how do I feed a family of 3 for $100 per week?

Answer 1

This is very doable!

Breakfast:
2 Bags of Offbrand Puffed Cereal (yes, bags)
1.99 ea 3.98
2 Gallons of Milk
3.49 ea 6.98
2 dozen eggs
1.99 ea 3.98

Lunch:
3 loaves of bread (freeze two)
1.29 ea 3.87
12 cans of tuna fish
.50 ea 6.00
1 tub of mayonaisse
2.99 ea 2.99
1 package of bologna
1.99 1.99
1 package of hotdogs
1.29 1.29
1 package of american cheese
2.99 2.99
1 tub of peanut butter 32 oz.
4.29 ea 4.29
2 Assorted Generic Jelly Flavors
2.59 3.18
6 Boxes of Mac & Cheese
.50 each 3.00

Dinner:
1 10lb Bag of Chicken Quarters
8.99 ea 8.99
3 Cans of Generic Pasta Sauce (yes, cans)
1.99 ea 3.98
3 Boxes of Assorted Pastas
.99 ea 2.97
1 5lb Bag of White, long-grain rice
3.99 ea 3.99
1 10lb Bag of Potatos
7.99
16 Ramen Noodle Soups
.15 2.40
10 Cans of Assorted Vegetables
.69 6.90
2 Packages of Butter Sticks
.89 ea 1.78

Drinks & Such
1 5lb Bag of Sugar
4.99
20 Assorted Kool-Aid/Lemonade Flavors
.15 ea 3.00
4 12-pk of Offbrand Soda Flavors
1.99 7.96

Total:99.49

Tips: Seperate the chick quarters up and freeze them immediately. 1 large chicken quarter is Plenty of food for even a large man, or enough food for child and an adult together.
Add rice to almost everything. Cook the chicken and debone it, add the meat to the pasta sauce. Make sure you buy black beans as part of your vegetables (they are delicious, flavorful, and you can eat them and rice together without adding anything to it.)

email me if you need more tips: [e-mail]


Good luck!

Answer 2

There are 4 of us, two adults, a 3 year old, and a 20 month old. I spend about $120 a week. Some weeks more when we have to buy pull ups or toilet paper. We don't buy junk food. It's too tempting to have in the house and if you look at how much you pay for it, it's just RIDICULOUS price wise for what you are getting. We buy a lot of fruits, yogurt, cheeses, and fruit snacks-the healthy kind. I do use coupons. I don't see why you wouldn't.... it just takes a minute to cut them out and you save money. I guess being a stay at home mom means we are on a budget and I try really hard to stick to it so I can stay at home. I plan our meals out by the week with some room for change. I always go with a shopping list or I find myself buying things that I didn't need.

Answer 3

I feed a family of 5 on $100 a week. It's not that hard. Buy off brands on some things. Buy whatever meat is on sale and work with that. We eat pretty well, too.

Answer 4

It can be done. Our secret (2 people) is buying store brand canned goods, frozen veggies, pasta, rice, dried beans, bulk meats on sale and portioning them up and putting them in the freezer, making our own bread and tortillas, and homemade soups are great. Also, buy your cheese in bricks and shred them yourself and pop them in a ziplock and put in the freezer. And make your own bread crumbs from leftover bread. Our store has a club card which saves even more money, plus earns points towards free deli stuff. And if you watch the circulars in the paper, Safeway offers great 10 for $10 deals.

Once your pantry is stocked and the spice drawer stocked, the only thing you'll need for a couple weeks is dairy products like milk and eggs.

Answer 5

Pasta and rice are both cheap per pound cost wise. Make dishes that will give you leftovers like lasagna, chili, and spaghetti. Beans are great for starch. Your main expense will be meat, so buy that in bulk and divide up into meal sized portions. Use store brand can and boxed foods to save money, also coupons can help you save some bucks.

Answer 6

You won't want to do this for ever, but one week you could have
soup for dinner (every night) It won't kill you for one week. Its nutrisious, cheap and you can save time by making one big pot and freezing portions for each night. I love chicken soup, and potatoe leek soup is yummy and easy too. Sandwiches and fruit for lunch and cereal for breakky perhaps?
We have a new rule in our home (since the beggining of November actually) and its going really well. We don't have any "fizzy or juice" in the house anymore! (oh, bar Christmas that is) It does save a little cash (if you're like us and love cola) not to mention water is really good for you anyway.
All the best

Answer 7

All suggestions are great. I find that planning a weekly menu also helps. I make a list before I go to the store and stick to the list. Sticking to the list is sometime very hard to do, most people spend money on impulse buys (those endcaps the stores use to grab you attention) that can really cause havoc to a budget.

Answer 8

Shop at the right places, clip coupons, buy only what you need so cut down on junk. I have a family of 3 and that is my budget for food a week.

Answer 9

Make meals that you can use more than one time. If you make meatloaf, make meatloaf sandwiches, If you have pasta and meatballs, have meatball sandwiches another night. If you have roast beef, make hot roast beef sandwiches another night.

Pasta, chicken, and ground beef can be economical. You can also use leftover sausage rolls for make your own pizzas.

Stick to make at home drinks such as kool aid, iced tea, etc. rather than purchasing sodas.

$100 can definitely feed a family of 3 if you are careful.

Answer 10

Look in your town for something called "angel food." It sells 50 dollars worth of groceries for 25. It helps out for people like me who just like to shop cheap. Also, look for sales, buy in bulk, and generics work just as good!

Answer 11

Rice, potatoes, and pasta. Use these things liberally, and cut-down on expensive meat.

Try to buy inexpensive (fresh is possible) vegetables - they are important. Greens are usually affordable and healthy.