How to Eat for $50 a Week!

2024 ж. 6 Қаң.
299 506 Рет қаралды

According to the USDA a realistic, balanced, low cost grocery plan should cost around $137 per week for a household of 2 adults, this week I'm sharing how you can still eat well for almost 1/3 of that.
All of the information in this video is available to you for free, take notes if you'd like, however if you want a convenient printable version I have made one available for sale on Etsy for $1.99, this includes the grocery list, meal plan, and detailed instructions of the prep and recipes included. The cost just covers my time in preparing the printables along with any Etsy transaction fees. I will make around $1.35 per sale after Etsy takes their cut: dollartreedinners.etsy.com/li...
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  • I love the fact that you said you should take the last day, if you can, to not cook. One of the things that budget meals here on KZhead tend to forget is just how much work it takes to make every single meal from scratch every single day. Mental health breaks and just breaks in general are as important as sticking to a budget, I think.

    @xingcat@xingcat4 ай бұрын
    • I always think it’s important to factor in the mental exhaustion of living day to day and little ways I can provide information not only about how to live but to improve quality of life

      @DollarTreeDinners@DollarTreeDinners4 ай бұрын
    • Well said!

      @ideasforacts@ideasforacts4 ай бұрын
    • Ditto! Such an important thing to consider in your plan for each week. I have certain days of the week that I don’t have time to prepare lunch for the next day so I now always have something in the freezer for those days.

      @crystalh1402@crystalh14024 ай бұрын
    • Yes! I always put leftover days and usually I can get my plans for $50, but sometimes I want to switch up my meals and it gets to be $60-70 My plans last two weeks since I'm paid bi weekly and it's getting so hard with Walmarts pricing increasing 😭

      @MichaelaHicks@MichaelaHicks4 ай бұрын
    • 💯

      @leytonfortnite4724@leytonfortnite47244 ай бұрын
  • Rebecca is the home economics teacher this generation needs❤️

    @worldofthesupernatural@worldofthesupernatural4 ай бұрын
    • This was the sort of thing that used to be taught in school but unfortunately seems to have fallen by the wayside. I took home economics in school and was surprised when I recently went back there and found out that they no longer have that class at my former school. Hasn't been taught for years.

      @jameslongest6410@jameslongest64104 ай бұрын
    • This is tons better than my home ec class, where we basically made an apple crumble and a banana shake and that was in an entire semester--Rebecca gives us way more ideas in one half hour--thank you, dts/usa

      @danasandlin2435@danasandlin24354 ай бұрын
    • This is really true! I went to an amazing school where we learned about meal prep, shopping, budgeting, mending clothes, making quilts. It was a fun class. We even did canning once.

      @heatherjohnson3063@heatherjohnson30634 ай бұрын
    • Ma was aaaq

      @colleenlopez3923@colleenlopez39233 ай бұрын
    • We had a great teacher. We had a weekly recipe challenge, weekly shopping challenges (voluntary, recognizing not everyone shopped weekly) coupon swaps, and we tested bargain brand products versus name brands and did basic sewing and patches. I learned something about many of these things beforehand by helping my mother, so that class was fun and easy!

      @jameslongest6410@jameslongest64103 ай бұрын
  • "You can still have preference on a budget" Yes! Everyone has told me that I'm being too picky with my current food budget but this is so so important. Thank you so much for this

    @lizziemeyer9707@lizziemeyer97074 ай бұрын
    • low cost food will only get you so far if you don't enjoy eating it, it's better to have something you enjoy even if it costs a little more

      @DollarTreeDinners@DollarTreeDinners4 ай бұрын
    • Seriously. You ask around various subreddits for cheap foods and it’s always “Rice and beans, bulk buy rice and beans.” Well guess what? I hate beans. We shouldn’t be forced to eat food we hate just because it’s economical.

      @ursularowe3353@ursularowe33534 ай бұрын
    • @@ursularowe3353I agree! It’s so frustrating when 90% of the advice is the same. My husband doesn’t like beans, cannot handle bone-in meat, and is particular about which veggies he like, but we still manage to plan meals that we both like that are in our budget! It’s definitely possible.

      @jake_from_statefarm7209@jake_from_statefarm72094 ай бұрын
    • Lots of people comment about the fact that I almost always buy the same fruits & veggies.... But we rather enjoy what we like than pretend or throw away some food at the end of the week cause no one forced themselves to eat it.

      @zoorenard1101@zoorenard11013 ай бұрын
    • Potatoes are so underrated and over looked in a low cost food budget. They can be incorporated in so many ways, and despite a bad reputation for being high in carbs, they are a vegetable that very nutrient dense. They have potassium, magnesium, vitamins and fiber.

      @blondie7740@blondie77402 ай бұрын
  • When I was growing up, cookbooks, magazines, grandmothers, the government, and schools taught us what you're teaching now. You are providing a service that is very much needed. I'm happy to see it. I'm older now and don't need the information like I did when I was younger but I watch anyway because it's so enjoyable to watch your videos!

