Frugal Fridays: Helpful Jumpstart for Food Stamp Challenge

So can I just say that I’m thrilled at how many of you are gung-ho to start the Food Stamp challenge–whole, organic, healthy, seasonal food for our families for about $2/day/person, or less. So here are what I think are a few key jumpstart tips.

1. Simplify. Remember, eating healthy is not expensive. Snacks and Convenience are expensive.  If there is any way to simmer down your grocery list to as few items as possible, you are well on your way. Here is a sample of my grocery shopping this month. All I’ll need as the month goes on is some more fresh fruits and veggies, but this is the bulk of it:

• Winco (for the  month):  In Bulk: Oats, whole wheat flour, brown rice, black beans, pinto beans, lentils, garbanzo beans, almonds, whole-wheat pastas, brown sugar, evaporated cane juice, barley, and raisins.  Also: Coconut milk, yams and onions (don’t need to be organic). Oh, and a few fruit leather because Dutch was with me. Total: $50.57.
• Fred Meyer: 21 lbs. of organic fuji apples ($.78/lb this week!), bananas, Tillamook cheese ($3.99 this week w/ coupon!), organic milk (on sale this week for 1/2 gal. for $2.30), cage-free eggs. Total: $28.31.
• Costco: 5 lbs. each of organic green beans, organic peas, organic corn, plus 5 Liters olive oil (which will last forever). Total $34. (Thanks Dani!)
• Albertson’s: I happened to have some good coupons so I snagged organic blue-corn tortilla chips, dish soap and laundry detergent all for $4.02.
• So that’s $116.90 so far, so I think we should be good. I have plenty of meat and peanut butter leftover from last month.

2. Bread for pennies: I was just talking to a friend last night about how expensive healthy bread is. Don’t buy it!  It’s so easy to make. If you don’t have a bread machine you can buy one for $50 and it’ll pay for itself in a few months.  (This book is also SO helpful, for making everything from hamburger buns (yum!) to  pizza dough to cinnamon rolls.) Cook it in the oven, not the machine–so cheap and yummy!  Easiest recipe one earth, foolproof:

• 5/8 c. milk
• 1/2 c. water
• 3 TB sugar
• 1 1/2 TB butter
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• Then on top–3 cups flour (any kind, I use whole wheat), then dig a little well in the top and put 2 tsp yeast (yeast is super cheap to buy in big containers at Costco). Do dough cycle, then dump it onto greased cookie sheet, bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Yum! For pennies per loaf.

3. Challenge yourself to go without. The Beans & Rice challenge really showed me how addicted to sugar I am. I missed eating sweet things!  It was so helpful though because it kind of re-set my sweet tooth. For example today I was marveling at how peas are so sweet, they taste like candy! (Ok not quite). But I do think we can slowly wean ourselves off of things if we try.  I still put sugar in my tea though…   *sigh*

Happy grocery shopping!  I’ve also heard that the Green Grocer in Oregon City has some great local, whole, organic foods. Haven’t checked it out yet, though.  Send along your tips, ideas, recipes!  And don’t forget to thank God for every bite!