Ok, I am poor! And I am not exaggerating. We did get a $100 Visa gift card as a rebate when we switched internet providers. We are going to use this on food.
It really needs to last 2 weeks or so.
We do already have some stuff. Sorry this is going to get long. I will list what we have and the list I have and if you would be so kind to help me out with suggestions on what to add or take away. THANKS!!!!!

Ok for what we have:
1.5 pound boneless skinless chkn breast
6 cans of tuna in water
5 cans green beans
1 can pumpkin
1 can carrots
4 cans corn
1 lb lentils
2 lbs pintos
1 lb white rice
olive oil
3 pounds butter and marg
15 lbs all purpose flour
5 lbs sugar
frozen broccoli(1 pkg)
1 pkg frozen peas
cornmeal
cocoa
large container old fashioned oats
2 lbs pasta
3 cans black beans
1 can pizza sauce
1 can tomato paste
2 cans diced tomatoes
3 lbs tomato sauce
2 lbs tvp(dry meat substiute u reconstitute with water)
large container peanut butter
jar of strawberry preserves



Ok that is what we have.

I plan to buy ground beef, more chicken (df only eats white meat), parmesan cheese(a must with an italian DF! LOL), more frozen broccoli, brown rice, Crisco(to make fried chicken) bread for tuna and pb and j, milk(for baking and recipes), ketchup(for meatloaf), potatoes, 1 beef roast, bread crumbs(again for meatloaf),
veg oil for baking, bacon, eggs(for breakfast and baking)

I plan to bake cookies and muffins for snacks and brownies too.



Ok my tentative plan is meatloaf, fried chicken(or pork chops whichever is cheaper), mashed potatoes, chicken and rice, pintos and cornbread and a roast which should last at least a couple of days.

Ok thats all I have thought out.
Any advice? Please..
And if you made it through this post a round of applause for you!!

There are only 2 of us except DF's 2 kids (8 and 11) on the weekends.

in your pantry. I'd add some eggs to my list. Have you considered making bread? What stores do you have nearby? I'm not sure I'd go with buying more meat you look like you have quite a bit of protein already in your pantry. I'd focus more on filling grains.

Have you tried doing a meal plan with what you have?

I see oatmeal. Is there any other breakfast food or are you all not breakfast food folks?

I see the making for tuna noodle casserole(I'd say twice during the two weeks) if you add some creamed soup to your grocery cart. I also see beans and cornmeal. What about beenie weenies with cornbread? Add some bbq sauce and a pack of hot dogs for $2 and you could probably get two meals there. The chicken could be spread over 2 meals if you use creamed soups and put it over rice. Serve with some broccoli.


It is hard to tell you what to buy without a better idea of what your loss leaders are and where you have to shop. For example, I have a Food Lion. You'd think buying Glade outlets would be a waste of money but they net me $2.50 in overage using the buy 1 get 1. I can use that $2.50 to offset the cost of chicken which with a coupon come to $4.50 for three pounds(or basically $2 for 3 lbs after my overage). I can pick up carrot cake for 50 cents a box this week. At Kroger using a coupon and my store card I can pick up cheese for 67 cents for 2 cups. I can do that though because I know what sales I have to work with in addition to the pantry. I'm sure I have been as clear as mud. Anyway, I hope you make it through your tough time. I remember cheering when I got those little incentives when times were tight and remeber thinking this was God's way of letting me know he was rooting for me(and my family). If I can help more feel free to PM me.

My first advice is to shop at a bread outlet store like Wonder Bread Outlet, and Aldi's for as much as you can.

Turn one meal into breakfast for supper type of theme (make pancakes from scratch, scrambled eggs, etc).

You can get a box of storebrand mac and cheese and add tuna to that.

Other cheap ideas is spaghetti or goulash. Sometimes I put in ground turkey instead of ground beef when I'm short on cash, and no one says a thing about it.