    @deidrebee1@deidrebee14 ай бұрын
    • It

      @kippytx@kippytx2 ай бұрын
    • Yes I agree and also, they taught us to wash our meets before seasoning and cooking. ;)

      @Idagramos@Idagramos2 ай бұрын
    • ​@@Idagramosmeats?

      @marlenejones6266@marlenejones626610 күн бұрын
  • Thank you for showing us how to budget our meals. My husband and I are on a fixed income now and this really helped me realize we can eat cheaper yummy meals every week.

    @sandicollins4000@sandicollins40004 ай бұрын
    • Not sure if your area has Jewel/Albertson food stores. If so, maybe it will help if you could catch the meat sales. I just bought six packs of chicken breasts. Each pack had three large breasts in it. The sale was buy one pack and get two free. I ended up paying a total of about $33 for the two then getting the other four packs free. This is enough for at least three to four months. One breast was large enough to make chicken for a week. They also had a coupon on their website to get a 5lb bag of potatoes for $1.99. I usually only shop their sale items. Hopes this helps.

      @carolwilliams8840@carolwilliams88404 ай бұрын
    • @@carolwilliams8840 thank you for letting me know about this great chicken deal but unfortunately we don’t have either of those markets close to us. 🩵

      @sandicollins4000@sandicollins40004 ай бұрын
    • So can my husband and I.

      @angelaschaefer5883@angelaschaefer588318 күн бұрын
    • ​@@carolwilliams8840 awww come on..one breast fed you for a week? Please. Was it a 3 pound breast? Exaggerate much

      @marlenejones6266@marlenejones626610 күн бұрын
    • Not sure how is here but im usualy eating ​meat in week only 2 times for 2 persons. Usualy in monday we have soup with one "brest "(we are not always using chicken) , second day tomato or pumpkin or other soup, third day usualy potatos or rice or dumplings with vegis and soup bresast. 2 remaining days lentejas with jamon or pasta or whatever we want . Weekend i have kid eating home so usualy one day is meat with rice or nugets (nugets require more meat but is just one day)and other day fish or sea fruits. Im not budgeting im just here for new ideas becouse of yt robot 🤷. But we spending plus minus 100e a week but i buy a lot of fresh fruits, basicly every day for second brekfast for my kid school and we are eating a lot of salats with expensive stuff for brekfast. Prices from spain tho. Peace.@@marlenejones6266

      @Vry9@Vry93 күн бұрын
  • I think freezing the leftover portions (if the meals are freezable) for a day when maybe you don't want to cook, or want to eat something different is great too! You are just so creative, and I can't believe how much you made with just $50!

    @staciedubz@staciedubz4 ай бұрын
    • also its a way to bring food to work instead of buying food.

      @lindanizamoff7981@lindanizamoff79814 ай бұрын
    • I have started doing that recently - freezing all leftovers, even if it’s just one portion. It really came in handy this week when we just got back exhausted from vacation and had to start back in working. Pulled multiple frozen leftovers from the freezer - hamburger casserole, sloppy joes, and broccoli cheese soup. Save money and reduce stress - freeze your leftovers.

      @kencurtis2403@kencurtis24032 күн бұрын
  • French toast could be a good way to rollover the bread and milk into next week :)

    @carmena6678@carmena66784 ай бұрын
    • Yes, I just saw a french toast recipe that is eggless... just milk and bread. Seems worth a try.

      @donnawestbrook8992@donnawestbrook89923 ай бұрын
    • Yep, I was gonna say that too and you can do a lot with oatmeal!!

      @littleluluscraps@littleluluscraps3 ай бұрын
    • Recently discovered a French toast recipe that used mashed banana with liquid to coat the bread. It was a non dairy dish.

      @DebbieLee-dr3hr@DebbieLee-dr3hr3 ай бұрын
    • My son always loved French toast. Good and cheap.

      @angelaschaefer5883@angelaschaefer588318 күн бұрын
  • I have 3 people to feed but even $75 for a whole week on groceries is crazy amazing! Thank you for doing this ❤

    @morti9865@morti98654 ай бұрын
    • I keep my family budget as close to $80 weekly. I just cleaned out my pantry this morning and I have a shopping list that should be under $20 to fill in next weeks pantry and frezer meals.

      @ginacarr1067@ginacarr10674 ай бұрын
    • You are doing fantastic. I did for several years. When my son was still living at home. Not easy to do. You should be proud of yourself.

      @angelaschaefer5883@angelaschaefer588318 күн бұрын
  • Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes. I am a senior on Social Security. I cannot spend more than $6 a day to eat. I rarely buy meat since it is unaffordable. I receive a brown bag of groceries from a charity for $5 a month. I usually receive two pounds of meat in this bag. This helps to boost my protein intake. I truly appreciate your cooking creativity. It has helped me so much. God Bless you!

    @sharonamos8352@sharonamos83523 ай бұрын
    • I am not sure where you live but in Northeastern Pennsylvania there are food pantries. There is one near me that takes place once a month. ❤️

      @kryssilee4036@kryssilee40363 ай бұрын
    • I know it's played out to recommend lentils but I made lentil sloppy joes yesterday and they came out REALLY GOOD. You can use the lentils in any kind of crumbled ground beef situation, like people use them in tacos a lot. If you have them with bread or rice (or macaroni, bulgur, barley, tortilla, etc) they make a complete protein in one meal. I guess some people also use them to stretch ground beef I prefer red lentils but they can be more expensive if you don't have a bulk store. Brown ones are also good in this type of recipe and probably work better to stretch ground beef(?)

