SNAP Food Stamp Challenge – Week 1 – Day 3
Day 3 is over
And I learned a few things. Thanks to @ats-david I have put bananas into my oatmeal to spruce it up a bit. So thanks!
If you read the post I made about my meals on day 1-2, you might remember that my beans were just barely edible. Since I have such a tight budget, I had to go with dried beans to get more for my money.
@fitinfun also told me that I should put them in a pot with 8 cups of water for each cup of beans.
I decided from reading on the internet to bring that to a boil for 3 minutes, then cover and let sit overnight. Rinse the water off and cooking time should be reduced - LIES, all lies! I cooked those soaked beans for over an hour and they were horrible.
I've never had luck with them. But, I gotta use them as they are a large part of my protein for the week. So I took the leftover beans and put them in boiling water for another 3 hours and they finally became OK! I think even with the first hour, plus 3 more they still could have used another hour or so in the simmer.
What a process! No wonder I normally just stick to canned beans.
BREAKFAST - DAY 3 - $0.53
You see that piece of toast there? That little thing made this breakfast. It was so tasty to eat the egg on toast, then wipe up the runny yolk with the last bites of bread. Oh man, the simple pleasures now. Egg on toast is going to be a breakfast staple from now on.
In addition, adding the banana made the oatmeal MUCH better tasting.
Half a banana - $0.10
1/4 cup oatmeal - $0.05
1/4 cup milk - $0.03
Two eggs - $0.28
Bread w/margarine - $0.07
Total: $0.53
LUNCH + DINNER - $0.61 ea
So I ate the same thing for lunch and dinner. I made a cup of beans and a cup of brown rice, plus a tuna sandwich.
Instead of eating the sandwich as one meal, and the beans and rice the next, I decided to do a half and half so I could change up the flavors I was tasting. I kinda did this in case the rice and beans didn't turn out so well.
The rice and beans were edible, but they weren't the best. I managed to down them, however. Though I will have to think about making them much more tasty for next time.
You might not see it in there, but there is bacon , squash, onion, and garlic in the rice and beans. They sorta dissappeared as I had to put the beans back to cook for hours and hours. But they are there in spirit, I swear!
Half a can of tuna - $0.50
Two slices of bread - $0.13
1 oz Bacon - $0.17
1/4 of a squash - $0.06
1/3rd of an Onion - $0.04
3 Garlic cloves - $0.09
Half a cup of Rice - $0.10
Half a cup of Beans - $0.13
Total: $1.22 / 2 = $0.61 per meal (give or take)
CONCLUSION DAY 3
Well, it was a really cheap day at just $1.75 for everything I ate. Added to the $2.59 from days 1-2 and I have eaten food that cost me about $4.34.
I will splurge tomorrow. I've always loved pasta, so maybe I will do something with the special spinach spaghetti I have. I haven't touched my tomatos or asparagus either.
Do you guys have any suggestions? I am thinking maybe spinach pasta with salmon and asparagus in a white sauce. That sounds really nice, and healthy to boot!
We shall see. What I do know is that I am certainly having a runny egg on toast for breakfast!
Still no luck with the beans? When you soak overnight, don't heat them.
Put them in a pot with 6-8 cups of water and let them soak. Drain the water and refill with at least another 6 cups of fresh water. Then bring them to a boil, reduce heat to low and let them simmer for 1-2 hours until they are to the tenderness that you desire. Put a lid on during simmering, but leave the lid slightly tilted/open. And don't stir the beans a lot or you'll break the skin.
Now, it should be noted that the beans won't necessarily taste good...this is just for cooking and tenderness. You'll still need to season them to your liking.
If the issue is that your beans are just way too hard, you might want to consider trying a different bean type or trying a different/better brand. I've found that there is sometimes a huge difference in quality between brands. If you're buying bulk or an off-brand, there may be a reason why it's so much cheaper. If you can get the same type and amount of beans for $0.10 or $0.20 more from a more reputable brand, I'd give that a shot.
But maybe try black beans first? I've never had problems cooking them versus red/kidney beans.
Yeah, my problem was that they were still hard even after all that cooking. I guess I was doing it wrong by doing this 'quick soak' method I read about?
It could be that these are an off-brand as I have limited myself to shopping at the 99 Cents Only store and it is mostly off-brand stuff there. I had no idea that even basic beans were different! I thought since it was so simple that a bean is a bean.
Next week I will look for black beans and see if they are easier to prepare - thanks!
Don't think there's a quick soak. My wife makes them pretty much like ats said, soak over night. It's a long progress for some bean :/
I would do
I have never once been able to just soak beans and cook them for a long time. My beans always come out hard and sprouting is much better for me. They taste better and are easier to cook. You can eat when the sprouts are short or long for different effects.
Also - cook without all your additions and add them at the end. This way they do not disintegrate.
Try lentils next week maybe - easier.
You are doing great. Keep going and you will be gourmet by Week 3.
@getonthetrain you might consider incorporating some tofu into your budget. For instance, you could make a chocolate pudding with tofu which could give you a protein rich dessert option.
That's an interesting option, I will have to see if the 99 Cents Only store has any tofu. I actually increased the difficulty of the $29/week food stamp challenge by only being able to shop at this discount dollar store. I did this to simulate being in a 'food desert' with limited options.
I will certainly be on the lookout for it though! Thanks. :)
No problem. You can also do a fried tofu and have a soy sauce/rice vinegar dipping sauce as well. Just because it's cheap doesn't mean it has to suck.
It certainly doesn't! (especially after I figure out this hard bean problem) :D
Food deserts have little grocery stores and liquor stores and all other places you can get food. Hunting for healthy food used to be my life in the states. I was always in the hood when I was on stamps and there is more variety at good prices than you can imagine. People only think it's a desert because there are no chain stores.
I use to get imported feta for 2.50 a pound in a middle eastern falafel place. They just sold the cheese separate and I sure miss it now. That would last about 2 weeks and add a lot of flavor. Sheep's milk feta from Bulgaria. I want some now.
If you have an IGA - great prices for cheap food, especially produce. I get staying on your course though.
Post an inventory of what you have left over before you shop again. This is very interesting.
Ican't wait to see what else you come up with.
Excellent @getonthetrain
I remember eating 14 eggs per day, oatmeal, steak, pineapple and walnuts for 3 months to get ripped. I can confidently tell you that eating a burger or candy was better than sex.