The Dollar-a-Day Diet

[Pavel]

From the NY Post
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/03/the-dollar-a-day-diet/

The Dollar-a-Day Diet
What would you eat if you had just $1 a day for food?

This fall a couple in Encinitas, Calif., conducted their own experiment to find out what it was like to live for a month on just a dollar a day for food. Christopher Greenslate, 28, and Kerri Leonard, 29, both high school social studies teachers, quickly discovered what cash-strapped consumers have known all along. In the United States, the cheapest foods tend to be so-called junk foods — candies, chips and other processed fare that is packed with calories but devoid of nutrients. Meanwhile, fresh fruits and vegetables are priced out of reach. And living on a tight food budget adds lots of extra time and effort to meal preparation.

“We’re used to eating some type of vegetable with every meal and fruit every day,” Ms. Leonard said. “Finding out there was very little way to fit that into our budget, that was a huge struggle.”

The couple blogged about the diet project and also raised about $1,500 for a local community center. While the dollar-a-day diet was just a monthlong experiment for the couple, health researchers say their experiences reflect many of the real world conditions people on limited incomes face every day. To read more about the high price of healthful food, read this week’s Well column, “Money Is Tight, and Junk Food Beckons,”

[Muncher]

I guess it would be white rice or pasta with an egg, and a glass of milk or 1 tiny portion of carrot or 1 banana.

Bag of rice = $9 per 8 kgs = approx 35 cups
1 cup of rice = 2 or 3 meals
glass milk = 30c?
carrot = 20c each
banana = 20-30c
egg = 35c

Or unhealthy = 3 packets of NoFrills instant noodles, plus water = 26*3 per day.

It's actually not doable for more than a month - before dying of malnutrition.

[Pavel]

I think there was a post somewhere on RFD a while back where a few people were arguing that you can still eat healthy and cheap for $5/day. Some people were even saying that poor people eat healthier than rich folk. But, using the example above, that food has a high glycemic index and you would start feeling the consequences pretty quick.

[almostfreeman]

egg = 35c



Woa, you buy expensive eggs ...$4.20/doz ... really :confused:

Cabbage and beans would be on my menu a lot if I had only a dollar a day to live on.

[Pavel]

Woa, you buy expensive eggs ...$4.20/doz ... really :confused:

Cabbage and beans would be on my menu a lot if I had only a dollar a day to live on.

Organic free range eggs...I buy those...actually they're $4.99 a dozn. The yolk is orange and you can taste the difference.

[craftsman]

Organic free range eggs...I buy those...actually they're $4.99 a dozn. The yolk is orange and you can taste the difference.

But if you were eating $1 a day, I don't think organic eggs would be on the menu...

[XxXSnake23XxX]

this is old. there is a long thread about this on here already.

NVM! i think it was a 5$ a day plan

[matdwyer]

I typically have a food budget for 2 people that is in the $25-30/week range, and I guarantee that I eat a lot more than most people here.

I don't recommend this, but I'm cheap... heres some example meals:

Breakfast:
Nothing or 2eggs on a piece of toast (bought on sale)
Average Cost: About $0.50

Lunch:
2 Hot dogs (foot longs bought in bulk @ 32/$20)
$1.25

Dinner:
Pasta (bought in bulk, huge portion, sometimes the only meal of the day)
Average Cost: $1.00

By all means it isn't healthy, but sometimes you do what you need to do (not that I'm in need of doing this - again I'm just cheap :|)

Some other cheap meals:
French Fries
Ham Sandwhiches ( I buy ham at $1.10/100g, 1 pound lasts for about 20 sandwhiches, whole wheat bread @ $2.00 )
Chicken breasts in bulk (I forget how much we buy, but its two big bags for $40 bucks - works out to be like 1.50 a breast - cheaper if you buy thighs and such)
Broccoli Soup (or almost any soup/stew)
Tomato Sandwhiches - good for you and very cheap, 1 tomato and 4 pieces of bread should fill you up
"Chinese food" - have egg or rice noodles with chicken chunks in soy sauce - extremely cheap
"Mexican Food" - chicken fajitas - minus the cheese (unless its on sale for under $5 a brick)

The important part is to only buy on sale, or buy in bulk - but you have to be able to eat the same thing for every meal (I can eat a ham sandwhich every day for a month... well my record is 2 weeks lol... you can switch it up and fry it one day (margarine on it and fry it on a pan) and toast it another, etc.)

Also, living near china town is important - produce there is ridiculously cheap - but frequent trips are required as it goes bad quickly

Also fruit smoothies usually take place of a meal for me, but fruit can get expensive.

