about stretching ir out as far as one can.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Ok. Let's have a challenge. Let's each go to our grocery store and report back what u could puchase for $20. And be honest on actual pricing. No tax included just store prices.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

But you have to include the tax. That's the thing.

If I only have $20, I only have $20.

I don't have $20 and change.

Our tax is 6%

Technically, I'd only have $18.80 to work with.

That's part of the point I've been trying to make.

You can't just not include the taxes.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

OK, that's fine. Just saying, let's go take a look and see.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

In my state grocery items are tax exempt.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

4 days worth of breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 4 people for no more than $20 total.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Here is what i can buy for $20 at Walmart:

1. 5lb bag of Russet potatoes $2.97

2. 3lb bag of Gala Apples $3.87

3. Rhodes Bake and serve bread (5 loaves) $4.92

4. Perdue Fresh Chicken leg quarters (10lbs) $5.98

5. Great Value Steamable mixed vegetables (12 oz) $ 0.84

6. Long grain enriched white rice 2lbs $1.46
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$20.04

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

A 10lb bag of flour at Walmart is $2.24. There are 34 cups of flour in a 10lb bag. An avg loaf of bread is about 3-4 cup. You can make 8-10 loaves of bread with flour, water, a small amount of yeast, salt and a bit of shortening. I have a 2lb pouch of yeast in my freezer. You can make bread for pennies. It really isn't that hard when you get the hang of it.

A 2lb pouch of yeast is 32 oz. Those yeast packs are 2 1/4 teaspoons = 0.25 ounces. This pouch is the equivalent of 128 of those small yeast packets they sell at the store.

-- Edited by Lady Gaga Snerd on Sunday 1st of September 2019 10:13:23 PM

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

That's $20.14.

You went over 14 cents.

And that's all before tax.

So you failed the challenge.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
A 10lb bag of flour at Walmart is $2.24. There are 34 cups of flour in a 10lb bag. An avg loaf of bread is about 3-4 cup. You can make 8-10 loaves of bread with flour, water, a small amount of yeast, salt and a bit of shortening. I have a 2lb pouch of yeast in my freezer. You can make bread for pennies. It really isn't that hard when you get the hang of it.

But are assuming a person has yeast, or even the ability and know how to make bread.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

lilyofcourse wrote:
That's $20.14.

You went over 14 cents.

And that's all before tax.

So you failed the challenge.

Groceries are tax exempt here. I found 14 cents in the bottom of the sofa. OK, yeah it can't be done. I mean, their choice.

-- Edited by Lady Gaga Snerd on Sunday 1st of September 2019 10:28:34 PM

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Did you bother to look at the quantities? I can buy less apples or whatever. The point is that this is more than one meal above. This is how one builds a pantry of items to have and can eat more cheaply.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

lilyofcourse wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
A 10lb bag of flour at Walmart is $2.24. There are 34 cups of flour in a 10lb bag. An avg loaf of bread is about 3-4 cup. You can make 8-10 loaves of bread with flour, water, a small amount of yeast, salt and a bit of shortening. I have a 2lb pouch of yeast in my freezer. You can make bread for pennies. It really isn't that hard when you get the hang of it.
But are assuming a person has yeast, or even the ability and know how to make bread.

I am assuming that there are actually some people in life who want to learn to do things. But, yes, there are many people who do not. However, in the prior purchase, i bought 5 frozen loaves to bake. No yeast required there.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I mean if you only have $20 for the entire year, probably best to move into the local shelter as this conversation is a getting a bit silly.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

But, your turn. Show me what you are going to buy for $20.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I took the time to show was doable and possible. So, i would love to see some other lists. This isn't about being right or wrong. It's about making the best use of one's limited resources.