Can you eat on $175 a month?
That is what millions of people are doing in the U.S. to keep from starving or their children from going hungry. That’s about $5.83 per day — less than $2 per meal. Many are actually eating on less money. The average person on food stamps receives approximately $96/month and the average household (4pp) receives $215/month for food, according to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Well, there is nothing to ”snap” about when you only have a fraction to spend on food. In October, more than one in 10 people — about 31 million — were using the food stamp program to get by, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Of course we all know this is a result of the millions of jobs lost over the last 6-8 months and our failing economy. So the question is will the Obama administration re-examine the SNAP program and the benefits it provides? Will improvements be made to the SNAP program under the new economic stimulus plan? Let’s hope so or we will continue to see Third World poverty right in our own backyard.
The food stamp program is designed to only supplement and help people get by with regards to food. But the reality is so many, many people only have these funds to put food on their table. There is often very little additional income coming in to buy food, heat the house, clothe the family, AND keep the lights on. It’s just not possible for millions of family living in this country. That’s the harsh reality that we must all face, especially now when jobs are not plentiful.
Not only is it a challenge to eat on $175/month but it can also be a challenge to eat healthy. We all know that fruit and vegetables, as well as those foods deemed organic are generally more expensive than processed foods that are high in fat and sugar. How can our nation’s families eat healthy if this is their food budget? When I am writing articles for families on nutrition, I am often torn about this very subject. How can I tell a family to buy healthy foods, when in reality I know that they may not be able to afford to do it? It breaks my heart every time. But I do my best to provide creative tips and suggestions like using the farmer’s markets or other alternatives to buying healthy but inexpensive food.
That brings me to the health of our children. Many of us wonder why our poorest kids are obese and suffer from all sorts of health complications. Why aren’t families making better food choices we ask? We are such a critical country and often throw stones when we live in glass houses. But how often do we truly think about how much a family or an individual really has in their pockets to spend on food that is healthy? Indulge me a little. Think about how much you spend a month on food and add it up. Now create a budget based on $175 for the month. Look at the difference between the two budgets. Imagine what your life would be like if you had to eat on $175 a month.
Our new administration prides itself on creating a renewed sense of humanity and pushing the American people to do so as well. As we think about the face of poverty, I want each of us to remember it is no longer who we think it is. The image has changed and it could really be anyone.
Check out this CNN report posted today to read more about how Americans are faring with the economy and food stamps: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/02/02/food.stamps.economy/index.html
Absolutly, I can eat well and healthy on $175 a month. I few years ago I feed 7 of my martial arts adult students for 2 weeks on $80 in food stamps. You may not get what you would like to have every meal, but you won’t leave the table hungry, and by the way nobody got fat or out of shape. It’s all about the choices you make. My wife worked the school cafateria for a year and was horrified to see, and report, 75% of the free food throwen in the trash. I’ve been hungry in the jungles of the world and seen real poverty. Let me tell you, it ain’t here.
I’m not sure what you folks are describing when you speak of “organic” and “natural”, but when I grew up it was “beans” and “rice” and it was healthy and cheap and filling and last time I was at Walmart– it still is.
Of course I can. I can do just fine with $100/head or less. My family of four eats healthy, self-prepared food most of the time. If someone eats more than $175, i wonder what kind of shage they are in…
Do you realize what the price of a rock is these day? The callous, mean-spirited
days of the ogre “W” are gone, and we can party again soon! Our Messiah will give us our change.
I sure could feed my family on that amount. My husband and I are out of work and we actually applied for food stamps. We were told though that if we wanted food stamps, we had to submit 14 applications per every 10 days on assistance to jobs that are currently hiring or we would be sanctioned and have to pay every penny plus some back to the DSS. Oh, yeah, and the applications have to be on paper (not electronic) and they can’t be resumes (my husband is an IT tech and I’m an Administrative Assistant) plus they are going to call the prospective employer to make sure I submitted the application. When I said that even Walmart had electronic applications, they said it wasn’t their problem. When I pointed out that there simply weren’t that many jobs currently open, they also said it wasn’t their problem. I don’t know why there is such an issue over amounts when my family of four (2 adults, boy 7 and girl 5) can’t even get them without lying to my government…
If the baby factories would stop banging out fatherless babies they cannot afford, those of us getting taxed to death to feed them would get a break and be able to feed our own families better. A lot of the baby factories can sit home on their asses with their excuses for not working because there are still a few of use who carry our own weight in society. I am tired of getting taxed to pay for the stupid decisions made by other people. I have no sympathy for the Food Stamp crowd; they don’t give a damn about me when I am paying out my hard earned money for them to stuff their face.
