Wow! Thank you so much for this, and being so creative with your choices. You are really helping me do a much-needed reset in my thinking about what is really necessary and how to enjoy food that doesn't cost much. I much appreciate the insight and your effort.
What I'm learning from watching these types of videos is that our area is getting completely fleeced on fresh produce. Red bell peppers for less than a dollar? Lemons for 10 cents? I am flabbergasted.
Part of the cost of produce is transportation. Also during transportation some spoilage/damage. That said, my girlfriend in Detroit often gets great deals at a local fruit market on Wild Wednesdays
It makes me so happy to see another one of my favorite RUclipsrs inspiring more videos like this. I love Atomic Shrimp, and his budget cooking videos are some of my favorites. I'm amazed how well you were able to eat for just $1, and your presentation was, as always, spectacular. It's amazing how much nice plating can add to a dish.
I absolutely love your challenge videos, Michelle. I lost my job in October and your videos have been helping me to think outside the box in terms of healthy meal ideas on a budget. Much appreciated!
I'm so glad they are helpful. 😁I'll try to keep them coming. The challenges and extreme budget videos take a lot longer to produce, but I know they are more liked so I will do my best. Thanks for watching!
I was used to buying for a family which included a teenage boy with a huge appetite. Now it's just me and this series makes me feel fine buying just one potato etc. I am happy that there is much less waste.
I just found your channel yesterday and subscribed. Wow, I didn't even know that this was possible, it challenged me to get creative and use what I have. With the supply chain and grocery stores disaster ( only saying disaster because it's going to get worse) I need to start using your method, I'm glad there are only 2 of us, I have an old dog that needs several expensive medications so this is one way to help.
I love saving money 💰We all have our different reasons for wanting to save. I have a furry companion too so I can understand your predicament. It definitely looks like it is going to get worse with inflation. It's a good time to stock up.Thanks for watching. I hope my videos will help 😊
You knocked this one out of the park, Michelle. I seriously didn't think it could be done! For $7/wk, it could be done in a pinch. Your content is valued among so many of us. We could all do a better job with our food dollars. Thanks for sharing! 🤗
I think if you were to spend $7 all at once you could have even better meals because you could buy more produce and split it up. Like a banana or bell pepper.
Wow! Budget meal QUEEN!! I can't believe the meals you were able to come up with, soooo creative! Thanks so much for sharing, looking forward to your next video 😁
Michelle, this is so funny I’ve had that pasta At ago. and it was delicious( I live in West Hollywood… ) But I was briefly dating this guy who had lived in England and he said I’m gonna come over and make dinner for you.. let me just check if you have a couple of things and he asked me if I had pasta and butter and Parmesan cheese and I said yes I’ve got all those things and he said OK I’ll bring the rest… And he came over with two carrots And a clove of garlic! he shredded the carrots really fine, sauté them a long time in the butter and garlic and it was the sauce for the pasta and he told me that he had had it several times when he was living in England at a famous British Italian restaurant. It actually was quite delicious but it made me laugh so hard that he made such a big deal over making me dinner and it was the price of 2 carrots and a clove of garlic for him. (He was a starving standup comedian). I keep thinking about it …now i want to make it again
Oh my gosh this is so funny Wendie. 😂. I loved this story. Wasn't that place fabulous? Did you see anyone famous when you were there? I saw Hugh Laurie, the guy from HOUSE and Aaron Spelling's wife another time. The place was always filled with celebrities and yet I could always get a reservation. The food was amazing. I discovered a love of truffles there. 😋Yum. I didn't go too often though because the traffic over there is so bad ☹️
Your dinner looked delicious and pretty too! 😋 I have made meals that were very low cost but after a normal shopping trip and using the items judiciously. Kudos to you and your creativity.
I’m new to this channel and just loved this challenge. Another idea would be to forage wild leafy greens available in the neighborhood and add those to the lunch soup and the dinner meal. In my backyard I find mallow, stingingly nettle, and dandelion greens and add those to my dishes. I rinse thoroughly and chop into small pieces. before adding them to my dishes.
We do that too...forage for wild greens and add them to simple meals. I also grow scallions, celery, kale, spinach, and herbs indoors, just taking a few young leaves a day for various recipes. The thought is that we might not be able to get to a store and homegrown greens are a great addition to pantry staples. I love this channel. I think carrots in my spaghetti will be a new meal option now.
I loved the options you had at a bulk buying grocery store. It makes it cost effective for single people to buy just enough for them. During college, my husband only had 30 dollars a month to eat. He said he lived on eggs over rice. Using basic foods can drive the price of cooking back to bare bones.
True. I think that is where inflation is taking us and like another viewer just said, I think it is only going to get worse. It might be time to stock up on the basics. Thanks for watching!
I think the challenge is a lot more do able if you are shopping for more than one day at a time. For instance if you had 3.00 for 3 days you could use the can of tomatoes and spread the cost out over a couple of days. Carrots are perfect in spaghetti, my aunt was born in Italy and always used shredded carrots in her sauce.
Love this video. We don't have bulk items to purchase such small amounts in our area, but these are still great ideas to show what we can do with the small quantities we might have on hand. The roasted tomatoes in pasta looks delicious! If we can do a meal like that even once a week, the savings can really add up. Thanks Michelle!
Creative and beautiful meals! I actually laughed out loud when you said you knew the meals had to be nutritious, but you did it. It was fun to watch :)
That was super creative! I wish they had more Winco stores around. I am not sure what part of Orange County you are in but have you ever considered shopping for produce at the hispanic/latino grocery stores? They often have really really cheap fruits and veggies. The meat selections are huge and I often go there when I need to purchase small quantities of meat for cheap. I live near Disneyland. And some of the stores are Northgate, El Super and Superior.
Thanks so much for the tip. 👍I'm in Irvine. I think the nearest hispanic store would be in Santa Ana. I get really cheap produce at Wholesome Choice which I believe is an Iranian market but I would love to check out a hispanic market. It looks like they have an El Super in Santa Ana. I will check them out as soon as I can. Thanks for the advice! 😁
What a fantastic job! I doubt that a dietitian or chef could have been more resourceful. I am going to try to do sun dried tomatoes using your "trick".
