How to feed a family of five on $50.00 per week: Making it through a two week pay period with $100.00.
The Goal: To make a two week grocery list with $100.00 to spend.
Challenges: Picky eaters, extra work in the kitchen, extra clean up
Bonuses: Healthier food choices, more money leftover for bills, and the sheer thrill of facing a grocery challenge. 
14 dinners, breakfasts and lunches.
28 snacks
# of special events = One. The first day of school (we will bake a cake to “celebrate”)
Strategy: Rotate 2 or 3 breakfast and lunch options, and make 7 dinners twice. Make double the amount the first time, and freeze the leftovers for the second time around.
Non-food items to factor in: dishsoap
Items that will not have to be purchased:
spaghetti sauce ( we are making our own with our tomatoes and herbs in the garden)
Green tomatoes (garden)
Jalapenos (garden)
Rosemary (garden)
Eggs (chickens)
Lettuce ( garden)
Melons (garden)
MENU PLAN
Breakfast foods: Blueberry muffins and fruit, cereal and yogurt, possibly eggs and toast (depending on the productivity of our fussy hens)
Lunches: Quesadillas, Sandwiches (PB&J, grilled cheese), Dinner leftovers
Dinners:
1.) Ground beef tacos
2.) “Jail food” (Ground beef in gravy over mashed potatoes)
3.) Homemade chicken nuggets with rosemary potatoes
4.) “Carne Molida con papas” (Ground beef in a spicy red sauce with cubed potatoes)
5.) Chicken Dijon over rice
6.) Homemade macaroni and cheese with mini meatloaves and fried green tomatoes
7.) Spaghetti and meatballs with bread and salad
THE LIST
Each item will be listed with an amount beside it. This is the most that can be spent on that item. This is basically a minimum based on typical grocery prices, but can work to your advantage if there is a sale.
1.) Cheddar/jack cheese shredded mixture (at least five pounds) $8.00 *Costco*
2.) Butter (four boxes) $8.00 *Costco*
3.) Corn tortillas $3.00 *Costco*
4.) Ground beef “tube” $12.00
5.) Ten pound sack of potatoes $2.00
6.) 1 sack of chicken breasts $6.00
7.) Tomato Sauce ..whatever you can get for $2.00
8.) Rice, in bulk, $4.00
9.) Honey in bulk, $3.00
10.) Pasta: 2 spaghetti, 4 La Mexicana mini shells at 4 for a dollar: $3.00
11.) Blueberry muffin mix in bulk, $5.00
12.) Cereal (2 family size boxes of cheerios) $5.00
13.) Bread: four loaves, $5.00
14.) Flour tortillas $3.00
15.) Milk (2 gallons of fat free) $4.00
16.) Apples, whatever you can get for $5.00
17.) Bananas $3.00
18.) Pudding mix, chocolate and banana, (at least four boxes)$4.00
19.) Jello mix (six or so boxes) $3.00
20.) Dishsoap, ajax $1.00
21.) Cake mix (funfetti if its on sale) $1.00
22.) Frosting $2.00
23.) Box of velveeta (32 oz) $5.00
24.) Panko breadcrumbs in bulk, $1.00
Total estimated budget: $99.00
