Could you live on $1 per meal?

ellelitellelit · **Could you live on $1 per meal?**

i'm just wondeirng who here could survive, for a long period of time on $1 per meal per person? i know for me it would be hard.

what are some of your $1 per person meal ideas?

SouthernMama · 05-12-2008, 09:49 PM

As long as I baked my own bread, had butter and could have dry beans. I'd survive.

Never said I wouldn't be a crab apple though..

ChickyHip · 05-12-2008, 10:09 PM

There are always ramen noodles. I could make a batch of casserole with $7 a week and eat 1/7 of it all week. I know I could make it on $1 a day as long as I wasn't just given the $1 every day. Dried beans, rice, bread...may not be tasty meals, but I would survive.

liamsmom · 05-12-2008, 10:21 PM

This takes me back to college....
Definitely ramen noodles with an egg and frozen mixed veg cooked in. A package of spaghetti and a jar of sauce can last a few meals. A box of pasta roni, I ate that one a lot. Half a can of chili served over rice. Cheese toast....yummy and filling. With these meals, I would often include a steamed veggie, like broccoli, on the side, if you buy the sales then you can eat some produce.

Enriquesmom · 05-12-2008, 10:43 PM

I'd be heading to McDonalds, BK and Wendy's for their Value Meals...Not the healthiest, but at $1...I'm pretty sure there are a lot more I can do...For me, dh and ds at $1/person, we'll have $3 per meal...

6-paq · 05-12-2008, 11:05 PM

With sales + coupons, it is possible. I do feed my family of 6 for less than $6 a meal on occasion. As others pointed out, it's not always the healthiest meals. I've found that sticking with "mexican" type meals is actually the cheapest (and fairly healthy) way of feeding our family.

We'll have:

- beans and rice and maybe tortillas
- taco salad with lettuce, taco chips, rice and/or beans
- cheese quesadillas
- pasta and sauce and a side salad (I can get pasta for cheap or free sometimes) and garlic bread made from hot dog buns
- turkey hot dogs and chips
- chili over rice
- nachos with refried beans, shredded cheese and salsa
- shredded chicken breast mixed with beans and rice served on tortillas

I can get a big 3# bag of salad mix for $2. That will last us more than one meal. Rice is fairly inexpensive. I get my tortillas from Costco at a good price. Big bags of organic baby carrots is also inexpensive there.

We buy the 2 huge bags of taco chips at Costco for $4.xx. This will last us quite a few meals. Turkey dogs are about .79 a pack.. A pack of 24 buns is about $3 something. Both will last more than one meal. Left over hot dog buns are oven used as garlic bread with pasta and sauce.

Cans of chili (vegetarian or turkey) are often on sale for $1 each. With a doubled coupon, it's even cheaper.

Also buying seasonal fruit/veggies helps keep the cost down and will give you some variety during the year.

me and my three sons · 05-12-2008, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6-paq

With sales + coupons, it is possible. I do feed my family of 6 for less than $6 a meal on occasion. As others pointed out, it's not always the healthiest meals. I've found that sticking with "mexican" type meals is actually the cheapest (and fairly healthy) way of feeding our family.

We'll have:

- beans and rice and maybe tortillas
- taco salad with lettuce, taco chips, rice and/or beans
- cheese quesadillas
- pasta and sauce and a side salad (I can get pasta for cheap or free sometimes) and garlic bread made from hot dog buns
- turkey hot dogs and chips
- chili over rice
- nachos with refried beans, shredded cheese and salsa
- shredded chicken breast mixed with beans and rice served on tortillas

I can get a big 3# bag of salad mix for $2. That will last us more than one meal. Rice is fairly inexpensive. I get my tortillas from Costco at a good price. Big bags of organic baby carrots is also inexpensive there.

We buy the 2 huge bags of taco chips at Costco for $4.xx. This will last us quite a few meals. Turkey dogs are about .79 a pack.. A pack of 24 buns is about $3 something. Both will last more than one meal. Left over hot dog buns are oven used as garlic bread with pasta and sauce.

Cans of chili (vegetarian or turkey) are often on sale for $1 each. With a doubled coupon, it's even cheaper.

Also buying seasonal fruit/veggies helps keep the cost down and will give you some variety during the year.

WAY TO GO!!!!!!

LawDawg · 05-12-2008, 11:32 PM

I have done it, but would it be sustainable over a long period of time I don't know. I think with advanced planning it can work. Now I dont' know if you are going to have the most healthy meals because what is cheap is generally not the best for you, but like others have said you can get some good deals on canned fruits and frozen veggies if you watch the sales flyers.

Some of my cheaper meals:

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast shredded mix in stewed tomatos, frozen mixed veggies and serve over rice-- feeds 5 cost about $5 for the meal

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast shredded, mix with can of refried beans, 1/2 cup salsa, spread in tortilla sprinkle cheese on top and bake -- feeds five costs about $5 for the meal

If I can get ground beef on sale I can make lots more things for a dollar per serving including sheppards pie, lasagna, casserols, chilli, soup, and taco salads.

Gosh now that I think about it I can make a whole lot for a dollar per person. I was thinking $5 per meal, but in fact I make something and generally feed all of us at least twice and the total cost of the meal is $10 so yeah I can make a lot for that amount.

I buy the 10 pack of Oscar Myer Hot Dogs for $1.50, buns are $1, and can of Chilli is $1, add in a pack of French Fries for $1.50 and it has fed my family for much less than a dollar a person because we have dinner and then my son and I have lunch the next day. (My daughter and son don't like buns but LOVE chilli fries!!)

I think the trick is to stay away from certain frozen items, but even then I can buy a frozen meal at Wal Mart for $5 or $6 and feed the family. (My kids are still pretty little so they don't eat HUGE quantities!!)