How to Eat for $50 a Week!

[@xingcat]

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 KZbin 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.

[@DollarTreeDinners]

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

[@vjinca]

Well said!

[@crystalh1402]

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.

[@MichaelaHicks]

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 😭

[@leytonfortnite4724]

💯

[@worldofthesupernatural]

Rebecca is the home economics teacher this generation needs❤️

[@jameslongest6410]

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.

[@danasandlin2435]

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

[@heatherjohnson3063]

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.

[@colleenlopez3923]

Ma was aaaq

[@jameslongest6410]

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!

[@lizziemeyer9707]

"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

[@DollarTreeDinners]

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

[@ursularowe3353]

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.

[@jake_from_statefarm7209]

@@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.

[@zoorenard1101]

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.

[@blondie7740]

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.

[@deidrebee1]

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!

[@kippytx]

It

[@Idagramos]

Yes I agree and also, they taught us to wash our meets before seasoning and cooking. ;)

[@marlenejones6266]

​@@Idagramosmeats?

[@OldLadyInFL]

@@Idagramos Experts now tell you NOT to wash chicken, because any bacteria on the outside will be killed by cooking, and you'll just be splattering germs all over your sink and countertops.

[@speartongamer6080]

@@marlenejones6266yeah I guess they forgot to teach them spelling.

[@sandicollins4000]

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.

[@carolwilliams8840]

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.

[@sandicollins4000]

@@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. 🩵

[@angelaschaefer5883]

So can my husband and I.

[@marlenejones6266]

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

[@Vry9]

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

[@ashleyhaugh9716]

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.

[@angelaschaefer5883]

For my husband and I too. Little home made and little store bought.

[@OldLadyInFL]

I agree! I actually hate cooking, so anything I can eat out of a package is fine with me.

[@ruz7951]

what are you talking about?? all this stuff is processed, nothing is "semi-homemade", not even the oatmeal is plain. Everything she has is loaded with sugar and salt!!

[@kaichoukai]

​@ruz7951 but... things need seasoning? Also semi-homemade means the potatoes (hashbrowns/roasted beans and potatoes), broth (homemade), like... it means turning 1 thing into another thing, multi-purposing... seasoning is why we can buy things like 10lbs of chicken and not get sick or it 😂 if you upset about it, don't watch it? As she said, there are many other meal budget youtubers.

[@staciedubz]

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!

[@lindanizamoff7981]

also its a way to bring food to work instead of buying food.

[@kencurtis2403]

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.

[@ChelseaBlahBlah24]

I do this too!!

[@NellBelle]

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!

[@DoctorSleep23]

Yep! I tell my kids that Fridays are “Fend for yourself Friday”. We have all leftovers left from the week and they use them to create something new

[@hoosiergirl1]

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!

[@DollarTreeDinners]

Thanks so much!

[@muffyz11]

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!

[@carmena6678]

French toast could be a good way to rollover the bread and milk into next week :)

[@donnawestbrook8992]

Yes, I just saw a french toast recipe that is eggless... just milk and bread. Seems worth a try.

[@littleluluscraps]

Yep, I was gonna say that too and you can do a lot with oatmeal!!

[@DebbieLee-dr3hr]

Recently discovered a French toast recipe that used mashed banana with liquid to coat the bread. It was a non dairy dish.

[@angelaschaefer5883]

My son always loved French toast. Good and cheap.

[@justine8387]

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.

[@sharonamos8352]

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!

[@kryssilee4036]

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. ❤️

[@no_peace]

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(?)

[@Ace-1525]

@@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.

[@kev7161]

When it comes to meat, I'm almost vegetarian now! If I can afford to buy a pound of ground beef, I'll portion off a small amount into 5 or 6 baggies and toss the extras into the freezer. I'll add it to dishes I'm making with a larger portion of beans or rice or potatoes (etc.) and it does me just fine. Mostly, my protein comes from eggs or beans and canned meats such as tuna.