      @no_peace@no_peace2 ай бұрын
    • @@no_peace Do you know how well they work with replacing the beef in Hamburger Helpers? My family likes those because we always can get a lot out of each box, but if we can avoid spending a lot on beef I'd be more than willing to try it.

      @Ace-1525@Ace-15253 күн бұрын
  • 10:50 Coffee. Recently I read a great piece of advice for getting better flavor while using coffee makers: before starting the coffee maker, add a tablespoon or so of water to the carafe to avoid the first bit of coffee getting scorched by the heating plate which can make the whole pot bitter.

    @zzydny@zzydny4 ай бұрын
    • Also, add a pinch of salt to the coffee grounds before brewing to reduce bitterness. (one pinch per cup)

      @jodybogdanovich4333@jodybogdanovich43334 ай бұрын
    • We rinse our pot out every morning, before brewing, noticed that the coffee tastes better

      @gossamermoonfly@gossamermoonfly4 ай бұрын
    • I WAS JUST GONNA SAY MY MOM USED TO PUT SALT IN HER GROUNDS & GROUND CINNAMON TO HER GROUNDS!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻😉🤗🤣🤣😉😉😉

      @paulgeary6511@paulgeary65114 ай бұрын
    • @@paulgeary6511 Yes, me too when the mood strikes, and cinnamon is healthy. I also sometimes add dried lavendar (but not with the cinnamon)!

      @jodybogdanovich4333@jodybogdanovich43334 ай бұрын
    • I've been drinking coffee since age 12. I never heard this before but come tomorrow I'm fact checking this! Nothing I hate any more than bitter coffee that even creamer can't fix.

      @karen3876@karen38762 ай бұрын
  • Really like this video. Your meals are realistic in portions and have a great variety. Looking forward to how you roll over leftover ingredients and incorporate new menus. You are a blessing! Thank you!

    @hoosiergirl1@hoosiergirl14 ай бұрын
    • Thanks so much!

      @DollarTreeDinners@DollarTreeDinners4 ай бұрын
  • I love that this menu plan was a mix of homemade, store-bought, and semi-homemade. It seems like most budget meal plans are either completely store-bought processed stuff, or making everything from scratch. I think this one is much more realistic.

    @ashleyhaugh9716@ashleyhaugh97164 ай бұрын
    • For my husband and I too. Little home made and little store bought.

      @angelaschaefer5883@angelaschaefer588318 күн бұрын
  • Thank you so much. My husband watched with me for the first time today and said “This is awesome!” We can now shave $50 a month off of our grocery bills. We are going to save it for a camping trip!

    @muffyz11@muffyz114 ай бұрын
  • My mom had a rule that has been passed down to all of her children, No one cooks on Friday". We didn't have much but very Friday, it was my Dads job to come home with a paycheck and dinner. We still live by that rule. Be creative!

    @NellBelle@NellBelle4 ай бұрын
  • Fantastic! You are teaching people that NO ONE in America should go hungry! I am an emigrant from Eastern Europe. Came to this country 40 yrs ago with nothing to my name. Cooked wonderful meals for $15-20 a week - these days when, after working for many, but still being careful as how we spent our money - we accumulated a nice nest egg. I still cook our meals every day, always purchase meat and veggies fruit when on sale that week. The money we save we spend on sports, entertainment, travel and also going to restaurants- while on vacation.

    @oliviaglass3843@oliviaglass38434 ай бұрын
    • Finally, someone who isn't complaining about having to come home and cook a meal, from scratch and what's been wisely purchased. It disheartens me sometimes when I see folks whinging about having to take 20-45 minutes to feed themselves and/or their families at dinner, and carrying on about the cost, when they buy convenience foods. processing cost money, and generally removes or reduces nutritional value, and add things that are not very good for the consumer. Everyone should learn to budget, and to cook, if they are capable. Save the whinging for the farmers who work so hard to raise the crops and stock, and dairy animals. They bust their asses so we don't have to go out and forage or hunt before there's any inkling of a meal plan. Some have forgotten how lucky we are, and ho easy we have it. Sort, this rants not for you! I just find it odd that some folks seem to get offended about having to look after themselves properly! Better food, and a thicker wallet ought to make people a wee bit more happy. ...and always cook enough to have leftovers, if you can, for an easy lunch the next day, or a dinner in the future :)

      @1984potionlover@1984potionlover2 ай бұрын
    • it sucks to cook in theory, and dishes aren’t so fun, but cooking imbues the self (at least me haha!) with a sense of purpose and accomplishment imo. it doesn’t have to be fancy, but making food for yourself and/or others really makes me feel good. it feels much better than buying food ready to eat.

      @AlexisTwoLastNames@AlexisTwoLastNamesАй бұрын
  • For the spaghetti dinner, try adding 1 can cream of mushroom soup, will make the 24 Oz jar of sauce cover the pound of pasta. Also makes the sauce amazing. Live your videos, and thank you so much.