Yeah I make them a lot actually. They are good on sandwiches, in penne pasta with goat cheese, etc. Very versatile. Just cook them low and slow until they are ready.
This video was so fascinating to me! I really wanted you to have more protein but with only $1 it’s tough. I have never thought to roast tomatoes but will be giving this a try. Keep this great content coming!
awe...thanks. I appreciate the complement! 😁Yes try the roasted tomatoes! They are so good and are a great use for tomatoes that are getting old. I'll do my best to keep making good content! Thanks for watching 👩🍳
According to Google, 1 cup (100 grams) of dry macaroni has 14 grams of protein. I would have been concerned about other nutrients but I think she did an amazing job of covering the basics! Really well thought-out.
Wow - Thank you! I have been stressing a bit about rising food costs- but I am a vegetarian and you remind me that with a little effort and creativity I can keep my diet nutritious and delicious- I love your channel and wish you all the very best! 💚
You can do it with Walmart but you would need to prorate the food....meaning just count what you used out of a container. I'll be doing that in an upcoming video.
The Navy beans wouldve been wonderful with the pasta.I was taught to cook by my italian grandmother and they do a pasta e fagioli (beans) that is perfect for vegetarians.I wouldve myself gotten an onion as I can make anything good with that...but yes the pound can sometimes we worth up to 1.50 U.S so I think a buck is too low. Im shocked they can buy single eggs...in canada we cant and we are very much like the UK..now if someone gifted you an egg,you could add that to the challenge! Dont forget free to you items in the challenge
Wow you did absolutely fantastic… again! I looked up how much it costs for 1 tablespoon of alfalfa sprouts for you. It’s $.34. $14.25 for 1 pound on Amazon $.89 per ounce and 1 tablespoon is .30 ounces. You’re a great cook and I can’t believe how far you can stretch a dollar! Have you ever looked up videos on cash stuffing on RUclips, I’ll bet it’s right up your alley! i’m so addicted it’s crazy and I’m saving so much money. Have a good day Michelle!
Thanks so much 😁 Cash stuffing as in the envelop system? I've heard it works well. I have a very strict budget and use the Every Dollar app. Works for me. Hope you have a great week
Who knew that years ago when I shredded carrots into my spaghetti sauce I wasn't off base. Sneaky way to get my kids to eat veggies 😉 I still do it on occasion, it adds a bit of sweetness though.
😂 The funny thing is that all the jarred marinaras has sugar added. The carrots are a much better way to sweeten it. I'll have to try the shredded route. I haven't made my own marinara for awhile. 🤔
Brilliant video. Food looked delicious and healthy. I thought you may have had banana with porridge, could be a combination. Well done for making this challenge. Im currently trying to follow this frugal plan, and i do follow the guy you mentioned.
I wanted that banana in my oatmeal but It was just too expensive. ☹️ I enjoy watching budget meals, especially from other countries. It's so interesting.
Thank you for this needed burst of motivation! You did awesome picking your ingredients, for such a low budget and created meals that look delicious?! Wonderwoman over here
Oh my goodness, I don't know how you did that! WOW! It's so much easier to do these challenges when you scale them for more days but only one seems imposible!
Wow, I want sure it was possible, but you proved me wrong! I know someday when food is scarce or hyper inflation hits, that you will be able to eat and enjoy what you eat, thrive not just survive. Great job!
What a fun concept and you did amazingly well! I loved that you made your own version of sun dried tomatoes. My mom makes marinara with carrots, I think it definitely sweetens it up. Did you get any comment from the checkers about how little you bought 😂?
I really appreciate that you show that you bought things that you didn't actually use for the challenge but were considering. It shows the reality of trial and error, and also that no one gets it right 100% of the time. Some people don't give themselves enough grace.
I was determined to try to fit that banana in. 😂 I eat a lot of bananas. 🍌But then I was mad that I didn't grab a case of those diced tomatoes. I have a one track mind when I'm filming and I forget to pick up items I find when I'm out.
Hi Michelle, you've done it again. It is unbelievable how many people are watching your videos, because of job cuts and practically on the breadline. Not everyone can afford things in life and most are embarrassed to ask for help. I think you are a joy to watch and many people will live by your videos for ideas. Thank you again for sharing. Luv from the UK x
Thanks so much Lynne. 😁 I do hope that my videos are helpful and give people more options than they thought they had. 😁🥰I really enjoy making them and it also helps me to save money too! Thanks for dropping me a line and also a BIG THANK YOU for watching my videos!
Seeing this in July, 2022. I live in Anchorage, Ak & can't even fathom produce at those prices! These are great ideas though. One thing for oatmeal that I love adding is nutmeg & cinnamon or even just pumpkin pie spice. Sweet spices really make oatmeal extra good in my opinion.
I'm in California so I'm sure a lot of this produce is grown in state. I will try adding the nutmeg to oatmeal. I have definitely used the pumpkin pie spice, that stuff is good on everything 👍
Yay!! This makes me so happy😁 Glad you are liking my videos. It helps if people put the money aside for another goal. Then it's like they are gaining something that is tangible that they can see. My sons don't budget like I do. ☹️
I really like this! You got really creative with it. It made me think for breakfast another option would be yogurt. I've seen individuals sold for 18 cents with coupons, and with a bit of bulk granola would have been nice! This gave me a lot of ideas though to save money, being on a budget is definitely possible!
When I was working my way through tech school, I had yogurt for breakfast every morning. I found some boxes of granola at a Big Lots store for $1. I spent $10 on a large bag of frozen berries (a lot of money, but I stretched that bag over a month.) And I would buy full-fat yogurt in the big size (generic,) One scoop of yogurt with a sprinkle of granola and a few berries got me through the morning until lunch.
