Iota Sigma Rho SL Sorority, Inc. is still at it; working hard to provide quality information on feeding families on a limited budget. Hunger and poverty knows no race, age, or season. As we roll into the holiday season - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's - families want to provide the best they can on a budget. Soror Rhoyally Addictive - Erika Vixen La'Vine- is from the Chicago and has witness many families face hardships during this time of year.
She has taken her time to provide a shopping list on a $50/week budget as well as a few tips, tricks, and meals you can prepare throughout the year; not just on holidays. This list is base on a household of two part-time working adults and a 12 year old full-time grammar school student-athlete.
Soror Rhoyally Addictive (Erika Vixen La'Vine) says:
"In my household, things often get rough, especially around holiday season. We often make sure to visit our local food pantries, clip coupons, and look for sales. More often than not we have to go to at least three or more stores to get the best bang for our buck. It can weigh heavy and be exhausting, but in the end to know we saved money is worth it. That's money that can be put towards gifts among other things. For this particular list, I looked at Peter's Fresh Market, Mariano's, Aldi's, Ultra Foods, and Food-4-Less. Walmart usually has good sales and prices as well. I also, looked into my local food pantry. Make sure you know the rules of your food pantry before going to get food. Usually there is some kind of registration that goes one before hand.
Here is the Grocery list:
- Skinless Chicken Breast (4pc/ package) @ $4.99/lb = $7.25ea x1
- Chicken Wings (13pc/ package) @ $2.99/lb = 2lbs @ $5.98 x1
- Slice Bacon @ $2.99/ea x1
- Quaker Grits @ $0.00 x2 - Canned Pink Salmon @ 0.00 x2
- Frozen Family Pack of Fillet Tilapia @ $7.99 x1
- Frozen Family Pack of Salmon @ $7.99 x1
- Bag of Red Potatoes @ $0.00 x 2
- Large lemons (6pc) @ $0.00 x1
- Grade A Extra Large Eggs @ $1.00/ea x2
- Gallon of Milk @ $1.30/ea x1
- Village Heart Honey Wheat Bread @ 2/$3 x 1
- Fresh Cello Spinach @ 2/$3 x1
- ((mix and match you spinach and bread getting 1 & 1)) x1
- Rinaldi Pasta & Alfrado Sause @ 5/$5
- Barilla Pasta (excl. wheat) @ 5/$5 ((mix and match you past and sauce)) x1
- 3lb Bag of Red Onions @ $0.65/ea x1
- 3 Medium Size Yellow Onions @ $0.00
- Jumbo Sweet Potatoes @ $0.45/lb = 2lbs - Mangos @ $0.78/ea x 2
- Asparagus @ $1.99/lb = 1lbs
- Yoplait Yogurt @ $0.55ea x 5
- Bell Pepper Trio Pack @ $0.00 x1
- Canned Tomatoes Paste @ $0.00 x 3
- Canned Diced Tomatoes @ 0.00 x3
- Canned String Beans @ 0.00 x3
- 2 Small Cornish Hens @ 0.00 x1
- Fresh Tomatoes on the Vine @ $0.00 x 1
- Sagento Shredded Mozzarella Cheese @ $1.99/ea x 1
- Riceland Extra Long Grain Rice @ $0.00 x2
- Cheerios Cereal @ $0.00 x2
- Granny Smith Apples @ $0.95/lb = 2lbs
- Red Apples @ 0.00 x1
- Small Packaged Ham
- Canned Whole Kennel Corn @ $0.00 x6
- Fresh Broccoli @ $0.55/lb = 3lbs
- Large Plantains @ $0.95/ea x 1
- Large Head of cabbage @ $0.45/lb = 4lbs
Senior Discount: -10% ((2nd Wednesday of the Month @Ultra Foods))
Link/ Food Stamp Discount: No Taxes!
