Low-Income Individuals, Food Budget Struggles
These complaints highlight the significant financial strain faced by individuals and families struggling to afford food, often exacerbated by unexpected cuts to assistance programs like SNAP. They are actively seeking creative, budget-friendly solutions like cheap recipes, utilizing food banks, and stretching limited resources to survive.
SOURCES (60)
“Fill pot with bones - you can use raw/uncooked bones (roasted for extra depth if you like), or leftover cooked bones/carcass (like from last nights dinner) Add equal parts: carrots, celery, onion; peels and all. I save my vegetable trimmings in a freezer bag until…”
beans, rice, cheese, potatoes, eggs, frozen fruits and veggies, etc.
“take advantage of clearence and sales. if you got an aldi, check early every day you can until you can stock up on something like chicken to freeze and thaw as needed for $2 an lb”
“Rice and dried beans. Cabbage, potatoes, carrots and onions. Make these your staples as they are filling and inexpensive, and add on from there. If you are able to have a garden, do so.”
“$75 for one roll of foil is genuinely wild, that markup is predatory. The Sam's situation is real though, I know people who rent small storage units just to justify buying in bulk from there. If your product is actually that good the price raise will stick, people around here complain about bbq prices for exactly one week and then they're back in line.”
“My oldest is starting public school in two weeks for the first time. What do you generally pack for school lunch? Any recommendations on lunch boxes? submitted by /u/limeicepop [link] [comments]”
“the napkin thing is real, people grab like 10 and use 2. we started putting them in the bag instead of leaving them out and it made a noticeable difference. the packaging swap is harder for us because we have some custom stuff that customers kind of expect at this point. switching feels like a risk when you're already dealing with people being sensitive about price increases. feels like you're pulling back on two fronts at once and that doesn't always land well.”
“Dry beans, lentils, rice, potatoes, carrots, onions, oatmeal, etc. stay away from WF but TJ is a good option. Look for discount grocery stores and shop their sales. If you or a friend have a Costco membership, get your rice there. Make sure to get variety - different beans, veg on sale, canned tomatoes, blocks of cheese instead of pre shredded. Don’t sleep on frozen veggies. Often cheaper and easy to throw some in different dishes for variety. It you don’t own many spices, invest in some (TJ) al”
“My favorite easy go to is a baked potato with cottage cheese on it with some sort of green on the side. 2nd is the chili flavor ramen noodles, which are vegetarian, with some peanut butter mixed in, and I like to add in broccoli or corn. Sometimes I stir in an egg, so I get bits of egg, like egg drop soup.”
“Sounds like you could benefit from a rice and bean diet. It’s a complete protein. BUy bulk rice and beans. You can make your own salsa and tortillas (believe me they taste way better and cost less) too. Buy eggs and some basic veggies for flavor. This is going to get old but it is do able. Rinse and repeat.”
“Just don't skimp on the fats! That's going to be a huge calorie and flavor boost. Even just plain veggie or canola oil on roast veg or in refried beans will add a good bit of calories. Peanut butter too!”
“my comment was referring to how that used is disparaging op for spending money on a variety of meat, meanwhile their alternative is just to eat dry beans”
“Having plenty of ground beef makes the $50 much more workable. Spend it on foods that add volume and variety: rice, potatoes, dry beans or lentils, pasta, oats, canned tomatoes, and frozen vegetables. Check what seasonings, flour, milk, and sauces you already have before shopping, then compare unit prices rather than assuming the largest package is cheapest. A few meals that stretch the beef well: • Beef and bean chili over rice or baked potatoes • Shepherd’s pie with mixed vegetables and mashed”
“Curious…do you all go grocery shopping with you families like together as a family? We go with my 3 year old and 1 year old and it’s like a family outing. Munson likes to push a small toddler cart that the grocery store has, I use it as an opportunity to teach my son about the store, foods, and how to shop and watch for other shoppers. He’s really good at it. Anyway I saw someone else say they outsource grocery shopping and I’m like……..should I be using this time for something else LOL like am I”
“Vegetarianism. Eat beans, lentils, tofu, brown rice, vegetables, healthy fats, fruits, eggs, and breads. Way cheaper, healthier, and better for the planet.”
“Ofc without chilli and no extra salt For example tonight we’ll have lentil curry for dinner. submitted by /u/__trinityyyyy__ [link] [comments]”
“HEB went up by 48 cents since last week for HCF 2% milk. I bought a gallon dated good thru 7/28 and it tasted like it was turning. When I went to exchange it, I had to pay the 48 cent difference. Prices are getting really out of hand. I was gonna just suck it up and toss it and grab a gallon from seven 11, but they were charging over $7 for 1 gallon. I guess the convenience costs over $2.50ish or so more 🤦”
“How much do you break it up before braising? I have a large eye of round that I want to get down to shreds but not sure if I should make chunks of it first.”
“Go to the grocery store. Buy a dozen eggs, a loaf of bread a jar of peanut butter, some jam, a dozen ramen, a mio squeeze or whatever you can afford to add to your water if you want something to make it fancy. Otherwise plain water is fine. $25 for one week is fine. You’re going to have a lot of the same meal over and over. It will be boring but it won’t kill you. You’ll be fine”
“Another tip is to get the chuck roasts and use a jaccard on them, then cook them like a steak. They are regularly 6.99 a pound on sale. I am grilling one right now.”
“Nothing to do with SNAP: are y’all also receiving WIC for the toddler? Usually qualifying for SNAP means you qualify for WIC, but it is its own application process etc. You’d be eligible until the toddler turns 5.”
“Frozen vegetables are a great plan when you're poor because they can last for months in the freezer, less food waste is more frugal.”