Thank you for your videos! Your voice is so relaxing and I watch your videos on the weekend for inspiration. In the past I’ll admit I’ve been very wasteful and it’s so nice to make the most of the limited ingredients I get instead of buying too much and throwing a lot away! Even though I’m a single person, I’m a big believer in freezing things to tame my fear of food going bad during the week. Thank you for your channel! :)
Hi Eva 😁 You are so welcome. I'm glad my videos have inspired you. I've wasted food in the past too. ☹️ I love being more prudent with food now and having less waste though. It's never too late to make these changes. 😊👩🍳 and thank YOU for watching my videos 🥰
Why have I never thought of roasting tomatoes or pan frying green beans??? Great ideas! I love how you do fancy plating, we also eat through our eyes. Thanks for the inspiration! ♥️👍😊
In reference to your baked tomatoes, and a previous video with 'sun dried' tomatoes that you make, this has been a huge bonus for us! After a diagnosis of heart disease for my hubby, (now doing great) we both switched to a 1500 sodium a day program. Commercial sun dried tomatoes were out...and for 3 years did not have anything. When I saw you do your own, I tried yours but with no salt, and the flavour is still incredible! Thank you!! We have added a new ingredient and it means adding to our smallish list of low sodium dinners :) Love your videos!
You did really well with this challenge. And there are such great prices in your area that it would make a $30 monthly budget feasible, with plenty of variety. That works out to $1 a day, every day.
I agree with ohers about shredding that carrot. It would have extended it. If you had a juicer.... Made a carrot sauce or reduction with berbs and used the leftover carrot shavings. Carmelized the carrot?
I've used those baking mixes at winco you were talking about. I have cooked them as just add water and they come out fine. Lately I mixed a bit of the pancake mix with blueberry muffin mix and they were sweet enough to just garnish with butter and a pinch of sugar sprinkled on they were yummy.
I put carrots into anything I can, Marinara, chilli, cakes, cookies etc. I don't know it started with me having to use up those big bags and trying to sneak veggies into my kid's mouths. No one complained, so more vitamins and flavor... Put a sweet potato in your chilli too, so good.. I liked your take on this challenge, good variety.
About the winco bulk bins, they do have recipe cards, usually by the small bags. And you can ask an employee if they don’t have the one you want. 😁 I’m obsessed with winco bulk bins 😂 btw you did an amazing job! So inspirational!!
Wow! This was so well done…congratulations. I wish where I live (small rural town, Queensland, Australia) we had options to purchase single items or from bulk bins. This would be so helpful for low income families. Just a fyi for the future, if you soak your oats in the water you intend to cook them in, for 15-20 minutes before turning the heat on, it’ll be creamier. Also adding your sweetener of choice after cooking, will give you more flavour than when you cook it in. Thank you for the fantastic ideas 👍🏻💕
Wow, awesome job! Sadly, we have no Winco stores in our area, I really wish we had those bulk bins. When I googled "winco blueberry muffin mix how to use" though, the cooking directions come up.
If you are in a city, chances are there are stores like these. Smaller towns would not have them though. I didn't realize how many were in my area until I actually started looking for them on google. Glad you enjoyed watching this 😁
Amazing challenge! We don't have bulk bins here to buy such small amount, but I'd love to try the challenge by pricing out amounts from my pantry food!
You are the Goddess of Goodness ♥️. I love Atomic Shrimp. He also using scavenging for vegetation to supplement his challenges which is informative and very interesting.
Awe geez....Thank you so much 😁 You are so nice. Yeah I've found myself watching a few of those Atomic Shrimp videos lately. I love to listen to him speaking with that lovely British accent! 😁
I loved this video. Atomic Shrimps vids are awesome. One thing I would have done is blended up the rest of your soup to make a creamy base for your pasta. :)
Well done! Here in Canada we cannot get things that reasonable. However, our economy is different so it’s all relative. I am doing a pantry challenge for January and February, and I have lots of vegetables that I grew on my one acre homestead in my freezer. So I am going to be making this exact recipe. I am getting to the point where I have to start getting creative because I am out of fresh things. I have sprouting seeds and frozen fruit so that I don’t die of scurvy lol. Thanks for the great video. You rock💚
Thanks so much.😁 Gosh I would love to have a big garden 🥬 I do a little indoor herb garden thats a lot of fun but I have to use a grow light because I don't get a lot of sun at my place. ☹️ Thanks for watching!
I put 1/4 cup of rice in my rice cooker, it has a steamer basket above the rice so I chop up a carrot to steam then add some green onions as a garnish that grow in my windowsill, I got from replanting ends from the grocery store. Add some soy sauce and that’s all I really need for lunch it’s around .30 cents. I have chickens, sometimes I’ll thrown in a fried egg as well.
This kind of challenges as well as some of your others can't be done in my area as we do not have bulk food type of stores and would have been made unavailable in my state because of COVID restrictions. I could NEVER find prices in my area like those you've shown here and am envirous of that, but I do admire your creativity.
I plan to do a challenge with prorated items like Penny is mentioning. I'll do it at Walmart. Prices should be about the same at Walmart when we purchase slightly larger quantities of items. I like to purchase individual items out of the bins because its easy for my videos and for calculation purposes but honestly buying in bulk is less expensive and almost everyone in the U.S. has a Walmart nearby.
I enjoy watching your videos because of your soothing voice and to get inspirations for cooking. The dilemma is I watch you at night to fall as sleep but watching food is not a good idea if you are trying to sleep. I love how you say the word delicious😆 I live in the Netherlands, and we have food in abundance where I live here in Rotterdam. If you are poor, you will not go hungry. Your money problems come from non-food items and bills. I am not rich but can budget well, thank God. But I can tell you what people who take these 'challenges' on don't realize that real poor people don't have challenges they have STRESS. A lot of stress that make it difficult to make good decisions. Stress that effects your thinking, sleeping and functioning. Also, with the working poor people don't have the time and energy to go from shop to shop to look for good deals AND go home to cook a healthy meal. Even when you have financial BREATHING space you should just avoid going to the market as much as possible. Because you will just keep buying what you don't need or cause yourself unnecessary stress if you try to avoid unnecessary stuff. I will keep watching your videos for the soothing voice and inspiration.
WinCo used to have little pieces of paper with cooking instructions &/or recipes in the bulk area. You could use the blueberry muffin mix to make pancakes.
I've been messing around with blending part of the raw carrots, celery, etc., and adding that to the soup -- you can roast or parboil them first. This thickens the soup but keeps the veggie goodness. If you only have a stick blender, try grating before blending.