SUB TOTAL: $51.55
Grand Total with discounts: $46.39+/-
- Chicken Wings (13pc/ package) @ $2.99/lb = 2lbs @ $5.98 x1
- Slice Bacon @ $2.99/ea x1
- Quaker Grits @ $0.00 x2 - Canned Pink Salmon @ 0.00 x2
- Frozen Family Pack of Fillet Tilapia @ $7.99 x1
- Frozen Family Pack of Salmon @ $7.99 x1
- Bag of Red Potatoes @ $0.00 x 2
- Large lemons (6pc) @ $0.00 x1
- Grade A Extra Large Eggs @ $1.00/ea x2
- Gallon of Milk @ $1.30/ea x1
- Village Heart Honey Wheat Bread @ 2/$3 x 1
- Fresh Cello Spinach @ 2/$3 x1
- ((mix and match you spinach and bread getting 1 & 1)) x1
- Rinaldi Pasta & Alfrado Sause @ 5/$5
- Barilla Pasta (excl. wheat) @ 5/$5 ((mix and match you past and sauce)) x1
- 3lb Bag of Red Onions @ $0.65/ea x1
- 3 Medium Size Yellow Onions @ $0.00
- Jumbo Sweet Potatoes @ $0.45/lb = 2lbs - Mangos @ $0.78/ea x 2
- Asparagus @ $1.99/lb = 1lbs
- Yoplait Yogurt @ $0.55ea x 5
- Bell Pepper Trio Pack @ $0.00 x1
- Canned Tomatoes Paste @ $0.00 x 3
- Canned Diced Tomatoes @ 0.00 x3
- Canned String Beans @ 0.00 x3
- 2 Small Cornish Hens @ 0.00 x1
- Fresh Tomatoes on the Vine @ $0.00 x 1
- Sagento Shredded Mozzarella Cheese @ $1.99/ea x 1
- Riceland Extra Long Grain Rice @ $0.00 x2
- Cheerios Cereal @ $0.00 x2
- Granny Smith Apples @ $0.95/lb = 2lbs
- Red Apples @ 0.00 x1
- Small Packaged Ham
- Canned Whole Kennel Corn @ $0.00 x6
- Fresh Broccoli @ $0.55/lb = 3lbs
- Large Plantains @ $0.95/ea x 1
- Large Head of cabbage @ $0.45/lb = 4lbs
Senior Discount: -10% ((2nd Wednesday of the Month @Ultra Foods))
Link/ Food Stamp Discount: No Taxes!
SUB TOTAL: $51.55
Grand Total with discounts: $46.39+/-
Here is a few meals to try ((Variety is everything)):
NOTE: Breakfast is what fuels your body so try to eat majority of your cabs, fats, sugar and/or proteins at this time. Lunch should be light; like a replenished or energy. You don’t want to go to heavy because it will give you a temporary boost and a quick crash. Dinner is another time you want to slow down on energizing food. Allow your body to burn off what you ate during the day without starving it. Also, if you eat a serving of fresh fruit, veggies, trail mix or something small (not meat) between meals; not only will it keep you from being hungry but you will more than likely eat less of your larger meals. In short saving the consumption of food. Everybody is different. Your body react to food differently, so listen to it; train it, and you’ll see a difference in the way your body works including hunger.
↓Meatless Monday:↓
Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs w/ cheese, spinach, diced tomatoes, diced bell peppers, diced red onions; grits; toast, fruit- Juice is optional; Water will suffice. However, if you want juice this is the best time of the day to have it.
*Snack – cookies are not a snack; those are treats. A snack is fresh fruits and raw veggies. Make sure to drink water with your snack*
Lunch:
Salad (Spinach, tomatoes, chopped red onions, peeled orange pieces and/or peeled cubed apples, shredded cheese, pinch of salt, pinch of pepper, squeeze a wedge of lemon juice over it, and a vinaigrette salad dressing (or whatever you prefer- free at Subway and sometimes McDonalds)), water
*Snack*
Dinner:
“Fettuccini Alfredo” (add freshly diced tomatoes, spinach and cheese to add to flavors), water
.