    @cindycantrell9038@cindycantrell90384 ай бұрын
    • Great idea

      @anderander5662@anderander56624 ай бұрын
    • Totally going to try this. I love mushrooms and have about 6 cans in my pantry.

      @ginacarr1067@ginacarr10674 ай бұрын
  • Wow not only can you meal plan and cook, you also had a math / cost plan in the video. As a single person those guidelines suggest me spending way more money than I do in a week. They would be too expensive. It was eye opening. Thanks to your videos I can eat well on less money. Another great video from you!

    @kathleendonnelly6077@kathleendonnelly60774 ай бұрын
  • Seriously excellent video. Congratulations! I raised my family (husband and three sons) on a budget. My husband was in the Army, so there wasn't always wiggle room in our budget. Now that the boys are grown, we still budget every month and I couldn't imagine shopping any other way. Your recipes are realistic and I appreciate the thought you put into all of your videos. Congratulations on your success, it is well deserved.

    @cherylswinkunas2613@cherylswinkunas26134 ай бұрын
  • Rebecca, you did a FABULOUS job! Really impressed with your creativity!

    @nancycaputo6669@nancycaputo66694 ай бұрын
    • Glad you liked it!!

      @DollarTreeDinners@DollarTreeDinners4 ай бұрын
  • I often put the bones in my crockpot and let it cook on low for a day or so…the bone broth is delicious and so useful.

    @tanishahogan9396@tanishahogan93964 ай бұрын
  • I am not sure how I ended up watching this, I am a single parent from Australia. However, what jas struck me is your kind, generous and non-judgemental nature. Thank you so much for sharing your skills.

    @justine8387@justine83873 ай бұрын
  • This such a cool video idea. Not a toast girl but this is such a good jump off point for someone who has not cooked in months. Thanks for the inspiration.

    @whatselledone@whatselledone4 ай бұрын
  • Groceries are very expensive and thank you for going over what the USDA says we should spend a week on nutritional meals. Which many Americans can’t afford. I also appreciate you saying go out for dinner or pick up a Pizza and take a break. A simple reminder to take time for self-care. Thanks again.

    @raquelalmestica304@raquelalmestica3044 ай бұрын
  • I just love your content. Im 64 years old but you have taught me so much. Youre definitely my favorite dollar tree cook!! ❤

    @claudiabray-flores607@claudiabray-flores6074 ай бұрын
  • Another above and beyond video. You have one of the best KZhead channels - not just in your niche of budget cooking/eating, but across all topics - bar none! 🎉

    @ohdang8515@ohdang85154 ай бұрын
  • It amazes me the amount the government says we should spend on groceries for our family without taking into the cost of living and what we make. They are so out of touch with reality. I love how you can show us all these options on a realistic budget.

    @katrinaDS@katrinaDS4 ай бұрын
  • I don't think you understand how important this video is to me. We've actually had a financial difficulty, and I am looking for any possible way to cut down on finances going out, and this includes food pricing. It's just my husband, me, and our 15 month old daughter. This is definitely going to help me out. I'm making my shopping list as I watch this video. Lol. Things are pretty rough at the moment, and Walmart delivery is almost a necessity. Him and I are both blind, and going to the store would cost about $20 to get there, and back. So watching videos, and making the grocery list at the same time on the app is phenomenal.

    @ladylogic8091@ladylogic80914 ай бұрын
  • Add 1-2 Spoons of vinegar to the broth with bones before the second cooking. It is a very old chinese way of enhancing of calcium content of the broth (with vinegar or lemon juice). More calcium for the bucks 😁

    @ErdbeereRot@ErdbeereRot4 ай бұрын
    • I didn’t know it was a Chinese thing 😊. I started making my own broth and learned from several homesteading channels to add acid to the water to draw out the nutrients from the marrow. So far the acid I like the best is sweet vermouth but have tried white vinegar, wine, and apple cider vinegar. I wouldn’t recommend anyone buying vermouth for this purpose, I had it as a gift and didn’t like the taste. 👍

      @lillypatience@lillypatience4 ай бұрын
  • Now that's what I call eating good on a budget. I thoroughly enjoyed this video. You did a great job. Thanks for sharing.

    @carolwilliams8840@carolwilliams88404 ай бұрын
  • This was such a good video, and I really appreciate all the effort. The beginning was so thoughtful and empathetic, and the surprise USDA math lesson was eye-opening! And, as usual, thanks for the recipes!

    @eveisuponus@eveisuponus4 ай бұрын
  • Growing up in the 1960’s, I was the oldest daughter of 11 children. Dad was a laborer and Mom stayed at home. We never went hungry but ice cream, sodas and candies were rare. Cooking from scratch was key. It’s nice that there are more convenience foods available to help with budgeting and feeding families. Great video 👍🏼💕

    @ShesInLosAngeles@ShesInLosAngeles4 ай бұрын
  • I love your channel. And share it with a lit of my clients who are all very low income. So I appreciate all you do. You are helping so many people.