Still binge RE-watching your budget videos today. Thanks for helping me get so much done today. Such a nice break from politics & sports 🤣. However, the STL BattleHawks football team is in the playoffs tonight, so I gotta go!
@@ArdentMichelle I've never seen a challenge like this where the person could actually get enough produce. I'm impressed and it was very helpful to me.
How wonderful to know it is possible to eat so inexpensively. I like your roasted tomato idea. Have you tried making savory oats? The price of barley was close to five dollars a pound which seemed too much for twelve ounces. I decided to substitute oats. I cooked the oats in bouillon and added some cumin, pepper, salt and olive oil. Your roasted tomatoes would have been a good addition. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Hi Sara 😁 No I don't believe I've tried savory oats. Great idea to substitute oats for the barley. I always make the best discovery this way. I'll have to try this. Thanks for sharing!
There should be a little shelf in the bulk section of winco towards the middle of the bulk bins that has recipe cards for each thing and how to use it. You will see pancake mix, and then the paper that you take will say mix with water. Most of their bulk things like brownie mix only requires water.
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Wow! Thank you so much for this, and being so creative with your choices. You are really helping me do a much-needed reset in my thinking about what is really necessary and how to enjoy food that doesn't cost much. I much appreciate the insight and your effort.
You are so welcome! 😁 I love doing these challenges because it helps me in the same way! Thank you for watching!
What I'm learning from watching these types of videos is that our area is getting completely fleeced on fresh produce. Red bell peppers for less than a dollar? Lemons for 10 cents? I am flabbergasted.
yeah I can find amazing produce deals. Unfortunately the cost of housing is exorbitant. ☹️💰
@@ArdentMichelle interesting, our housing in the Midwest is affordable but our groceries are higher than what yours are
@@kathyharmon2093 I guess it all evens out then 😂
--same here in Nebraska. I NEVER see prices like this.
Part of the cost of produce is transportation. Also during transportation some spoilage/damage. That said, my girlfriend in Detroit often gets great deals at a local fruit market on Wild Wednesdays
Omg! This is the ultimate challenge. I can't even imagine taking it on. Good Luck, if anyone can do it, you can. Ok, now I'll watch the video.
Haha! 😂 You crack me up.
It makes me so happy to see another one of my favorite RUclipsrs inspiring more videos like this. I love Atomic Shrimp, and his budget cooking videos are some of my favorites. I'm amazed how well you were able to eat for just $1, and your presentation was, as always, spectacular. It's amazing how much nice plating can add to a dish.
Awe...thanks so much Kendra 😁🥰
I absolutely love your challenge videos, Michelle. I lost my job in October and your videos have been helping me to think outside the box in terms of healthy meal ideas on a budget. Much appreciated!
I'm so glad they are helpful. 😁I'll try to keep them coming. The challenges and extreme budget videos take a lot longer to produce, but I know they are more liked so I will do my best. Thanks for watching!
I was used to buying for a family which included a teenage boy with a huge appetite. Now it's just me and this series makes me feel fine buying just one potato etc. I am happy that there is much less waste.
I just found your channel yesterday and subscribed. Wow, I didn't even know that this was possible, it challenged me to get creative and use what I have. With the supply chain and grocery stores disaster ( only saying disaster because it's going to get worse) I need to start using your method, I'm glad there are only 2 of us, I have an old dog that needs several expensive medications so this is one way to help.
I love saving money 💰We all have our different reasons for wanting to save. I have a furry companion too so I can understand your predicament.
It definitely looks like it is going to get worse with inflation. It's a good time to stock up.Thanks for watching. I hope my videos will help 😊
My grandfather was from Sicily and always put carrots in his red sauce! We kids loved grandpa's sauce! It was always sweet!
Thanks for this info. 👍 I love that! I wish I had an Italian grandpa!
You knocked this one out of the park, Michelle. I seriously didn't think it could be done! For $7/wk, it could be done in a pinch. Your content is valued among so many of us. We could all do a better job with our food dollars. Thanks for sharing! 🤗
Thanks so much Willette. I had a lot of fun doing this one. Glad you liked it! 😁
I think if you were to spend $7 all at once you could have even better meals because you could buy more produce and split it up. Like a banana or bell pepper.
I dont know how you do it Michelle but you always seem to pull it off and out do yourself. Fantastic job as always!
Thank you so much!
Wow! Budget meal QUEEN!! I can't believe the meals you were able to come up with, soooo creative! Thanks so much for sharing, looking forward to your next video 😁
Thank you so much 🤗
You have a lovely capacity to appreciate whatever you have. Brava.
Thank you for the nice complement! 😁🥰
Michelle, this is so funny I’ve had that pasta At ago. and it was delicious( I live in West Hollywood… ) But I was briefly dating this guy who had lived in England and he said I’m gonna come over and make dinner for you.. let me just check if you have a couple of things and he asked me if I had pasta and butter and Parmesan cheese and I said yes I’ve got all those things and he said OK I’ll bring the rest… And he came over with two carrots
And a clove of garlic! he shredded the carrots really fine, sauté them a long time in the butter and garlic and it was the sauce for the pasta and he told me that he had had it several times when he was living in England at a famous British Italian restaurant. It actually was quite delicious but it made me laugh so hard that he made such a big deal over making me dinner and it was the price of 2 carrots and a clove of garlic for him. (He was a starving standup comedian). I keep thinking about it …now i want to make it again
Oh my gosh this is so funny Wendie. 😂. I loved this story. Wasn't that place fabulous? Did you see anyone famous when you were there? I saw Hugh Laurie, the guy from HOUSE and Aaron Spelling's wife another time. The place was always filled with celebrities and yet I could always get a reservation. The food was amazing. I discovered a love of truffles there. 😋Yum. I didn't go too often though because the traffic over there is so bad ☹️
What a great story and my husband and I are going to give that recipe a try
You are amazing!! I love the way that you plate the food like a gourmet restaurant. Thanks so much for this wonderful and uplifting video :)
Glad you enjoy it! 😁
Your dinner looked delicious and pretty too! 😋 I have made meals that were very low cost but after a normal shopping trip and using the items judiciously. Kudos to you and your creativity.
