Time to get groceries!

Mission: To purchase seven days worth of meals for two people with $42.

While I've been conjuring up meals in my mind all week long, it was finally time to put the pen to the paper. As expected, much more planning is involved when living on a food stamp budget. I realized very quickly that our menus needed to change drastically. I like to think that my husband and I are somewhat health-conscious, as we generally purchase lots of fresh veggies, lean meats, 100% juices, etc. However, I knew that this would be nearly impossible for this challenge. One big important question: why is healthy food the cheapest?! Of course I know the answer to this question, but I really wish it wasn't so. So I set out to purchase what I believed would create simple meals that could possibly be made into leftovers for lunches the following day.

I brought a calculator with me to ensure that I stay within my budget. I found myself paying very close attention to prices and selecting more off-brands than usual. However, I just had to splurge on a loaf of whole wheat bread instead of white!

My total cost came to $47.97 (without tax), which exceeded my budget by $5.97--good thing we have a $10 leeway.