[@happycook6737]

​@@Ace-1525Please look up skillet supper DIY hamburger helper. So cheap and no chemicals. Same cooking style. Tastes much better and cheaper. With your leftover money you can add some hamburger or chicken. Food processing companies charge a premium price when homemade is almost just as fast. We like lentils in our spaghetti sauce over pasta. For hamburger helper style we like canned mushrooms (rinsed and drained) added to 2 or 3 ounces meat/chicken. Maybe look up Costa Rican bean recipe as their Pinto Gallo recipe over rice is awesome and cheap. We batch cook and freeze for later meals. We make pizza from a crazy crust recipe. Dough doesn't need to raise and easy to pat out with hands into pan. A smear of leftover spaghetti sauce and a bit of grated cheese. Top with leftover cooked bits of meat and veggies.

[@hawnair6624]

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!!!

[@DollarTreeDinners]

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

[@kathleendonnelly6077]

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!

[@ShesInLosAngeles]

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 👍🏼💕

[@ErdbeereRot]

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 😁

[@lillypatience]

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. 👍

[@muddyshoesgardener]

What a great idea!

[@mistytsim]

I've used apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. The little plastic lemon with the juice in it is around $1.00 most places. Also, 2 tablespoons is the same measure as cough syrup or any OTC liquid medicine. So, if you don't have measuring spoons, you might have this. Also, a standard shot glass holds about 45ml. So fill it ¾ of the way full for 30-ish ml. But don't rely upon this for medication!

[@carolwilliams8840]

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

[@tanishahogan9396]

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.

[@niteowl46060]

I was wondering if it could be done in the slow cooker! I figured so, but you confirmed. I would rather do that if doing it overnight, so I may actually make my own now.

[@tanishahogan9396]

@@niteowl46060 Yes, it comes out so rich looking. It tastes delicious (if you just want to use it as a low calorie protein drink)! Also, I usually put a little bit of apple cider vinegar in it (it doesn't flavor it, but almost every bone broth recipe I have seen says to add it).

[@morti9865]

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

[@ginacarr1067]

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.

[@angelaschaefer5883]

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.

[@claudiabray-flores607]

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

[@ladylogic8091]

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.

[@happycook6737]

Also remember food banks.

[@alexalivingston2048]

Food banks in your area

[@jud7558]

@ladylogic8091 What is your email? I will send you a walmart gift card.

[@cherylswinkunas2613]

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.

[@zzydny]

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.

[@jodybogdanovich4333]

Also, add a pinch of salt to the coffee grounds before brewing to reduce bitterness. (one pinch per cup)

[@gossamermoonfly]

We rinse our pot out every morning, before brewing, noticed that the coffee tastes better

[@paulgeary6511]

I WAS JUST GONNA SAY MY MOM USED TO PUT SALT IN HER GROUNDS & GROUND CINNAMON TO HER GROUNDS!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻😉🤗🤣🤣😉😉😉

[@jodybogdanovich4333]

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

[@karen3876]

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.

[@nancycaputo6669]

Rebecca, you did a FABULOUS job! Really impressed with your creativity!

[@DollarTreeDinners]

Glad you liked it!!

[@oliviaglass3843]

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.

[@1984potionlover]

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 :)

[@AlexisTwoLastNames]

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.

[@cindycantrell9038]

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.

[@anderander5662]

Great idea

[@ginacarr1067]

Totally going to try this. I love mushrooms and have about 6 cans in my pantry.

[@angieineverettcust2934]

I usually use one jar pasta sauce and 1-2 cans diced tomatoes. Stretches it and also freshens it up a bit. I don’t like partial bags of noodles hanging around 😅

[@christinadunaway2109]

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.

[@whatselledone]

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.

[@justjet]

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!!

[@happycook6737]

I found out watering down soap works well for me. I keep 2 bottles dish liquid. 1 was empty and refilled with a little boiled water mixed with dish liquid. My washing machine needs 1/2 the amount of detergent as recommended. My dermatologist told me only use soap on underarms, feet, and bathing suit areas. It is cheaper AND my skin doesn't get so dried out. Of course if you get really dirty soap up but most people don't get that dirty. He was from France. So many ways to save.....