Thanks Pat. 😁
I’m new to this channel and just loved this challenge. Another idea would be to forage wild leafy greens available in the neighborhood and add those to the lunch soup and the dinner meal. In my backyard I find mallow, stingingly nettle, and dandelion greens and add those to my dishes. I rinse thoroughly and chop into small pieces. before adding them to my dishes.
We do that too...forage for wild greens and add them to simple meals. I also grow scallions, celery, kale, spinach, and herbs indoors, just taking a few young leaves a day for various recipes. The thought is that we might not be able to get to a store and homegrown greens are a great addition to pantry staples.
I love this channel. I think carrots in my spaghetti will be a new meal option now.
I love this idea. 👍 I'm planning on planting my indoor herb garden again this spring. It's so nice to have the extra fresh herbs for meals.
I don't get much light in my place and I'm wondering if I could grow spinach or kale. 🤔. I use a light for my herbs. Glad you like my channel 😁
I plan to try sprouting, since snowy outside here. A good way to have fresh produce without going to the grocery store 👌
I loved the options you had at a bulk buying grocery store. It makes it cost effective for single people to buy just enough for them. During college, my husband only had 30 dollars a month to eat. He said he lived on eggs over rice. Using basic foods can drive the price of cooking back to bare bones.
True. I think that is where inflation is taking us and like another viewer just said, I think it is only going to get worse. It might be time to stock up on the basics. Thanks for watching!
I could do this if I absolutely had to. For as long as I can, I will buy any foods I want.
Great job! I agree, this challenge is a humbling reminder to have gratitude.
Thank you 😁
Another AWESOME video! I love seeing how creative u get. Thank u
Glad you liked it 😁👩🍳
I think the challenge is a lot more do able if you are shopping for more than one day at a time. For instance if you had 3.00 for 3 days you could use the can of tomatoes and spread the cost out over a couple of days. Carrots are perfect in spaghetti, my aunt was born in Italy and always used shredded carrots in her sauce.
I totally agree! 👍 Several people have mentioned shredded carrots in the marinara. I'm definitely going to try that. Thanks for watching!
Love this video. We don't have bulk items to purchase such small amounts in our area, but these are still great ideas to show what we can do with the small quantities we might have on hand. The roasted tomatoes in pasta looks delicious! If we can do a meal like that even once a week, the savings can really add up. Thanks Michelle!
Thank you for watching 😁
Creative and beautiful meals! I actually laughed out loud when you said you knew the meals had to be nutritious, but you did it. It was fun to watch :)
😂 Yeah that is kind of funny! Haha.
That was super creative! I wish they had more Winco stores around. I am not sure what part of Orange County you are in but have you ever considered shopping for produce at the hispanic/latino grocery stores? They often have really really cheap fruits and veggies. The meat selections are huge and I often go there when I need to purchase small quantities of meat for cheap. I live near Disneyland. And some of the stores are Northgate, El Super and Superior.
Thanks so much for the tip. 👍I'm in Irvine. I think the nearest hispanic store would be in Santa Ana. I get really cheap produce at Wholesome Choice which I believe is an Iranian market but I would love to check out a hispanic market. It looks like they have an El Super in Santa Ana. I will check them out as soon as I can. Thanks for the advice! 😁
What a fantastic job! I doubt that a dietitian or chef could have been more resourceful. I am going to try to do sun dried tomatoes using your "trick".
Yeah I make them a lot actually. They are good on sandwiches, in penne pasta with goat cheese, etc. Very versatile. Just cook them low and slow until they are ready.
This video was so fascinating to me! I really wanted you to have more protein but with only $1 it’s tough. I have never thought to roast tomatoes but will be giving this a try. Keep this great content coming!
awe...thanks. I appreciate the complement! 😁Yes try the roasted tomatoes! They are so good and are a great use for tomatoes that are getting old. I'll do my best to keep making good content! Thanks for watching 👩🍳
Mushrooms are high in vit b12 and protein and iron
According to Google, 1 cup (100 grams) of dry macaroni has 14 grams of protein. I would have been concerned about other nutrients but I think she did an amazing job of covering the basics! Really well thought-out.
Awesome challenge and very eye opening. Thanks for sharing!
Thank YOU for watching my vide 😁
Wow - Thank you! I have been stressing a bit about rising food costs- but I am a vegetarian and you remind me that with a little effort and creativity I can keep my diet nutritious and delicious- I love your channel and wish you all the very best! 💚
I'm so glad it's helpful 😁 Thanks so much for watching!
Nice video! The prices of produce are incredible in my area and gardening is a must now. Thank you for sharing.
You're welcome 😁 Thank YOU for watching!
Wow, that was a challenge! Your food was healthy & appealing - I am so impressed! Nice work - loved the Italian background music! 😀❤️
Thanks 😁
I love it. You are a pro at this. I make a game out of using the grocery items I get from Ibotta and couponing.
Awe...thanks 😁 I need to try Ibotta. I used to coupon but Ive never been very good at it. ☹️
Love this! I wish I had more options for groceries- we only have Walmart and Safeway which really would make this hard!!
You can do it with Walmart but you would need to prorate the food....meaning just count what you used out of a container. I'll be doing that in an upcoming video.
Makes sense. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
The Navy beans wouldve been wonderful with the pasta.I was taught to cook by my italian grandmother and they do a pasta e fagioli (beans) that is perfect for vegetarians.I wouldve myself gotten an onion as I can make anything good with that...but yes the pound can sometimes we worth up to 1.50 U.S so I think a buck is too low. Im shocked they can buy single eggs...in canada we cant and we are very much like the UK..now if someone gifted you an egg,you could add that to the challenge! Dont forget free to you items in the challenge
Yes good idea 👍 Pasta e fagioli would have been great. YUM
Bolognese sauce has carrots in it. Bolognese is a red sauce, similar to marinara.
Thanks for the info 👍
Wow you did absolutely fantastic… again!
I looked up how much it costs for 1 tablespoon of alfalfa sprouts for you. It’s $.34.
