First of all, I read my local ads carefully to decide where to do the bulk of my shopping.  Then I made a list and stuck to it.

I was surprised that I was able to get a sufficient amount of food and foods that were relatively healthy too.

Of course, I wasn’t going to buy pantry items I have on hand, and I’d suspect most households no matter what income level, have on hand as well.  These would include, at the very least, oil, flour, sugar, oatmeal, margarine/butter, some form of pasta and a couple of cans of condensed soup and salt & pepper & the like.

I did a majority of my shopping in ShopRite, then a couple of other local stores.  I live in a rural area where I must drive in order to shop.  Also, shopping centers seem to be congregated all around each other, therefore I made sure to hit every store on my route without unnecessary driving–I planned my trip.

Rather than take $3-$4 and try to shop for one day, I multiplied that and came up with a weekly allotment for a family of 2 originally.  However, when I saw what I could get, especially bulk packaged, I extended this for a family of 4 because what I bought would indeed feed a family of 4 for one week.  No, you couldn’t “eat like there was no tomorrow,” but you would not starve and you’d be relatively healthy.  I spent a total of $54 on this food.  Here is the food I got for this total:

These items from various stores totaling $12

What I spent in ShopRite

No child in this country should ever go hungry.  Our children are our most precious resource.  Please take 30 seconds to go to this website and encourage Congress to pass anti-hunger legislation.  Please understand this is not political in nature.  No matter what our individual politics are I think we can all agree that no child should go hungry or wonder where their next meal is coming from.

No Hungry Kid

Please also take the time to see the film,  “A Place at the Table.”  This link lists showtimes in your city. It is also available through iTunes and at Amazon.com

So here is a recipe using what I bought on my challenge shopping trip.  I had some pantry items that I had on hand like the soup, the celery, a few leftover baby carrots and traditional seasoning.

This meal is hearty and filling.  The chicken thighs were huge.  I made 2 portions since I don’t have a family, however doubled, it’s a complete and relatively healthy meal for a family of 4.

Tasty and economical

Please remember to observe proper sanitation when preparing raw meat, and especially chicken.  Wash and disinfect all surfaces the poultry came in contact with.

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Chicken with Creamy Brown Rice

This meal is hearty and filling.  The chicken thighs were huge.  I made 2 portions since I don’t have a family, however doubled, it’s a complete and relatively healthy meal for a family of 4.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course: Chicken, Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken, creamy brown rice

Servings: 4

Calories: 668kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs or any other parts
• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 20 oz 2 10 oz cans cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup sliced carrots
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp olive oil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9-inch pan with non-stick spray.
• In a large bowl, combine the brown rice, the soup, the water, sliced vegetables and the 1 tbs olive oil. Mix well and add to prepared baking dish.
• Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place on top of rice mixture in prepared pan. Brush each piece with the 1 tsp olive oil. Mix the salt, pepper & thyme and distribute over top of the chicken pieces.
• Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until rice is tender and chicken has an internal temperature of 185 degrees (or juices run clear)

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 668kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 1427mg | Potassium: 615mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3100IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3mg

Chicken with Creamy Brown Rice

 

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Asian Green Beans

This is one of my most favorite things to eat at a Chinese buffet…ok dim sum (dumplings) too…

Incredibly easy to make.  You can start with fresh whole green beans, but if you are lucky enough to have an Aldi around you, they sell the most FABULOUS frozen whole baby green beans that are perfect for this.  If you start with fresh beans, cut off the stem end

Crisp, tasty & delicious

If using frozen beans, defrost them then drain them and dry them off a bit, as any water will make the hot oil splatter.

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Asian Green Beans

Incredibly easy to make.  You can start with fresh whole green beans, but if you are lucky enough to have an Aldi around you, they sell the most FABULOUS frozen whole baby green beans that are perfect for this.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: side dishes, vegetarian dishes

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: asian green beans, green beans

Servings: 4

Calories: 135kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 16 oz bag of whole frozen green beans defrosted and drained/dried –or- de-stemmed fresh
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp dark sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seed

Instructions

• Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in large skillet or wok. Add crushed garlic clove and stir around until it begins to brown; remove and discard garlic clove.
• Add drained and dried beans and sprinkle with the 1 tsp of sugar. Stir fry until they are bright green. Add the soy sauce and the sesame oil and stir and toss to coat beans.
• Remove to platter and sprinkle with toasted sesame seed. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 817mg | Potassium: 289mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 782IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2mg

Asian Green Beans

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