Last week, members were challenged to figure out a menu plan that cost $100 for the week.

This week I offer another challenge to our dollar stretchers to consider scenarios that may be outside of their own experiences or maybe very much like things they have learned to live with. Members shared what they would do with a $100 and no food in the kitchen.

Now, stretchers, you have $50 to spend. For those of you who joined us in this fun test of frugal thinking and planning, you have all the food left that didn't use up in last week's menu. For those just newly joining us, you have spices and staples.

So what will you do with $50 for the week? Remember that everything has to be bought, you don't have access to your gardens or wild growing foods. You can use the prices from the places you usually shop at for this excercise.

Readers, come on in and share what you might do with a $50 budget. We'd love to hear from you.

Brandy, you crack me up. I love these challenges... I look forward to seeing what people are going to write about this challenge. I'm assuming the goods I would have left over would be legumes and whole grains. In that case if I have $50 bucks I'd restock on fruits and vegetables, get some fresh milk and eggs, buy a whole chicken or chicken leg quarters - whatever was a better sale at my local stores and get a value bag of fish. When I have my basic/staple food groups covered I really don't need a bunch of misc. items to work with. Eating on less of a budget would mean eating more simple meals but they were still be healthy, balanced and delicious. Sure it's fun to go all out with supper and dish up a feast but a simple meal can still be a balanced meal, tasty and meet nutritional requirements. Those will always be met here regardless. So if the option for "take your pick from a variety of dinner dishes and your needs will be met through picking and pairing" was not the option anymore then the option would be "hey, this is your plate, it's nutritionally balanced and if you eat it all you are getting all you need for this meal for nutritional purposes" - either way, it's going to be balanced. This is where my background in nutrition really comes in handy and times like that where I am REALLY THANKFUL I have spent as much time studying nutrition and learning to know the ropes and make things work over here. Anyhow, what about you Brandy, what would you get with your big 50?

I use to do it when Angel Food Ministries was around. I might be able to do it again. If I focus and could get hubby on board.

Brandy, what would you consider to be staples?

I was going to ask the same question?  what are staples..dry pasta, milk, flour eggs?  makes a big difference.

 I can do this with two people if I take the time to read the sales add at the food store and that would be for mom and me.

1. oat meal get that by the pound

2. potatoes

3 bean

4 rice

5 chicken

6 bread and eggs

7 half pint milk the lactate type forr me

8 alittle fruits and veggies

9 cheese

These would be the basics that would cost me in a week leaving out coffee and soda and tea.

Staples are the basic foods that are consumed often. Milk and bread could be staples but would you have consumed a whole package of it or not within the week? Would the remainder of the milk still be good this week?

I assume that for many, items like flour, sugar, spices and other things are bought and last beyond a week; sometimes beyond weeks. You decide what might be left based on the meals you chose and how much you think you would have used.

HOLY CRAP Bat Man---> this challenge will be hard last week was hard and this week mentally is harder I will have to figure out what would be left from last week before I get started...

It's always interesting to see other's staple list. Mine starts with fresh fruits and veggies and something like flour or sugar wouldn't even be on the list...where as with other's list they are on the top! I think though that when there are basic staples available it makes it easier to budget on less and if you are really taking advantage of home scratch cooking then it can save a lot overtime.

jayashiangel:

this challenge will be hard last week was hard and this week mentally is harder

*whispers from across the internet*  I haven't even sat down to take last week's challenge myself yet.