    @TaraannBudgetsandSelf-Care@TaraannBudgetsandSelf-Care4 ай бұрын
  • I'm fairly new to your channel but I've made up for lost time by watching your content kinda non-stop 😅 Your energy is comforting and relaxes me regardless of what else is going on around me.

    @justmaleigh6313@justmaleigh63134 ай бұрын
  • I love how you prepped some stuff before the week. So smart. Chicken is cheapest and can be made so many ways. Chicken cacciatore, chicken francese, chicken parm......People push to make things from scratch but with two people working and the reality of life is people should use what short cuts they can to keep life simpler. You do an excellent job!

    @tynaedwards8452@tynaedwards84524 ай бұрын
  • I would really love to see how you shop for different meal plans on a budget - for instance, my husband and I are low carb, high protein. My sister and her husband are vegan and gluten free. We are all trying to squeeze our dollars out to make them last at the grocery store! Thanks again for a great video 😊

    @meaganadwyer@meaganadwyer4 ай бұрын
    • I second the suggestion for high protein on a budget 🙋‍♀️

      @caitlinpeters6004@caitlinpeters60044 ай бұрын
    • Interesting idea as so many in our country are diabetic and have to watch carb consumption. My guess is that beans, lentils, and peas as well as cheese and eggs would feature heavily as lower priced protein sources.

      @donnawestbrook8992@donnawestbrook89923 ай бұрын
    • ​@@donnawestbrook8992Don't forget peanut butter!

      @CB-wq9wp@CB-wq9wp2 ай бұрын
  • The us government cost estimate versus what you came up with was so valuable! Truly impressive how you did with only $50!

    @crystalh1402@crystalh14024 ай бұрын
  • I'm single 61 years old on fixed income. I spend around $100 dollars a month on food. Your videos definitely help me to prepare different meals on a budget. Thanks for your work and ideas. Can't wait for the website.

    @bigk5203@bigk52034 ай бұрын
  • I really could have used this kind of information when I was a single mom of 3, working full time and trying to stretch a budget back in the 90s/2ks. Great stuff. Suggestion: using some of the money you don't have to spend on the items you roll over to buy things to bulk the pantry such as flour, sugar, beans, seasonings, etc. Also, do you have a grocery store around you that sells bulk bin stuff? It's a great way to stock a pantry inexpensively.

    @erinj9642@erinj96424 ай бұрын
  • I always enjoy your Dollar Tree meal plans and have purchased food items there because I saw them on your channel. I am really loving that you are branching out to more stores in your videos as well. You always have a very realistic meal plan and I love that you incorporate snacks and taking a day off and treating yourself if funds allow.

    @christinadunaway2109@christinadunaway21094 ай бұрын
  • Rebecca...thank you so much. I needed this in this new stage of my life to feed me and my family. You are such an inspiration with an amazing heart who genuinely does what you do to help others. I tend to cry watching your content because it shows me that yes ... I CAN do this.

    @rebeccakaulbach9322@rebeccakaulbach93224 ай бұрын
    • I cry, too. It’s a good cry. Lots of love and nostalgia, caring and compassion.

      @courtneylegaloff3851@courtneylegaloff38514 ай бұрын
  • The instant oatmeal bars are ingenious! I had 6 packs I needed to use because my stepson doesn't want them and they've been sitting and I had an organic green apple that was looking sad/getting soft. I made a double batch of the bars with crunchy apple bits and they are DELICIOUS! SO GOOD!!

    @maryd7896@maryd78964 ай бұрын
  • Inspirational. I’m no longer struggling financially but, boy, I sure could have used your videos when I was raising a family.

    @lawalln@lawalln4 ай бұрын
  • For a quick garlic toast, mix a little garlic powder with butter/margarine. Pop bread in toaster then spread the butter :)

    @yvonne5322@yvonne53224 ай бұрын
  • The calculations you did re the USDA is eye opening! That’s not even taking into account the cost of living in certain parts of the country is super high. Outside of dollar tree always being the same price regardless of location I hear the prices on many YT channels similar to yours and they are way lower then where I live. It’s insane how many ppl are living below what even the government is saying is what we should be paying.

    @melodep275@melodep2754 ай бұрын
  • You can tell you’ve been doing this a while now, both in the quality of your vids and the calm confidence with inevitable nuts in the comments. Still think your most standout quality (and you have many good ones) is consciously serving different needs and communities. I wish you much success; it’s been cheering watching as more people find you🍳

    @The3Storms@The3Storms4 ай бұрын
  • I wish I could use $66 weekly for groceries!! I'm a widow on a fixed income and I have $100 a month for groceries, soaps, TP, etc... Thats why I watch channels like this! I get so many great ideas, eat better and stay in budget. Thanks for all you do!!

    @justjet@justjet4 ай бұрын
  • You did so good!! I love how you’ve edited this and broke these down and included your thoughts behind this. Thank you so much.

    @Accioyule@Accioyule4 ай бұрын
  • You are a lifesaver. You have no idea how much your channel has helped me. Thank you 🩷

    @queenofdaydreams3825@queenofdaydreams38254 ай бұрын
    • That means so much to me and makes it all worth it

      @DollarTreeDinners@DollarTreeDinners4 ай бұрын
  • You’re doing GREAT so you don’t need to justify what you’re showing us! With food costs so high, we are all budgeting so your suggestions are welcomed!!!