[@tynaedwards8452]

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!

[@ohdang8515]

Another above and beyond video. You have one of the best KZbin channels - not just in your niche of budget cooking/eating, but across all topics - bar none! 🎉

[@theskiesthelimit-q2k]

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

[@eveisuponus]

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!

[@maryd7896]

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!!

[@TaraannBudgetsandSelf-Care]

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.

[@meaganadwyer]

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 😊

[@caitlinpeters6004]

I second the suggestion for high protein on a budget 🙋‍♀️

[@donnawestbrook8992]

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.

[@CB-wq9wp]

​@@donnawestbrook8992Don't forget peanut butter!

[@yvonne5322]

For a quick garlic toast, mix a little garlic powder with butter/margarine. Pop bread in toaster then spread the butter :)

[@FrankGutowski-ls8jt]

Cheap protein: canned salmon and mackerel. Make patties with bread crumbs or mashed potatoes and eggs.

[@angelaschaefer5883]

I make salmon patties all the time.

[@mmarsh2937]

I love them but my husband not so much. My adult children still talk about having to eat them. Haha

[@crystalh1402]

The us government cost estimate versus what you came up with was so valuable! Truly impressive how you did with only $50!

[@bigk5203]

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.

[@The3Storms]

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🍳

[@Anarchyinthe603]

Pro tip for the hash browns: after draining the shredded potatoes, if you have a cheesecloth or a tea towel, toss the potato shreds into the center of it, pull up the edges of the cloth and make it into a little bundle, then twist the cloth around and around the handle of a wooden spoon, letting the cloth crank up higher and higher as you twist it, to wring out as much excess water as you can. This will both shorten the frying time, and help get that beautiful crisp outside with that nice fluffy interior by taking out as much water as possible, leaving only enough water in it to make the insides of the hash browns fluffy as the steam escapes.

[@erinj9642]

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.

[@phyltorkelsonp9268]

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!

[@angelawossname]

Even more households who are dealing with things like diabetes, intolerances or allergies, which increases the cost of basic food items.

[@angelaschaefer5883]

Exactly it makes things much more difficult. People need help.

[@rebeccakaulbach9322]

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.

[@courtneylegaloff3851]

I cry, too. It’s a good cry. Lots of love and nostalgia, caring and compassion.

[@sophrosyne3760]

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!

[@sandraortega898]

Great recipes!

[@justmaleigh6313]

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.

[@andreajimenez2895]

The care and planning you put into these videos amazes me! Another great video!

[@kimberlywilliams3009]

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!

[@cindybrown7884]

as a 63 year old,you make me rethink my ways of cooking thank you big hugs

[@noemoralesmora5665]

Been a college student on a budget in this economy is so difficult but your videos have helped me so much

[@raquelalmestica304]

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.

[@melodep275]

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.

[@Ross516]

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!

[@lawalln]

Inspirational. I’m no longer struggling financially but, boy, I sure could have used your videos when I was raising a family.

[@yvonne5322]

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.

[@momof2momof2]

Knoced it way out of the park once again Rebecca !!! SO well done !!! 😀❄☃💗😀❄☃💗😀❄☃💗

[@kathrynyeager9470]

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!!

[@Daya_Love]

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!

[@kellydale2633]

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.

[@donnawestbrook8992]

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)?

[@sjferguson]

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! ❤

[@oliviaglass3843]

Look into intermittent fasting… resolved me diabetes, gerd and hypertension issues. Eat only in an 8 hour window…

[@staceyslaysdragons691]

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!

[@juliahackworth_]

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!

[@karenmendes5867]

I have to tell you I’ve been watching this type of videos for literally YEARS plus this has been my life for decades and I’d like to tell you this is absolutely hands down the very best of all of them. You are a GENIUS please keep up the good work we really do need this type of info these days

[@katrinaDS]

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.