All in all when I started eating cheap I gained a lot of weight - mixed in with lack of exercise. It is difficult to eat cheap and healthy, but I figure when I'm rolling in money I'll have enough to pay someone to cook healthy for me and then start from there haha

[Pavel]

this is old. there is a long thread about this on here already.

NVM! i think it was a 5$ a day plan

Yeah, but even $5 is not sustainable.

[matdwyer]

Yeah, but even $5 is not sustainable.

... yes it is :|

$35 a week is 140 a month or 280 a couple. That is PLENTY if you shop smart. There is families of 5 that eat on less than 400 a month - and I'm not talking super penny pinching, just buying whats on sale and buying in bulk when you can.

[billdozer]

matdwyer, you are truly RFD's poster boy :lol:

[ricoboxing]

on weekends you can eat for free at costco!

[FerrisB]

... yes it is :|

$35 a week is 140 a month or 280 a couple. That is PLENTY if you shop smart. There is families of 5 that eat on less than 400 a month - and I'm not talking super penny pinching, just buying whats on sale and buying in bulk when you can.

X2 You can eat really healthy with $5 a day no problem. Staple foods are much better than packaged processed crap. Eggs, vegetables, meats, milk, rice, pasta etc. I can easily eat 3 healthy meals a day with $5 if I had to.

[UrbanPoet]

I typically have a food budget for 2 people that is in the $25-30/week range, and I guarantee that I eat a lot more than most people here.

I don't recommend this, but I'm cheap... heres some example meals:

Breakfast:
Nothing or 2eggs on a piece of toast (bought on sale)
Average Cost: About $0.50

Lunch:
2 Hot dogs (foot longs bought in bulk @ 32/$20)
$1.25

Dinner:
Pasta (bought in bulk, huge portion, sometimes the only meal of the day)
Average Cost: $1.00

By all means it isn't healthy, but sometimes you do what you need to do (not that I'm in need of doing this - again I'm just cheap :|)

Some other cheap meals:
French Fries
Ham Sandwhiches ( I buy ham at $1.10/100g, 1 pound lasts for about 20 sandwhiches, whole wheat bread @ $2.00 )
Chicken breasts in bulk (I forget how much we buy, but its two big bags for $40 bucks - works out to be like 1.50 a breast - cheaper if you buy thighs and such)
Broccoli Soup (or almost any soup/stew)
Tomato Sandwhiches - good for you and very cheap, 1 tomato and 4 pieces of bread should fill you up
"Chinese food" - have egg or rice noodles with chicken chunks in soy sauce - extremely cheap
"Mexican Food" - chicken fajitas - minus the cheese (unless its on sale for under $5 a brick)

The important part is to only buy on sale, or buy in bulk - but you have to be able to eat the same thing for every meal (I can eat a ham sandwhich every day for a month... well my record is 2 weeks lol... you can switch it up and fry it one day (margarine on it and fry it on a pan) and toast it another, etc.)

Also, living near china town is important - produce there is ridiculously cheap - but frequent trips are required as it goes bad quickly

Also fruit smoothies usually take place of a meal for me, but fruit can get expensive.

All in all when I started eating cheap I gained a lot of weight - mixed in with lack of exercise. It is difficult to eat cheap and healthy, but I figure when I'm rolling in money I'll have enough to pay someone to cook healthy for me and then start from there haha


If you decide to cook, you can make large hearty meals that are also healthy.
It cost me $15 to make a HUGE pot of chili. The last big pot of chili I made lasted a week... There were 3 people working on it. Me, my bro & his gf. We each brought a bowl to work every day. Perfect with Dark Rye toast. Cheap, easy, and very healthy!
Its packed with lean protein, vitamins/minerals, and fibre.

You could also make some cheap stir fry dishes that you could eat with sweet potatoes or brown rice. Again VERY healthy. all it takes is 1-2 skinless drum sticks w/ some chopped veggies.

[Pavel]

If you decide to cook, you can make large hearty meals that are also healthy.
It cost me $15 to make a HUGE pot of chili. The last big pot of chili I made lasted a week... There were 3 people working on it. Me, my bro & his gf. We each brought a bowl to work every day. Perfect with Dark Rye toast. Cheap, easy, and very healthy!
Its packed with lean protein, vitamins/minerals, and fibre.

You could also make some cheap stir fry dishes that you could eat with sweet potatoes or brown rice. Again VERY healthy. all it takes is 1-2 skinless drum sticks w/ some chopped veggies.
Good point....it took 3 people to make the chili. Thats 3 man hours. Where do you store the chili after it's made if you're buying in bulk? I dunno about the rest of you, but my fridge and freezer get filled up pretty darn quick and easily. However, I think chili is one of the few exceptions where it doesnt cost a lot to make, is very healthy, and it goes a long way.