    @hawnair6624@hawnair66244 ай бұрын
    • I'm always so happy to hear that! it's hard to make content that's outside of what I normally make, I am always happy to hear when it's appreciated even if it's not dollar store

      @DollarTreeDinners@DollarTreeDinners4 ай бұрын
  • REBECCA you are a super-heroine!!! In my early twenties (forever ago), I found myself unexpectedly unemployed. I was down to my last $20 with no prospects in site. Oh how your videos would have helped me way back then. As with all experiences though, it was for my benefit and I've learned and grown so much for that really difficult period of my life. When I was a single, adoptive mom some years ago I found it super simple to stay on budget by having theme nights. It wasn't anything fancy, but it kept my meal planning honed in on less-expensive meals. It also made it nice on my kiddos as they knew what to expect and they helped me plan (and prepare) the meals. Monday was meatless meals. Tuesday was always a chicken dish. Wednesday was crockpot meals. Thursday was Mexican or Italian favorite. Friday was homemade fast food. Saturday was soup and bread. Sunday was classic Sunday dinner meals (like roast, lasagna, etc.) that I knew I could either repurpose in other meals through the week or the leftovers would fit perfectly into another theme (like lasagna, I would put half in the freezer and heat that up for a Thursday a few weeks later. Truthfully, when I made lasagna I would always make three 9x11 casserole dishes worth. One was eaten that Sunday (as I was a full-time worker, student, and mom, Saturday I would prep as much food for the coming week as possible) with the leftovers used for lunch and the other two were cut in half and frozen in smaller dishes for future meals. Even though we are in a position where we don't have the same meager grocery budget as I once dealt with, I very much enjoy your videos. I love seeing someone become passionate about something and teaching about that subject with love for others. You are a very sweet beacon of hope. Keep putting out such useful content!

    @kimberlywilliams3009@kimberlywilliams30094 ай бұрын
  • Been a college student on a budget in this economy is so difficult but your videos have helped me so much

    @noemoralesmora5665@noemoralesmora56654 ай бұрын
  • I always love hearing your breakdowns of everything. I live in an area where our Dollar Trees don't have fridges, so a walmart meal plan is more realistic for me. I'm always keeping you in my back pocket for when I move out!

    @Ross516@Ross5164 ай бұрын
  • Thank you for sharing the government budgeting table for groceries….that is rather mind blowing, as I bet there are an enormous amount of households that cannot afford that amount for groceries each week!! Great video!

    @phyltorkelsonp9268@phyltorkelsonp92684 ай бұрын
    • Even more households who are dealing with things like diabetes, intolerances or allergies, which increases the cost of basic food items.

      @angelawossname@angelawossname4 ай бұрын
  • Honestly, I love the way you create the budget grocery episodes. Your criteria is truly budget friendly. It's frustrating when a creator uses say ".75c worth of milk" and counts it as 75c rather than the whole carton you had to buy for $3.

    @yvonne5322@yvonne53223 ай бұрын
  • Dang! You are very well organized and your meals are creative. I like how you used what you had and didn't waste anything.

    @user-sc9lr6kz8t@user-sc9lr6kz8t4 ай бұрын
  • Rebecca I can only spend 50.00 for 2 weeks and I thank you for this video cause it gives me more ideas. Their is just myself so I can make meals with leftovers. I order my food from walmart because I do not drive anymore.

    @peggyaustin5238@peggyaustin52384 ай бұрын
  • Knoced it way out of the park once again Rebecca !!! SO well done !!! 😀❄☃💗😀❄☃💗😀❄☃💗

    @momof2momof2@momof2momof24 ай бұрын
  • You’re out here saving people’s lives and that’s not a joke! So informative and helpful and the food looked so good and filling!

    @juliahackworth_@juliahackworth_14 күн бұрын
  • Love your videos! A suggestion for an inexpensive meals might be Tuna noodle casserole. I make it for my husband and I and from one recipe I get 3 9”x6” pans of casserole. We eat one for dinner (have leftovers) and I freeze the other two to have later. Vegetable soup is another economical meal, a half pound of ground beef will make a good size pot of soup. And lastly, look a smoked ham hocks. They are reasonably priced and can be used for soup, red beans and rice and many other low cost meals and it’s surprising how much meat you get from them. I also cook the bones down for stock!!

    @kathrynyeager9470@kathrynyeager94704 ай бұрын
  • Rebecca I used to cook a lot of stuff. & I did it all from scratch, BUT now that I am 65 & disabled I look for quick & easy meals. So I appreciate your suggestions. Thank you

    @bettymotley2224@bettymotley22244 ай бұрын
    • Do you have an electric pressure cooker, I find it makes many things easier. Even with pasta you don’t have to lift a pot of hot water to drain it, the water is mostly used up.

      @Ozziecatsmom@Ozziecatsmom4 ай бұрын
  • The care and planning you put into these videos amazes me! Another great video!