*Snack*
↓Wednesday:↓
Breakfast:
Small bowl of cereal, apple, orange juice
*Snack*
Lunch:
“Simple sandwich” (Wheat bread, ham or turkey meat, pickle, cheese, spinach, tomatoes, onions, condiments (free at some local restaurants and stores or borrow some)), small bag of chips, piece of fruit or yogurt, water
*Snack*
Dinner:
Baked Cornish hen (split in half for two; in fours for a family), rice, roasted asparagus, boil corn, jello with fruit inside for desert, and water
*Snack*
↓Fish Friday:↓
Breakfast:
Homemade hash browns (optional), whole wheat toast, scrambled cheese eggs, “Salmon croquettes” (open can salmon and remove as much of the large and small bones as possible. Drain all the juice. Add 2 whole egg and one egg white, ½ cup all-purpose flour, pinch salt, pinch pepper. Mix in bowl with hand. Make sure everything is well mixed. In a nonstick skillet add a tsp of extra oil and heat on medium low. Pick out small balls of the salmon mix as if you were making handmade burgers. Roll and smash accordingly. Place the made patty in the hot oil and cook for appx. 3 to 5 minutes per side or until golden brown), grits, fruit, orange juice
*Snack*
Lunch:
“Grilled Fish sandwich” with a simple salad, a piece of fruit or yogurt, water
*Snack*
Dinner:
Grilled salmon, homemade mash potatoes, steamed fresh broccoli, water
*Snack*
↓Meatless Monday:↓
Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs w/ cheese, spinach, diced tomatoes, diced bell peppers, diced red onions; grits; toast, fruit- Juice is optional; Water will suffice. However, if you want juice this is the best time of the day to have it.
*Snack – cookies are not a snack; those are treats. A snack is fresh fruits and raw veggies. Make sure to drink water with your snack*
Lunch:
Salad (Spinach, tomatoes, chopped red onions, peeled orange pieces and/or peeled cubed apples, shredded cheese, pinch of salt, pinch of pepper, squeeze a wedge of lemon juice over it, and a vinaigrette salad dressing (or whatever you prefer- free at Subway and sometimes McDonalds)), water
*Snack*
Dinner:
“Fettuccini Alfredo” (add freshly diced tomatoes, spinach and cheese to add to flavors), water
.
*Snack*
↓Wednesday:↓
Breakfast:
Small bowl of cereal, apple, orange juice
*Snack*
Lunch:
“Simple sandwich” (Wheat bread, ham or turkey meat, pickle, cheese, spinach, tomatoes, onions, condiments (free at some local restaurants and stores or borrow some)), small bag of chips, piece of fruit or yogurt, water
*Snack*
Dinner:
Baked Cornish hen (split in half for two; in fours for a family), rice, roasted asparagus, boil corn, jello with fruit inside for desert, and water
*Snack*
↓Fish Friday:↓
Breakfast:
Homemade hash browns (optional), whole wheat toast, scrambled cheese eggs, “Salmon croquettes” (open can salmon and remove as much of the large and small bones as possible. Drain all the juice. Add 2 whole egg and one egg white, ½ cup all-purpose flour, pinch salt, pinch pepper. Mix in bowl with hand. Make sure everything is well mixed. In a nonstick skillet add a tsp of extra oil and heat on medium low. Pick out small balls of the salmon mix as if you were making handmade burgers. Roll and smash accordingly. Place the made patty in the hot oil and cook for appx. 3 to 5 minutes per side or until golden brown), grits, fruit, orange juice
*Snack*
Lunch:
“Grilled Fish sandwich” with a simple salad, a piece of fruit or yogurt, water
*Snack*
Dinner:
Grilled salmon, homemade mash potatoes, steamed fresh broccoli, water
*Snack*