$14.25 for 1 pound on Amazon $.89 per ounce and 1 tablespoon is .30 ounces.
You’re a great cook and I can’t believe how far you can stretch a dollar!
Have you ever looked up videos on cash stuffing on RUclips, I’ll bet it’s right up your alley! i’m so addicted it’s crazy and I’m saving so much money. Have a good day Michelle!
Thanks so much 😁 Cash stuffing as in the envelop system? I've heard it works well. I have a very strict budget and use the Every Dollar app. Works for me. Hope you have a great week
So impressive, I love how you use such pretty dishes too, it takes a simple dish up a notch!
Glad you liked my video! 😁
Who knew that years ago when I shredded carrots into my spaghetti sauce I wasn't off base. Sneaky way to get my kids to eat veggies 😉 I still do it on occasion, it adds a bit of sweetness though.
😂 The funny thing is that all the jarred marinaras has sugar added. The carrots are a much better way to sweeten it. I'll have to try the shredded route. I haven't made my own marinara for awhile. 🤔
Brilliant video. Food looked delicious and healthy. I thought you may have had banana with porridge, could be a combination. Well done for making this challenge. Im currently trying to follow this frugal plan, and i do follow the guy you mentioned.
I wanted that banana in my oatmeal but It was just too expensive. ☹️ I enjoy watching budget meals, especially from other countries. It's so interesting.
A tip if you want creamy oats without the milk. Grind up a little bit of the oats to a powder. It will give it a creamier consistency like quick oats.
Thank you for this needed burst of motivation! You did awesome picking your ingredients, for such a low budget and created meals that look delicious?! Wonderwoman over here
😂 You make me laugh. Making this video was a lot of fun! Glad you enjoyed it 😁
Oh my goodness, I don't know how you did that! WOW! It's so much easier to do these challenges when you scale them for more days but only one seems imposible!
yeah I got lucky to have the Winco bins! Thanks for watching 😁
Wow, I want sure it was possible, but you proved me wrong! I know someday when food is scarce or hyper inflation hits, that you will be able to eat and enjoy what you eat, thrive not just survive. Great job!
Thanks Candace 😁 I appreciate you.
What a fun concept and you did amazingly well! I loved that you made your own version of sun dried tomatoes. My mom makes marinara with carrots, I think it definitely sweetens it up. Did you get any comment from the checkers about how little you bought 😂?
Yes actually the checker did ask. I told him it was for a RUclips challenge and he asked me for the name of my channel 😂
I really appreciate that you show that you bought things that you didn't actually use for the challenge but were considering. It shows the reality of trial and error, and also that no one gets it right 100% of the time. Some people don't give themselves enough grace.
I was determined to try to fit that banana in. 😂 I eat a lot of bananas. 🍌But then I was mad that I didn't grab a case of those diced tomatoes. I have a one track mind when I'm filming and I forget to pick up items I find when I'm out.
I would not even think this was possible! You did amazing!
Thanks so much 😁
Hi Michelle, you've done it again. It is unbelievable how many people are watching your videos, because of job cuts and practically on the breadline. Not everyone can afford things in life and most are embarrassed to ask for help. I think you are a joy to watch and many people will live by your videos for ideas. Thank you again for sharing. Luv from the UK x
Thanks so much Lynne. 😁 I do hope that my videos are helpful and give people more options than they thought they had. 😁🥰I really enjoy making them and it also helps me to save money too! Thanks for dropping me a line and also a BIG THANK YOU for watching my videos!
@@ArdentMichelle you are a joy to watch x
Seeing this in July, 2022. I live in Anchorage, Ak & can't even fathom produce at those prices! These are great ideas though. One thing for oatmeal that I love adding is nutmeg & cinnamon or even just pumpkin pie spice. Sweet spices really make oatmeal extra good in my opinion.
I'm in California so I'm sure a lot of this produce is grown in state. I will try adding the nutmeg to oatmeal. I have definitely used the pumpkin pie spice, that stuff is good on everything 👍
Your plating is so beautiful and makes the budget food look special. Important lesson learnt!
Thank you so much 🤗
I’m addicted to your videos. I appreciate the budget ideas so much. I’m trying to teach my kids they can eat if they try on a very limited budget
Yay!! This makes me so happy😁 Glad you are liking my videos. It helps if people put the money aside for another goal. Then it's like they are gaining something that is tangible that they can see. My sons don't budget like I do. ☹️
I really like this! You got really creative with it. It made me think for breakfast another option would be yogurt. I've seen individuals sold for 18 cents with coupons, and with a bit of bulk granola would have been nice! This gave me a lot of ideas though to save money, being on a budget is definitely possible!
Yes that is a great idea 👍 I love yogurt
When I was working my way through tech school, I had yogurt for breakfast every morning. I found some boxes of granola at a Big Lots store for $1. I spent $10 on a large bag of frozen berries (a lot of money, but I stretched that bag over a month.) And I would buy full-fat yogurt in the big size (generic,) One scoop of yogurt with a sprinkle of granola and a few berries got me through the morning until lunch.
I love this! I would have also drained off those leftover beans and fried them off and added them to the pasta!
That's a great idea! 👍
Thank you for your videos! Your voice is so relaxing and I watch your videos on the weekend for inspiration. In the past I’ll admit I’ve been very wasteful and it’s so nice to make the most of the limited ingredients I get instead of buying too much and throwing a lot away! Even though I’m a single person, I’m a big believer in freezing things to tame my fear of food going bad during the week. Thank you for your channel! :)
Hi Eva 😁 You are so welcome. I'm glad my videos have inspired you. I've wasted food in the past too. ☹️ I love being more prudent with food now and having less waste though. It's never too late to make these changes. 😊👩🍳 and thank YOU for watching my videos 🥰
Aww love that you shouted out Taz the UK RUclipsr, she is wholesome. You did so well in this challenge
Thank you 😀
Great job! I would've pureed the roasted tomatoes and added in shredded carrots. And cut up those green beans and tossed with the pasta. :)
Great idea 👍
Yay! You found Taz - one of my favourite RUclipsrs.
Yeah....I love budget videos.
@@ArdentMichelle Me too.