    @andreajimenez2895@andreajimenez28954 ай бұрын
  • This was an incredibly helpful video! All the meals look and sound delicious, the USDA chart was interesting because I’ve never thought to look something like that up or aware it existed 🤷🏽‍♀️ Thanks Rebecca for all of your hard work!

    @staceyslaysdragons691@staceyslaysdragons6914 ай бұрын
  • Another amazing video! I'm on a fairly restricted diet at the moment, very low fat (gallbladder) and very low sodium (hypertension) but I'm getting better about finding substitutions and tweaking your recipes to meet my restrictions. I always get such great ideas from you and I always look forward to seeing you in my feed because I know it's going to be good, usable information. Happy New Year to you and your family. I know it's going to be a great year for you! ❤

    @sjferguson@sjferguson4 ай бұрын
    • Look into intermittent fasting… resolved me diabetes, gerd and hypertension issues. Eat only in an 8 hour window…

      @oliviaglass3843@oliviaglass38434 ай бұрын
  • My husband and I watch your channel and really enjoy and appreciate your dedication and enthusiasm for the budget meals. You do your research and make things simple and fun!

    @sophrosyne3760@sophrosyne37604 ай бұрын
    • Great recipes!

      @sandraortega898@sandraortega8984 ай бұрын
  • This video came at the perfect time. Thank you so much! I’m grateful to the person who requested this because I needed it too!

    @Daya_Love@Daya_Love4 ай бұрын
  • Congratulations! 🎉For your KZhead button award!!

    @bevsmth7854@bevsmth78544 ай бұрын
  • as a 63 year old,you make me rethink my ways of cooking thank you big hugs

    @cindybrown7884@cindybrown78843 ай бұрын
  • I am always blown away by how creative you are! Something I have been cooking recently due to how cheap it is is ground turkey. Works in most applications where you would use ground beef but it is much cheaper. I can make two separate meals for 3 people with a frozen log of it and it is only $2.75.

    @Jenny-l8r@Jenny-l8r4 ай бұрын
  • Thank you for doing Walmart grocery shopping. I'm saving today's video to refer back to. Congratulations on getting 100k. You've worked hard for this. It doesn't come easy. I never miss an episode. Thank you for sharing 😊

    @sharonoldham4374@sharonoldham43744 ай бұрын
  • You did a fantastic job of shopping, staying within budget, making a variety of meals and most important - making your dollars stretch to provide several meals!!! Excellent.

    @theninjacat7200@theninjacat72003 ай бұрын
  • I’m enjoying your channel so much, Thank You so much for sharing your money saving tips and advice, your recipes are amazing!

    @kimlamons1518@kimlamons15184 ай бұрын
  • Another great video Rebecca! The wife and I always enjoy your content. Here’s to a great 2024 to you and yours!🍻

    @InstantRegret0316@InstantRegret03164 ай бұрын
  • Your videos are so amazing and can’t get enough of them lol you do a great job explaining and I know it’s a lot of hard work 💜 so thank you

    @bridgettescott7196@bridgettescott71964 ай бұрын
  • Love the ideas for this season! I look forward to these budget series

    @amybutler4568@amybutler45684 ай бұрын
  • I love all of these great ideas. Cooking for one here so will likely attempt to half a few of these to try out. Thank you!

    @doughnutzz@doughnutzz4 ай бұрын
  • Great video! Well organized, easy to understand, and appealing to different age groups. I learned to budget, shop and cook by the time I was 10 because it was a skill my Mom didn't have. If you pinch pennies until they scream, you have room in your budget for items that are a treat, which makes you happy. ;-) One idea for spending less is to make your own seasoning mixes. There are a lot of spice mix recipes online and you're sure to find ones you like. Walmart spices here where I live start at one dollar per bottle. It only takes a few dollars to cover the basics, and you'll save money week by week. Aldi also has a nice line of fresh tasting spices.

    @kellydale2633@kellydale26334 ай бұрын
    • Yes, maybe she will pick up herbs and spices the second week with the money she doesn't have to spend on the items she has leftover "like the rice and pasta)?

      @donnawestbrook8992@donnawestbrook89923 ай бұрын
  • I came across your channel about 2 weeks ago and have been watching your past videos non stop, I love your channel and look forward to your future videos. Thank you for sharing.

    @OneDayAtATime7@OneDayAtATime74 ай бұрын
  • I love it. Your channel is so helpful. Thank you so much!