AS far as stir fry goes, the veggies can get pretty expensive and most of the vitamins are lost after you cook, freeze, and then reheat. You also shouldnt leave the table starving either...then again, for $5 a day, you just may have to.

[UrbanPoet]

Good point....it took 3 people to make the chili. Thats 3 man hours. Where do you store the chili after it's made if you're buying in bulk? I dunno about the rest of you, but my fridge and freezer get filled up pretty darn quick and easily. However, I think chili is one of the few exceptions where it doesnt cost a lot to make, is very healthy, and it goes a long way.

AS far as stir fry goes, the veggies can get pretty expensive and most of the vitamins are lost after you cook, freeze, and then reheat. You also shouldnt leave the table starving either...then again, for $5 a day, you just may have to.

haha Noo...
I meant 3 people working on it as in, it took 3 people to finish the pot in a week.

It only takes 15 minutes of preparing. The rest of the time is just spent checking up on a pot every 15 minutes while it simmers. during that time i'd work out, or do my laundry...

[ZenOps]

Oatmeal is a cheap substitute for breakfast. Thoroughbred horses majorially eat oats.

A $3 kilogram tub of peanut butter goes a long way as a meat substitute/enhancer.

Non-organic eggs should be around $2 per dozen if you shop around.

Sardines used to be cheap, but not recently. Sardines are a much healthier choice than weiners or any processed meat.

[Chuck Chorus]

Oatmeal is a cheap substitute for breakfast. Thoroughbred horses majorially eat oats.

A $3 kilogram tub of peanut butter goes a long way as a meat substitute/enhancer.

Non-organic eggs should be around $2 per dozen if you shop around.

Sardines used to be cheap, but not recently. Sardines are a much healthier choice than weiners or any processed meat.


I read somewhere that anything canned is not good for your health in the long term (maybe its the stuff they use to preserve it) I guess this includes canned sardines?? Apparently fresh sardines are a lot healthier for you..

Though I gotta admit, damn canned sardines w/tomatoe sauce is so good for recipes :D

[axeray]

Canned foods are generally not as good for you if they have a lot of added salts, sugars and preservatives added to them.

When I was a student I relied on instant noodles with frozen vegies. I added a dab of soy sauce and a dash of black pepper to make it a tasty meal. I also had wheat biscuits every morning, with milk, and tried to get some cheap meat for dinner to put on the bbq.

[iplom]

If you live near an Ikea store you could go there and take advantage of the breakfast special.

$1.00 gets you scrambled eggs, sausages, and home fries.

http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_CA/IKEA_Food/restaurant.html

[Pavel]

Canned foods are generally not as good for you if they have a lot of added salts, sugars and preservatives added to them.

When I was a student I relied on instant noodles with frozen vegies. I added a dab of soy sauce and a dash of black pepper to make it a tasty meal. I also had wheat biscuits every morning, with milk, and tried to get some cheap meat for dinner to put on the bbq.

I used to buy canned foods quite a bit when they were on sale. Recentl6, I was quite shocked to find BPA in cans. I thought it was only in plastic bottles. I no longer buy canned foods, only in glass bottles.

[FerrisB]

I used to buy canned foods quite a bit when they were on sale. Recentl6, I was quite shocked to find BPA in cans. I thought it was only in plastic bottles. I no longer buy canned foods, only in glass bottles.


I'm trying hard to just buy staple foods. It's a lot of work though vs how easy prepackaged is to prepare.

[LankyD]

I'll say if $1 is the limit I'll try the following:

1. Green Giant Corn or Pea
2. Lean Ground Beef
3. An egg
4. Some broccoli

May be buy them in large quantities to lower the cost?

I kinda feel bad for one billion people who are living below the poverty line ($1 or, $2 in purchasing power parity). We have a hard time what to eat for $1 but it is their only income to use for clothing, shelter, food, health care, etc.

If you have some spare time, please go to the following site:

http://www.freerice.com/

They have been donating rice to the poor countries with the help from sponsors.

[Pavel]

I'm trying hard to just buy staple foods. It's a lot of work though vs how easy prepackaged is to prepare.

yes, it also goes to show you that our culture has become so busy and always in a hurry. we..at least many of us, don't have the luxury of our grand parents or mom dad to cook for us while while we're working or going to school.

[UrbanPoet]

I used to buy canned foods quite a bit when they were on sale. Recentl6, I was quite shocked to find BPA in cans. I thought it was only in plastic bottles. I no longer buy canned foods, only in glass bottles.

Stuff in bottles has just as many preservatives... Typically those are the kind of foods that have a long shelf life.

[Sillenivek]

I just wrote a post about this on my blog. $5 is very doable.
http://sillenivek.blogspot.com/2008/10/eat-for-less-than-5-per-day.html