How To Make A Family Meal For $10

Time.com:

Tom Colicchio hasn't looked at food prices in a long time. "Wow, pasta is more expensive than I thought it was," he says, scanning the shelves of the Ralph's supermarket on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Colicchio, the head judge on Bravo's Top Chef, hires people to buy food for his Craft, CraftSteak and 'wichcraft restaurants across the country. Plus, he's rich.

Read the whole story: Time.com

Comments

[fcsakes]

10:33 AM on 07/10/2008

Producing a meal for $10 or less for a family of four, or six, or eleven is not nearly as challenging as doing the same for a family of ONE.

Try it.

[mia8485]

08:22 PM on 07/10/2008

You got that right.

[Jonahson]

08:52 AM on 07/10/2008

Hey, I have a family of four and we are vegetarians. No problem feeding ourselves for ten bucks. We follow the rules of five colours in each meal to meet out nutritional need.

Yellow/ brown as in grains like soya/soya products and nuts
Black as in shiitake mushroom, black beans, seaweed, black sesame
White as in mushrooms, rice cauliflower
Green as in most types of vegetables
Red as in carrots, tomatoes, turnips, red dates, wolfberries, beetroot
....and a rich helping of fruits.

[TheBlackCat]

02:32 PM on 07/11/2008

I became a vegetarian at a very young age, 11, and my parents let me but Mom and me went to a nutritionist first to make sure she knew how to cook and I knew how to eat a balanced, nutritious meal. The thing they stressed more than anything else was to eat different COLORED foods at every meal, because different colors mean different nutrients.

[grailknight]

10:10 PM on 07/09/2008

A whole chicken for $6.50? It must have been on manager's special. Even in the midwest, a whole non-free range chicken goes for seven or eight bucks.

[KarateKid]

12:30 AM on 07/10/2008

You can get a cooked whole chicken for $6.56 at Costco, and unlike the regular supermarkets that charge $3.99 for a roast chicken, the Costco ones are big and have enough meat to serve 5 or 6 reasonable eaters. Add some fresh vegetables and a family can eat for $10, reasonably healthy.

It's the ones who go to McDonalds who get the clogged arteries and have bellies hanging out, and besides, you can't feed a family of 4 for $10 in those dumps anymore.

[klayton]

08:21 PM on 07/09/2008

If you need to be told how to feed a family of four only one meal on $10, you have enough money that you don't need to know how to make a meal for $10.

[cinemaven]

06:50 PM on 07/09/2008

I volunteer at our local food bank teaching people how to use computers and design websites. I've stopped in to watch the seminars they give on feeding families cheaply. The favored recipe is a tuna casserole made from canned tuna, two cans of a favorite creamed soup and egg noodles plus chopped vegetables (or canned peas). I've been in there often enough to see a number of mom's wonder why it's better to make that than it is to go to Wendy's and buy from the value menu. It's a tough sell sometimes.

Since I began volunteering, I've been much more aware not only of how lucky I am but of how badly I spend my money. I've really turned that around :)

The best tip they give is to call the grocery store and find out when they reduce the cost of their meat. If you're buying at 50% off, it gets easier to make a cheap meal.

[KarateKid]

12:41 AM on 07/10/2008

First paragraph: that's not healthy eating, even if it's tuna based. There's a lot of calories in creamed soups and egg noodles, and it's not very good for you. Pasta turns into blood sugar when consumed, and if you have a family history of diabetes, it's good to stay away from carbohydrates.

Second paragraph: I agree completely. A little thought and planning goes a long way. I am amazed at how I can stretch a tight budget if I think before I spend.

Third paragraph: Excellent advice. It always pays to shop and look for specials, too. One store person told me that they have to throw out all the cooked food every evening. They can't even buy it themselves, they toss it. What a waste. But that is a good time to buy food for the next day, all the pre-made salads and cooked meats go on sale later in the day, and uncooked meat specials are abundant if you look for them.

[gonavy]

04:59 AM on 07/10/2008

Hey, I was raised on that tuna casserole recipe, always with paprika on the top. Cinemaven said this was being taught to those at the food bank, thus the budget soup and noodles.

[Philippa]

07:43 AM on 07/10/2008

It's hard to stay away from carbohydrates (unless one is on a full protein diet) considering that their sources include not only grains but fruits, vegetables, milk, cheese, yogurt, and even nuts. Diabetics and those at risk are advised to limit their carbohydrate intake rather than avoid it altogether. Carbohydrate rich foods provide our body's main source of fuel which is glucose.