Carrot in Bolognese is authentic but I've never heard of it in marinara.
Great ideas for $1 a day meals💚👌
Thanks so much 😁
If you have a food processor or bullet blender, a little oil w some of the roasted tomatoes and carrot. Blend for a chunky sauce.
I'm definitely going to try this!
You did this in Southern California?😳😳😳
My hat 🧢 off to you, ma’am!
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Thank you 😁 Yes, I'm in Orange County 🌴
Why have I never thought of roasting tomatoes or pan frying green beans??? Great ideas! I love how you do fancy plating, we also eat through our eyes. Thanks for the inspiration! ♥️👍😊
You are so welcome! 😁 Glad you liked this video!
In reference to your baked tomatoes, and a previous video with 'sun dried' tomatoes that you make, this has been a huge bonus for us! After a diagnosis of heart disease for my hubby, (now doing great) we both switched to a 1500 sodium a day program. Commercial sun dried tomatoes were out...and for 3 years did not have anything. When I saw you do your own, I tried yours but with no salt, and the flavour is still incredible! Thank you!! We have added a new ingredient and it means adding to our smallish list of low sodium dinners :) Love your videos!
Yay! This makes me so happy! Yeah roasted tomatoes pack so much flavor. I'm glad you are finding my channel useful 😁. Thanks for watching!
You did really well with this challenge. And there are such great prices in your area that it would make a $30 monthly budget feasible, with plenty of variety. That works out to $1 a day, every day.
Yes you make a good point! For not much more you could have some fresh veggies and calcium.
You are a creative gourmet cook. I really enjoyed this video. It's hard to stretch that dollar.
Thank you 😁
I agree with ohers about shredding that carrot. It would have extended it. If you had a juicer.... Made a carrot sauce or reduction with berbs and used the leftover carrot shavings. Carmelized the carrot?
Yes that would have been good 👍
And the music 🎵🎶 🥰 so relaxing, cooking is my zen space
Mine too! 😁
I've used those baking mixes at winco you were talking about. I have cooked them as just add water and they come out fine. Lately I mixed a bit of the pancake mix with blueberry muffin mix and they were sweet enough to just garnish with butter and a pinch of sugar sprinkled on they were yummy.
Great idea of mixing the two together and only needing a bit of butter, I don't always want to have to use syrup
Good to know! 👍 Thanks for the info. I'll try this next time.
I put carrots into anything I can, Marinara, chilli, cakes, cookies etc. I don't know it started with me having to use up those big bags and trying to sneak veggies into my kid's mouths. No one complained, so more vitamins and flavor... Put a sweet potato in your chilli too, so good.. I liked your take on this challenge, good variety.
We sometimes put carrots in our chili. I will definitely try the sweet potato. Thanks for the tip.👍
@@ArdentMichelle it goes really well with black bean chilli. You're welcome.
About the winco bulk bins, they do have recipe cards, usually by the small bags. And you can ask an employee if they don’t have the one you want. 😁 I’m obsessed with winco bulk bins 😂 btw you did an amazing job! So inspirational!!
Thanks for the info! 👍 I'll look for those next time I'm there.
Yay, new video, loved it your content it’s awesome 👏
Thank you so much 😀
Ten thumbs up!!! You rock! You need to educate all of us. Thank you!
Thanks Melissa. I appreciate your complement 😁
Wow! This was so well done…congratulations. I wish where I live (small rural town, Queensland, Australia) we had options to purchase single items or from bulk bins. This would be so helpful for low income families. Just a fyi for the future, if you soak your oats in the water you intend to cook them in, for 15-20 minutes before turning the heat on, it’ll be creamier. Also adding your sweetener of choice after cooking, will give you more flavour than when you cook it in.
Thank you for the fantastic ideas 👍🏻💕
Thanks for the tip 👍😁
I love watching your videos. You make it look elegant to eat even when on an extreme budget. Thank you
Thanks so much! 😊 Appreciate the complement!
Impressive! The soup looked so yummy and the pasta and green beans looked delicious. I would have never thought to roast the tomato. Very creative!
Thank you 😁 That dinner was really good and I enjoyed the green beans so much I went back to buy more and they were all gone ☹️
Thank you, as always, for your wonderful videos!
Your welcome 😁 Glad you liked it!
I love how you plated every meal with a nice plate and napkins to make it special. You did great!
Thank you! 🤗
I saw that UK one too! Glad it inspired you to make this video!!! Flavor budgeting, simple + spices. Still not too much sacrifice.
I like watching these kinds of videos too. 👩🍳Thanks for watching my video 😁
@@ArdentMichelle
You're welcome.
Loved it ❤️ wish you all the best 💞
Thanks so much! 😁
Wow, awesome job! Sadly, we have no Winco stores in our area, I really wish we had those bulk bins. When I googled "winco blueberry muffin mix how to use" though, the cooking directions come up.
I should have known....Google knows everything! 😂
Wow those are great ideas! I’m a new sub and have been bingeing on your videos! 😍 I share them everywhere. 🥰
Oh gosh! I appreciate that so much. Welcome to my channel 😁 Glad to have you here.
This was a blast to watch! I would just fast for the day and eat one simple. Meal. In Minneapolis I don't know where to buy such tiny quantities . . .
If you are in a city, chances are there are stores like these. Smaller towns would not have them though. I didn't realize how many were in my area until I actually started looking for them on google. Glad you enjoyed watching this 😁
I love atomic shrimps videos. His food challenges are much watch videos. His recipes are so fascinating. He does not waste a thing.
Yeah he's fun and I lOVE listening to him speak with that accent 😁
Great job, again!! You go, girl!!
Thank you!! 😁
Amazing challenge! We don't have bulk bins here to buy such small amount, but I'd love to try the challenge by pricing out amounts from my pantry food!
Yes that would be fun!
You are the Goddess of Goodness ♥️. I love Atomic Shrimp. He also using scavenging for vegetation to supplement his challenges which is informative and very interesting.
Awe geez....Thank you so much 😁 You are so nice. Yeah I've found myself watching a few of those Atomic Shrimp videos lately. I love to listen to him speaking with that lovely British accent! 😁
I loved this video. Atomic Shrimps vids are awesome. One thing I would have done is blended up the rest of your soup to make a creamy base for your pasta. :)
That's a good idea 👍 and thanks so much for the complement.