Thanks ladies. In response to your comments. I swear I dont mean to make us sound picky.. but there are a few things! LOL
DF does not eat cream soups even in recipes and you could not force a hot dog down my throat!!
WE have Winn Dixie, Walmart supercenter and Publix.
None have very good sales. *sigh*
WE do have a bread store so that is a good choice for bread.
I have considered making bread but as I have never made it before it could end up being a waste of money with things being tight.
The reason for the meat is b/c DF is a BIG meat and potatoes man. So I really wantt o try to have meat most nights.Although he loves a good meal of pintos and cornbread.

There is no aldi's within 100 miles of here unfortunitely.


Thanks for all of your input.

I know this isn't what you asked for, but when I saw your list I thought that you could make these cookies:

No Bake Cookies
(in dh's house, they are known as Candy Cookies)

Bring the following to a rapid boil and continue boiling for 2 minutes:
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sugar
2 T cocoa
1/2 cup butter (I use margarine)

Remove from heat and stir in the following:
3 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter (I use crunchy)
1 t vanilla
dash salt (I rarely add it)

Drop quickly onto cookie sheet or waxed paper.

I usually double or triple the recipe as they are super yummy and go fast in my house. Get out the milk!

and this is quick and easy:

Hamburger Rice Dish

1 lb hamburger
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups water
1 cup long grain rice, uncooked (I used brown rice)
1 envelope onion soup mix

Brown hamburger, drain. Add soup, water, rice, and onion soup mix. Cover and simmer for ~20 minutes. I threw in some frozen peas just before it was done.


hth!

Since you have pinto beans and diced tomatoes you could also make a pot of chili if your df likes it and make some cornbread to go with it. I also have a Paula Deen recipe for tuna burgers if you think you and df would like them. Goulash is another good idea and it is filling, the recipe I use is the one on the Hillbilly Housewife website. Spaghetti is another cheap and easy idea since you have pasta and tomatoes on hand. I would look for any meats marked down at the grocery store to save $$. And if you don't feel like trying out baking your own bread they do sell frozen loaves of bread, they come 3 in a pack, and it is usually cheaper to buy them that way. All you do is thaw the loaf and bake it for around 30 minutes, it's pretty impossible to screw up. And it also makes a good pizza dough, since you have pizza sauce that's another idea for a meal.

I will absolutely make those cookies! YUM!!!!!!

Now the hamburger dish sounds good but DF is allergic to onions and does not eat Cream soups..

But hey I may make a variation on it!

Georgia mom great ideas!
WE both love chili so thats a GREAT option!
I dont really think either of us would like tuna burgers very much.
You know the hot tuna thing.

Pizza sounds great. I will have to see how much cheese is.

You guys are great!!!!!

You can get creative when you are poor. I wouldn't bother buying the bread crumbs. Just make them yourself. Toast some bread after you buy it cheap at the outlet (well-toasted but not burnt--toast it 2 times on the lowest setting, it will dry it out more than toasting it once on the highest setting), then crunch it in a ziploc baggie with a rolling pin. No sense wasting $2 on bread crumbs when you are on really limited funds and can get a whole loaf at the outlet for a lot less. I have even seen recipes that use oatmeal to stretch the meatloaf instead of bread crumbs. You could try that, since you have it onhand. I have used crushed Ritz or saltine crackers as well if you have any of those. My husband thought it was delicious.

You have tomato sauce and paste -make some ketchup instead of spending $1 buying it. You can find a recipe online. Or, better yet, use a 1/2 a jar of pizza sauce instead of buying ketchup to top the meatloaf. It is really yummy. I have actually done that before, and rolled the raw meatloaf up around some mozzarella cheese. It is kind of like a meatball sub. You will still have enough sauce for pizza if you mix the remaining half with your tomato sauce and add some garlic salt and herbs.

I was going to say the same thing about the bread crumbs, just make your own! When we are low on funds I can get super creative!LOL! I make lots of soups..homemade chicken noodle, beef stew, etc. Spaghetti is always a lifesaver, as is chili. Lasagne rollups are a good variation to spaghetti as well. Tacos and burritos are a good one too, you can make your own spanish rice and make you own beans too. I make a really easy chicken enchilada casserole thta is really good. Let me know if you'd like the recipes.

__________________
~~Shawn~~ Wife to John 7/6/95~~Mommy to Sydney, Jordan and Brooklyn~~