“I'm just curious what others are getting! I work at a place that sells food and drinks and the employee discount is 15%, which seems like almost nothing. For this reason I almost never buy food or drinks at work. submitted by /u/fearlessbyfp [link] [comments]”
“What are your go to items? What makes the most meals/lasts the longest? I already have plenty of noodles, rice, beans and ground beef. Family of 3, two adults and a toddler. submitted by /u/duckingwonderfull [link] [comments]”
“Too hot to run the oven tonight so I improvised with the BBQ. I am using a slightly modified version of this recipe. It's so versatile. You can swap things in and out as you see fit. I don't bother with the sugar at all: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231643/hearty-breakfast-muffins/ . So good for the morning (no bib or mess), post nap snack, snack on the go, etc. They are very nutritious and freeze and thaw so easily. Seriously these things are some of my best time saving dad hacks.”
“Some tasty meals there! I love pasta and beans - you can cook up the navy beans, add the cooked beans to some cooked macaroni, and then roast a couple tomatoes. Toss it all together. Season with whatever you have on hand. Good hot, good cold, lots of pasta + beans recipes online to walk you through it.”
“Excluding the food, the rest sounds worth keeping. Just throw them in a directory where search will find them and reorganize them if/when the need arises. Whatever you do, keep it low effort or you'll drown in it.”
“I've heard this before and I have a friend with kids who swears its true based on laundromat pricing and buying clearance items from wal-mart. I imagine doing laundry at home (if you can) is still cheaper, but laundromat prices have been increasing lately. My friend also doesn't have home laundry. I thought I could offer him to use mine and just charge him per load for the cost (instead of marking it up like a laundromat would), has anyone done that before? submitted by /u/wo”
“I've seen ppl either freezing it or drying, blending and adding to soups and stews.”
“When I was self-contained we had microwave popcorn for snack every day. I would ask parents to bring in the multi bag boxes and sometimes buy it myself. Everyone liked popcorn. We would sometimes have special treats like cookies or a birthday cake. I was allowed a microwave oven because cooking simple snacks or meals a couple times a month was part of our curriculum. I shared it with other teachers and they did not take advantage.”
“Anyone have a lunch box that lasts for over the road trips? Or just your best recommendations for containers that stay cool for as long as possible. Thanks in advance! submitted by /u/Ok_Atmosphere_8301 [link] [comments]”
“Baking some batches of gluten free bread (no hood oh lord save me) and packing some meals... I saw a post about preparing wet towels and putting into the freezer. Dude thanks a lot I have never seen this before and I love it. submitted by /u/skukulcan [link] [comments]”
“Went by the fridge that sells groceries at a discounted price because they are about to pass their best before date at my local grocery store. The groceries in the fridge vary very much but today when I rummaged through it I hit jackpot. I got 2 kgs beef about 2 kgs of chicken (minced and chicken breast) and 500 grams of pork at about 340 SEK (35 USD) Had I bought the beef at full price it would have cost me about 400 SEK (40 USD) and I am beyond happy! This will sustain me for a long time.  ”
“Hey guys, long time lurker here, I'm going to post my actual dinners that I have been making for about 2 years now, curious if anybody has any upgrade suggestions or alternatives. Cheaper, better flavors, etc. Please feel free to share your own recipes as well. Yes these meals look like crap but I enjoy them and they enable me to make grocery store trips for like $35-$45. Burritos: (Dollar Tree all ingredients) + raw green beans Salt water, Boil 1/3 cup of brown rice for 30 minutes, strain,”
“Seriously, what the hell is going on??? Our usual supplier just sent their 2026 price list and I nearly choked on my toast. Some items are up like 15-20%. I get it, inflation, supply chains, whatever. But this feels next level... We're a small takeaway joint and packaging is already one of our biggest costs after rent and wages. We're looking at alternatives but it's overwhelming. Found a wholesaler that seems to have decent bulk prices but I've never used them. Also keen to hear”
“I've heard this! I did a little digging and.... Question - I feel like target items are more expensive than Amazon, and therefor 5% doesn't seem worth it to me. Are there categories that Target is just cheaper in and I should just shop those? I assume I'm missing something but not sure what”
“If you live in NYC, you can get free food on Thursdays from the Claim app. Some rewards aren’t as much but still better than nothing. submitted by /u/Yabbadabbadoobiboo [link] [comments]”
“When I started out I would freeze what I didnt use. Like tomatoes and peppers. I only have a small freezer so quickly filled up. Since then ive gotten into preserving in different ways. Helps to save money. I have a food saver, a dehydrator, a water bath canner and a pressure canner. The canner being the newest. I got all 4 off season on sale over time. Bigger expenses but will save money over time. Already has anniversary been practicing with the pressure canner by making chicken broth instead”
“Fancy and comfortable is expensive -- raised beds, pretty pots, store bought soil, organic fertilizer, nice hoses, grow lights, etc. If you've got decent soil in the ground, you just need a digging tool, a watering can, a really strong back, and really strong legs lol. You'll still need to add nutrients.”
“¢50 packets from dollar general. Cardboard to kill grass. Plant seeds. Water. Boom garden.”
Lots of cvs accounts routinely get $4 off anything in the store
“Blood / plasma donation, marketplace odds and ends, odd jobs on air tasker, friends and family, sell non essential electronics / kitchen gadgets etc Cut down and budget food / eating out. Buy a big bag of rice and dried beans to eat with a bag of oats and long life milk + brown sugar.”
“Sometime during the pandemic, I harvested the seed from the fruit and planted it. Whenever I saw cherimoyas in store or at farmers market, they are $9.99/lbs. Therefore, I figured I’d try my hand at growing them in my Los Angeles backyard. I attached some photos of the journey. I now have about twenty trees. I’ve seen two fruit now. Photos aren’t in order—sorry. submitted by /u/JollofPap1 [link] [comments]”