no longer single, but we run pretty independently of each other, still.
when I was single, and dealing with almost no income and a kiddo to feed in a split week, I would make one vegetable stew and whole grain bread, rice or pasta for me to eat half the week, a fresh soup (kiddo was not that into texture, so a blended soup was a way to get all the things he thought he hated in him), dried or fresh fruit and oatmeal for breakfast, and a real dinner each night (ok, does 4 p,m, count?) for the kiddo.
I baked my own goodies, did some judicious dumpster diving (like mushrooms that were unatractive but fine for drying, plus books and tapes), ate wild greens in spring, harvested fruit from "decorative" fruit trees in the neighborhood-- usually with permission-- and learned where the nut trees grew.
No garden space, some sprouting, when I could afford the seeds.
No food stamps, not WIC, no gov't help at all, and NO support (this is why the ex liked split custody, and Oklahoma judges basically use it as a default.)
I probably got by on 1/3 what the WIC-using mom next door was spending for a very similar schedule.