My husband and I have discovered that in the store that we frequent, meat are sold at half price around two weeks or a week before the freeze by date stamped on the package. There are no ads or tags informing customers of the discount. We've saved a few dollars on poultry and seafood since we happened upon this "silent" special.

[Pacific231]

01:16 PM on 07/10/2008

I'm surprised they are recommending canned veggies and canned creamed soup at all. I guess tuna fish is an inexpensive source of protein. I'd sooner recommend tuna salad sandwiches with low-fat mayo and encourage paying the little extra for whole wheat bread over plain white, and whole grain pasta and sauce meals with at least frozen veggies (fresh, ideally) not canned.

[squeezer]

03:03 PM on 07/09/2008

The trick to grocery shopping? Buy what's on sale.
These days you can check weekly specials online.

And if you want to learn how to shop at Ralph's check out The Big Lebowski.

www.squeezingbucks.com

[MzTexas]

02:36 PM on 07/09/2008

I grew up eating pinto beans and cornbread. Occasionally, we'd have potatoes with our beans. We also ate lots and lots of vegetables and fruits. Sundays were the days we had roast beef/ham/chicken. As a single mom, I could EASILY feed a family of three healthy foods for $10.00/day. Still can.

[KarateKid]

12:42 AM on 07/10/2008

And I'll bet your family broke wind, often. It must have been aromatic around your house. LOL.

[samandally]

07:28 AM on 07/10/2008

Karate,that was just lame!

[sharmdun]

08:17 AM on 07/10/2008

white beans, fried potatoes. yum!

[sharmdun]

01:23 PM on 07/09/2008

10 bucks a day 31 days a month is $310.00 for just one meal a day. sounds cost effective to me this sounds like a good way to lose weight, Ha! Ha!

[Pacific231]

02:39 PM on 07/09/2008

We're talking $10 to put on a *family* meal. For $10 you can feed a family of 4 easily. Between that and $60-80 for a night out at a lousy joint like Crapplebee's, yes, it sure is cost effective.

"Ha! Ha!"...?

[sharmdun]

08:16 AM on 07/10/2008

you make more money than me if you can afford to take your family of four out to eat anywhere. have a little humor in your life, it's ok.

[Theda]

12:38 PM on 07/09/2008

I've been to that Ralph's Supermarket. The prices at Ralph's are higher than chain supermarkets like Vons or Albertsons.
A meal of peas or asparagus, baked potato and a small piece of meat or fish, plus a green salad and fresh fruit, can be made for less than $10.

[KarateKid]

01:05 AM on 07/10/2008

Do they have Aldi in your area? They are cheaper. Also, go where the Mexicans go, if you live out West. They know how to grocery shop cheaply. Don't be ashamed, the food won't kill you, and you'd be surprised how much cheaper it is than the upscale markets you shop at.

[PanFx]

12:21 PM on 07/09/2008

A family meal for under ten dollars?? No problem!

SPAM loaf -- $3
Large can of creamed corn - $2
Family Size Ruffles Potato Chips - $3
Payday Candy Bar (sectioned, for dessert) - $1

With $1 to spare to buy a few loose cigarettes from the corner liquor store.

Fulfills all the major food groups - meat, veggies, potato chip, sweets. Eating is easy!

[Pacific231]

02:52 PM on 07/09/2008

Fascinating article on (choke, gag) Spam:

http://gawker.com/tag/spam/?i=396225&t=the-high-cost-of-spam

"Spam: it's not just nasty meat in a can. It's a leading economic indicator! Hormel has been selling the ground-up pig concoction for more than 70 years, and it's acquired quite a status as a gross American icon. Plus, economists have noticed that people seem to buy more cheap, crappy food products as the economy gets worse...[but] Spam is not even cheap...The average price of a can of Spam is up almost 7% to $2.62, or 22¢ per ounce, according to the AP. That makes it costlier than both the average retail price of pork, 18¢ per ounce, and ground beef, 14¢, according to figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Not exactly a bargain.

I bet Hormel is making gross margins on Spam that put software to shame!

I suggest working families holding down multiple jobs often have no choice timewise but eat fatty, salty preprocessed foods, but NO ONE should eat Spam, not now or ever!