    @Spiral.Dynamics@Spiral.Dynamics4 ай бұрын
  • I think the idea of packet seasoning is helpful to those that are stuck for what to do with a large bag of chicken, but what if instead of green beans you bought a bag of frozen peas & carrots. Then had made two pie crusts, made a filling for a chicken pot pie, using a roux and little of broth along with milk, Vegetables: peas& carrots, diced onion, dash of garlic powder, diced potato and a couple fresh mushrooms…seasoning with S&P too. Add in 1/4 of one of your containers of chicken. Then place one pie crust in a deep dish pie pan and fill with mixture and top with other pie crust…bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 min. Or freeze for another day. Then you could have made chicken & dumplings with rest of chicken in the container ( Paula Dean) has a simple yet delicious recipe. All you need is flour, salt and water to make the dumplings. Roll out and drop them into some of your broth that has been seasoned with some diced onion and little garlic. It is cheap and makes around four to six servings. Also, you could make chicken salad, chicken spaghetti casserole, which might have tasted better to you than that canned sauce. You could have deboned some of your chicken thighs, pounded them out and made chicken Piccata to serve with the leftover spaghetti. Another pasta dish is buffalo chicken pasta. Could have used some of the cooked chicken to make chicken enchiladas in a sour cream sauce. This way you have so many more taste and options…like instead of a frozen pizza using chicken scraps ( little bits not large enough to make a full dish)to make a barbecue chicken pizza from scratch. There are just so many options with chicken, but to save money we have to resort back to making most things from scratch. Just how we make it.

    @nancyculp6968@nancyculp69684 ай бұрын
  • I loved this. I went to Walmart last night and bought the whole 2 week meal ingredients. Thank you for this grocery prices are ridiculous these days but thanks to all your prep work I know what I’m making for dinner for 2 weeks and doing it for an awesome price ❤ please keep more of these coming

    @elainastricklin1704@elainastricklin17044 ай бұрын
  • Great video!!!! I think this is your best video ever! Thank you thank you so much for doing this video. Thank you so much for shopping at Walmart because so many people do not have access to other grocery stores. I like that you gave a detailed explanation about the USDA food chart & the percentages for 2 people. I like that you showed the prep for the meals. I also liked that you showed what items were left at the end of the week. Looking forward to next week’s video.

    @shelbylynnwilliams8520@shelbylynnwilliams85204 ай бұрын
  • I think you're fabulous! Thanks for making and sharing your cooking adventures on a budget! You inspire me to try to actually cook for myself!

    @carlyweggeland3385@carlyweggeland33854 ай бұрын
  • ** an idea for you. Omit the packets of oatmeal, get the regular stuff and use the coffee creamer as flavoring.

    @cindy5562@cindy55624 ай бұрын
  • What a wonderful video. I enjoyed every recipe idea and even the extra information you gave. I'm looking forward to your next video 🙂

    @WorldOfWonder66@WorldOfWonder664 ай бұрын
  • Love you, Rebecca!! ❤❤

    @christinegravelle8697@christinegravelle86974 ай бұрын
  • Thank you for all you do! Also I liked this format as a change from what I eat in a day style. 👍 well done as always

    @Celticgirl81@Celticgirl814 ай бұрын
  • Just loving this video and all the plans you have for the New Year, recipes on a website, print-outs, etc. I can't imagine how many people you've already helped (including me!) with your easy-to-make and delicious recipes, and also showing how it is possible to create substantial meals on a very, very low budget and how to do it with the step-by-step explicit instructions, you are so patient and thorough In making sure you give us all the correct information ideas and details on everything you do. It's so appreciated, Thank you!!

    @Robbenl1@Robbenl14 ай бұрын
  • Thank you so much for this video! You did such a great job making so many meals with that single bag of chicken! Love this!!

    @wilmasantos3255@wilmasantos32554 ай бұрын
  • Great video. Love your advice and how you explain everything along the way.

    @aNihilisticMystic@aNihilisticMystic4 ай бұрын
  • As usual, you did an excellent job of turning these ingredients into delicious meals! Thank you for putting your heart into these videos. 😍

    @ksacosta69@ksacosta694 ай бұрын
  • I love your channel and get so much help from your videos. Thanks for sharing your content and congratulations on the plaque!! 😊

    @tamarasfavorites2116@tamarasfavorites21164 ай бұрын
  • Excellent job Rebecca ❤ thank you so much 😊

    @melindaroth5796@melindaroth57964 ай бұрын
  • Happy New Year! I love your channel; you're actually a very good cook, and the fact that you can make delicious meals on a budget is so cool! The recipes looked delicious! Well done!

    @sarahfarrell8214@sarahfarrell82144 ай бұрын
  • That budget planner was great. Thank you for sharing it. Love watching your ideas for meals. I'm a terrible cook but love the idea of it.

    @lerink4008@lerink40084 ай бұрын
  • I am excited to see next weeks video!!! Your videos are always informative and have great ideas!!! Thanks for all your hard work!

    @user-wr4we8ou8o@user-wr4we8ou8o4 ай бұрын
  • Love your channel. Thank you

    @Pitt4ev99@Pitt4ev994 ай бұрын
  • You put a lot of thought and effort into to this and it is greatly appreciated. Fantastic job. ❤

    @HOOKEMHORNSGAL1978@HOOKEMHORNSGAL19784 ай бұрын
  • This video is so cool for a person like me who cooks for one and loves leftovers, thank you for some great ideas!!

    @dennismac2939@dennismac29394 ай бұрын
  • I appreciate all the work you do for these. You are Loved 🥰

    @sdamom621@sdamom6214 ай бұрын
  • Our 5lb russets are $1 more than what you paid. But its still close! Thanks for the ideas! They really help on tight weeks for those of us on fixed incomes. 😊

    @debliz25@debliz254 ай бұрын
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