Carrots are delish in pasta any and all vegetables are delicious in pasta! Good job!✌🏼
I need to try this more. 👍
BRAVO! A good experience. Could you link the UK videos? I cant find them. Thanks
Check out Atomic Shrimp channel. He has done multiple 1 pound a day meal challenges. He is super creative & forages for his meals too.
Atomic Shrimp and Click for Taz
Got it, thank you so much.
Well done! Here in Canada we cannot get things that reasonable. However, our economy is different so it’s all relative. I am doing a pantry challenge for January and February, and I have lots of vegetables that I grew on my one acre homestead in my freezer. So I am going to be making this exact recipe. I am getting to the point where I have to start getting creative because I am out of fresh things. I have sprouting seeds and frozen fruit so that I don’t die of scurvy lol. Thanks for the great video. You rock💚
Thanks so much.😁 Gosh I would love to have a big garden 🥬 I do a little indoor herb garden thats a lot of fun but I have to use a grow light because I don't get a lot of sun at my place. ☹️ Thanks for watching!
Great job. You give people ideas & hope. If you only have a few dollars you can still eat, just takes a little creativity.💓
Absolutely! 😁
I put 1/4 cup of rice in my rice cooker, it has a steamer basket above the rice so I chop up a carrot to steam then add some green onions as a garnish that grow in my windowsill, I got from replanting ends from the grocery store. Add some soy sauce and that’s all I really need for lunch it’s around .30 cents. I have chickens, sometimes I’ll thrown in a fried egg as well.
That sounds like a nice one pot dish. I love soy sauce. It makes everything so delicious!
Some places in the US are limited on what they have in bulk. That's why you see more multi day challenges. It will equal to $1.00 maybe $1.50 a day.
Yeah I do a lot of those also. 👍. You could also do the portions from purchases of larger portions. It would be much easier this way.
I can’t believe how cheap food is where you live!!!! I’m jealous. It’s so much more expensive here in upstate NY
We do have some cheap stores! We also have the regular stores where its uber expensive!
This kind of challenges as well as some of your others can't be done in my area as we do not have bulk food type of stores and would have been made unavailable in my state because of COVID restrictions. I could NEVER find prices in my area like those you've shown here and am envirous of that, but I do admire your creativity.
You can still do it just buy a box of oatmeal and portion out how much a half a cup would cost. Same for pasta and beans.
I plan to do a challenge with prorated items like Penny is mentioning. I'll do it at Walmart. Prices should be about the same at Walmart when we purchase slightly larger quantities of items. I like to purchase individual items out of the bins because its easy for my videos and for calculation purposes but honestly buying in bulk is less expensive and almost everyone in the U.S. has a Walmart nearby.
I enjoy watching your videos because of your soothing voice and to get inspirations for cooking. The dilemma is I watch you at night to fall as sleep but watching food is not a good idea if you are trying to sleep. I love how you say the word delicious😆
I live in the Netherlands, and we have food in abundance where I live here in Rotterdam. If you are poor, you will not go hungry. Your money problems come from non-food items and bills.
I am not rich but can budget well, thank God.
But I can tell you what people who take these 'challenges' on don't realize that real poor people don't have challenges they have STRESS. A lot of stress that make it difficult to make good decisions. Stress that effects your thinking, sleeping and functioning. Also, with the working poor people don't have the time and energy to go from shop to shop to look for good deals AND go home to cook a healthy meal.
Even when you have financial BREATHING space you should just avoid going to the market as much as possible. Because you will just keep buying what you don't need or cause yourself unnecessary stress if you try to avoid unnecessary stuff.
I will keep watching your videos for the soothing voice and inspiration.
Hello 😁 I'm glad you enjoy my videos. I agree and can attest, being poor is stressful. ☹️ Thanks for watching!
WinCo used to have little pieces of paper with cooking instructions &/or recipes in the bulk area. You could use the blueberry muffin mix to make pancakes.
Yes...and honestly I've just been dying to go back to those bins. 😂.
I've been messing around with blending part of the raw carrots, celery, etc., and adding that to the soup -- you can roast or parboil them first. This thickens the soup but keeps the veggie goodness. If you only have a stick blender, try grating before blending.
Good idea 👍
My aunt, who was an AMAZING cook, always put carrots in all her tomatoe based dishes(chili, sloppy joe, spaghetti sauce ect) for extra sweetness.
What a great natural sweetener. Can't wait to try this. 😁👩🍳
Great job, Michelle! You are amazing!
Thank you so much! 🥰
Just amazing: The selection, presentation, creativity.
Glad you liked it! 😁👩🍳
Still binge RE-watching your budget videos today. Thanks for helping me get so much done today. Such a nice break from politics & sports 🤣. However, the STL BattleHawks football team is in the playoffs tonight, so I gotta go!
😂 you can binge me anytime. Hope your team won!
Way to go! It looked like you got inspiration from Atomic Shrimp, love his videos as well!
Yes I wanted to do a U.S. take on his challenge! Although I guess I should have added more money to match the UK pound.
I'm stunned 😯. Well done.
Thank you! 😊
@@ArdentMichelle I've never seen a challenge like this where the person could actually get enough produce. I'm impressed and it was very helpful to me.
How wonderful to know it is possible to eat so inexpensively. I like your roasted tomato idea. Have you tried making savory oats? The price of barley was close to five dollars a pound which seemed too much for twelve ounces. I decided to substitute oats. I cooked the oats in bouillon and added some cumin, pepper, salt and olive oil. Your roasted tomatoes would have been a good addition. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Hi Sara 😁 No I don't believe I've tried savory oats. Great idea to substitute oats for the barley. I always make the best discovery this way. I'll have to try this. Thanks for sharing!
There should be a little shelf in the bulk section of winco towards the middle of the bulk bins that has recipe cards for each thing and how to use it. You will see pancake mix, and then the paper that you take will say mix with water. Most of their bulk things like brownie mix only requires water.
Thanks for the tip 👍