Great to see you posting. I often wonder of I could. And then I remember that I’ve done more with less, and for me its about remembering that I didn’t always have what I have now.
I would like to just thank everyone for their comments. I appreciate your honesty and candidness. It keeps me on my toes. I love the spirited discussion my post caused today. It feels good when I can spark conversation among people and get folks thinking.
As I was reading the comments a variety of thoughts crossed my mind. I am sure many people, including myself, can relate to having even less than $175/month to use for food. One year Lipton pasta in a bag became a staple in my house and that was splurging. I wasn’t in college anymore and actually had a pretty good salary, but that was what I could afford with all of my other household expenses. Well, times have certainly changed and in so many ways have gotten far worse than 10 years ago. Mortgages have skyrocketed with inflated interest rates causing foreclosures. Gas prices were through the roof not too long ago. People are forced to make even tougher budget decisions now than they may have had to do before. Of course we do what we have to do to survive. But what happens when that isn’t enough anymore? So yes, many individuals can eat on $175/month, even a family. But should they have to? What about increasing the funding for SNAP to increase the amounts allotted? Other questions I have been pondering today.
I also began thinking how this issue can be seen as an opportunity for Americans to watch their spending, especially when it comes to eating out for convenience. The truth is eating at home is more nutritional, saves money and families can spend more time together. In this current economy, it would benefit each of us to take a look at our budgets, see where we can cut spending and add more to our needs and savings. I believe we each have a role to play to in this economy and there are many things we can do individually to help improve it. It’s up to us to decide what that will be.
My fiance and I live on less than $80/person per month, and this includes fresh vegetables, herbs, meat, etc. I think this article confuses “organic” with “healthy.” You don’t need to buy organic foods to buy and eat healthy.
Thanks for posting a comment. You have sparked an idea for my next post that will teach me something, but others as well. I think many of us have bought in some way or another that organic is healthier and the best option. Maybe, maybe not. But you are absolutely correct, you can eat very healthy and not consume solely organic foods. My point in this article was to simply point out that it is an option in the supermarket that is generally more expensive — ie Whole Foods– for the budget. Not necessarily a healthier option. I appreciate you making that clarification.
My family of three eats on $600 per month and we aren’t skimping. If I had to, I could cut way, way back.
But then, I actually *cook* instead of buying frozen dinners, and I don’t buy a lot of chips, soda, and other junk. We eat fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables , and we eat meat and chicken, which we buy in bulk when it’s on sale and freeze.
Back in the day when I was living on next to nothing, I fed two adults on $80 per month– which is $180 per month in today’s dollars. THAT’S **TWO** people for $180 per month!!! Granted, we ate a lot of beans and rice, and the vegs were mostly canned, but basic nutritional needs were met and we were never hungry.
There needs to be a program to teach people how to shop wisely and cook from scratch. The money is not the real problem. Lack of wise use of it is.
am disabled with a very limited income, and I do live on less than $200 per month for groceries. That includes non-food items. I eat a healthy diet, and I have all the non-food items that I need.
My grocery bill for February was $163.52, and included items like Cottonelle bath tissue, cheap Purex laundry detergent, Dawn dish detergent, Colgate Total toothpaste, store brand furniture polish and other nonfood items. I use coupons for name brands that I prefer.
Fresh produce included: seven sweet potatoes; turnip greens; two green peppers; celery; carrots; sack of regular potatoes; scallions; broccoli slaw; two cucumbers; sack of yellow onions; sack of Gala apples; sack of tangerines.