[BlueandGreen]

08:48 PM on 07/09/2008

Oh Gawd, my husand loves Spam ... I wouldn't eat it on a dare, ever. Grayish pink, quivering goo ... just the thought of it makes me want to hurl. It looks like dog food. Actually, I think it IS dog food. And I wouldn't feed to any dog I gave a damn about.

[grailknight]

10:04 PM on 07/09/2008

Yet another indicator of American citizenry who never served in the armed forces. If you had, you would know how to make Spam palatable. And please spare us on how gross it is. They've just taken the sweetbreads and compacted them in a can. In much of the world, such meat parts are delicacies.

[adzeman]

12:02 PM on 07/09/2008

More likely, an economical meal for four will be Mac and cheese, kool-aid, and a Twinkie. I doubt there are many that routinely budget, include fennel as a staple. Further yet, they are not likely to even know how to "cook from scratch" anymore.

[gonavy]

02:56 PM on 07/09/2008

Actually you are just about right.

Mac n Cheese with 1/2 lb. hamburger mixed in.
Canned green beans
Glass of milk
Otter Pops for desert

This is what my 4 kids had last night. It's our new "fast food".

[KarateKid]

12:58 AM on 07/10/2008

And I'll bet they are all overweight and will have health problems as adults if they eat the first item too much. The others....well, ok.

[Pacific231]

01:08 PM on 07/10/2008

You could upgrade this dinner easily:

Macaroni pasta (preferably whole grain)
Pasta sauce (look for ones lower in sugar, or make your own)
1/2 lb fat-free browned ground turkey mixed in (your kids will never know the difference, trust me)
Frozen green beans (preferably fresh, but frozen better than canned = scads of salt)
Glass of low-fat milk
Enjoy.
And, aw, one Otter Pop (is that the same as Flavor Ice?) isn't gonna kill anyone :-)

[UnknownSoldier]

11:54 AM on 07/09/2008

5lbs of chicken legs thighs and backs for 3 bucks, pack of brown rice 2 bucks, a pack of frozen fresh vegetables 1.29 and good old fashion filtered tap water for refreshment. Somewhat healthy meal, not pefectly healthy but better than the processed alternatives and under 10 bucks.

[Pacific231]

11:17 AM on 07/09/2008

This is a story? Anyone who enjoys cooking can make a "gourmet" meal for $10 in groceries. A tasty, "serviceable" (ie, plain, not "gourmet") meal is even less expensive.

Pound of boneless center cut pork chops on the grill, $4 ($3 on sale)
Dirty rice mix, $2, or White rice with spices already in the spice rack, less
Fresh steamed vegetable(s), take your pick, $2-3 max

Done.

The key is not the $10 limit but TIME. A single parent family or two-parent family working multiple jobs and maybe even swing shifts can't spend time to prepare foods like this. They have to spend extra money on prepared foods that are actually much more expensive, far less nutritional, and loaded with salt and saturated fat, which cause health problems people with crappy or even no healthcare can ill afford. It is another hidden problem unique to the" working poor."

[OhComeOnNow]

07:18 PM on 07/09/2008

Very well said! I was reading this article and was scratching my head about how you could NOT come up with a GOOD meal for less than $10. It is definitely a matter of time vs. convenience!

[KarateKid]

01:03 AM on 07/10/2008

A little planning ahead would do you a world of good. Prepare the meal beforehand, freeze it, then nuke it when you have time. It's tasty, and you don't have to give in to processed foods.

[TheBlackCat]

02:47 PM on 07/11/2008

Supermarkets are much less prevalent in poor areas. I recently read an article a poor county in california that had 18 liquor stores and NO supermarkets. You would literally have to drive over an hour to get to the nearest one. Many of us take for granted that we have readily available supermarkets with a wide range of healthy food and produce. I'm lucky enough to live in Boston where there is a farmer's market full of cheap, local produce. Many poor regions have only corner stores or bodegas with very few food choices, and they honestly DON'T have the time to get to far away grocery stores, and even if they did have the time, they don't have the gas money.
The great thing about that article is that there is an organization now which is planting community gardens and teaching residents how to care for them so that they can eat healthy, organic fruits and veggies that they simply lack access to. I hope more of these programs pop up around the US, especially with gas as high as it is.

[Topfeeder]

10:49 AM on 07/09/2008

2 buck Chuck is the suck!