When I was working and feeding five children, I learned to cook inexpensive, healthy meals. Junk food and more expensive convenience food was not on the menu, and my children and I were not finicky about what we ate, either.
Today my main meal is pinto beans (cooked from dried beans and without pork), baked sweet potato with Smart Balance spread), fresh turnip greens with store brand extra virgin olive oil, milk, and corn bread. I have fresh or canned fruit for snacks or dessert.
I do not and will not skip meals.
There is no reason to not buy fresh fruits and vegetables, but they should be selected carefully for cost and storage. For instance, you can buy root veggies like potatoes, onions, and carrots to use all during the month; just keep them in a cool, dry place. Remember that apples and oranges last longer than bananas, Bartlett pears, and peaches. Frozen strawberries and blueberries will last indefinitely. Ditto with canned peaches, pears, applesauce and pineapple.
Here are some other tips:
1.Use store brands. Use store brands. Use HEALTHY store brands!!!
2.Find out which days are best for store specials, especially meats. Freeze or use right away.
3.Use coupons for brand names that you prefer.
4.Use powdered milk and canned milk in your cooking, or make up powdered milk for drinking, instant store brand puddings, a cocoa mix and cereal.
5.Wrap fresh celery (not more expensive celery hearts) in a paper towel, then aluminum foil to remain fresh longer
6.Or buy pkgs of frozen celery and onions or green peppers and onions to flavor soups, casseroles, or meat loaf
7.Purchase dried beans, pasta, and rice, store brand
8.Eat more vegetarian meals. Dried beans, eggs, cheese, and peanut butter are other good sources of protein.
9.Use a minimum amount of hamburger in chili beans and spaghetti sauce (canned, store brand). Chuckeye steaks are just as tender and cheaper than rib eyes. Round steak is good for your Swiss Steak recipe.
10.Purchase chicken thighs and drumsticks instead of whole chickens or breasts for chicken ‘n dumplings, chicken casserole, or chicken soup. Purchase in bulk and divide for several meals. Fried or baked chicken livers are delicious with rice and canned green beans.
11.Freeze and save leftover chicken or beef stock for soups and casseroles.
12.Cook soups and casseroles to make food go further—chili beans, cream of potato soup, corned beef hash, chicken casserole, Hamburger Helper type meals, 15-bean soup, vegetarian vegetable soup, salmon patties, chicken or tuna salad, chipped cream beef w/toast
13.Purchase canned meats whenever possible—corned beef, dried beef, canned chicken, canned tuna, canned salmon
14.Bake your own bread. Buy self-rising flour and corn meal to make biscuits and corn bread. Use leftover breads to make that chicken casserole.
15.Or purchase bread products at bakery outlets.
16.Grow your own fresh spinach or lettuce, chives or scallions, and herbs, in window boxes and tomatoes and peppers in planter pots.
One does not have to be on Food Stamps to learn to keep a food budget. There is no reason to not eat healthy meals and snacks on a limited income. A single adult can easily live on $176.00 worth of food per month.
I think Dorothy provided some great tips and budget stretching food ideas. There are tons of web sites that have recipes to use when on a budget. Heck half of the gourmet magazines are even focused on it. For the most part, I think people are used to paying for convienence foods and don’t realize the relatively low price of basic foods (i.e. beans, rice, root vegetables, apples, oranges, etc) Sure they take more time to prepare but they’re definitely healthy and plentiful. I’m blessed and have a decent job but still make a point of trying to only spend about $40 a week on food and I eat very well. I agree a single adult can easily live on $175 per month.
I spent $160 last month to feed a family of three. We had plenty of variety and lots of fresh fruits and veggies. What we don’t buy is more important that what we do buy, no pop tarts, very few snacks, no individual juice boxes, no frozen tv dinners. I only buy cereal when it is free after coupons, we only buy meat when it is marked down at the grocery store or an amazing sale (when whole chickens are 59c a pound we buy 10), we only buy juice or junk or packaged foods when they are cheap or free after coupon. Fruits and veggies either come from the backyard in the summer, from Costco in bulk or if they are on sale at the grocery stores. We don’t throw anything away and cook most things from scratch.