[@theninjacat7200]

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.

[@queenofdaydreams3825]

You are a lifesaver. You have no idea how much your channel has helped me. Thank you 🩷

[@DollarTreeDinners]

That means so much to me and makes it all worth it

[@peggyaustin5238]

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.

[@sharonoldham4374]

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 😊

[@Jenny-l8r]

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.

[@elainastricklin1704]

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

[@shellyolheiser3938]

Thank you so much Rebecca. I’m a household of one and so appreciate the budgeting/recipe tips so much. I’m older and a good cook so that part I already have. You rock girl! ❤ Keep it up! 😊

[@Whitney_Sews]

I appreciate all the hard work you put into your videos! Km going to try the oatmeal bake for an easy breakfast to use up slme oatmeal we've had for a while.

[@shelbylynnwilliams8520]

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.

[@mariwynne650]

KZbin suggested this video and I’m grateful it did! I love the fact you suggested to eat out one day. I’ve been trying to cook all my meals at home for the past 4 months and I got to a point where I was mentally exhausted. Not only of cooking and cleaning but also planning the meals.

[@kj7653]

Start repeating your menu ideas and save some of your mental energy. 4 months is a long time! You are to be congratulated.

[@OneDayAtATime7]

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.

[@candicechruscial8885]

I personally loved you Dollar Tree series lots of variety of cooking, super fun and yummy

[@WorldOfWonder66]

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

[@nancyculp6968]

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.

[@cindy5562]

** an idea for you. Omit the packets of oatmeal, get the regular stuff and use the coffee creamer as flavoring.

[@bridgettescott7196]

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

[@wilmasantos3255]

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!!

[@lauraspicks7114]

Thank you Rebecca, for all of your hard work on these recipes/meals you put together for all of us. I really appreciate it.There are some really good ideals for the recipes, which I have never done before, so I look forward on making them.Thanks again and you have a great day .

[@InstantRegret0316]

Another great video Rebecca! The wife and I always enjoy your content. Here’s to a great 2024 to you and yours!🍻

[@lisajean1212]

I love your videos because they're actually things I would eat versus others using beans, beans, beans for every meal. Thanks!!!

[@dakotacoren6936]

Very inspiring. Looking forward to printable recipes 😊 Thank you so very much!

[@DollarTreeDinners]

Glad you like them!

[@kellymcfalls1458]

@@DollarTreeDinners I really like your video but it all depends on your preference like when you said coffee is not a necessity but for me it is and using salt and pepper I don’t use salt as I have high blood pressure so I use Italian seasoning or garlic powder or something like that

[@reniedavisson8532]

Well done! I do not agree with people that say that healthy foods are more expensive. Spending that time with food prep is so much easier than all the time spent being sick from eating poorly. Again, well done.

[@sarahfarrell8214]

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!

[@kamrondee783]

After watching your videos for nearly 2 years I can tell youre a people pleaser! But dont stress yourself out by having to prove yourself and make videos everyone else wants. Do you! Thanks Rebecca :)

[@HOOKEMHORNSGAL1978]

You put a lot of thought and effort into to this and it is greatly appreciated. Fantastic job. ❤

[@crystalshaw8744]

I am slowly becoming addicted to these videos.

[@aNihilisticMystic]

Great video. Love your advice and how you explain everything along the way.

[@JenB.188]

This was one of the best meal plan on a budget videos I’ve found. You were really informative and honest. I’m looking forward to watching week 2.

[@kellyp.3264]

I agree!! This is the first budget meal plan I’m actually following.

[@kawaiikowai08]

Why have I never bought those flavor packets for my tofu?? 🤔 lol I love your videos! You should make a cookbook with meal plans and things

[@DollarTreeDinners]

I had a publisher reach out to me once but I didn't see it being entirely feasible with what they wanted, if I do a cookbook it might have to be self published

[@bigk5203]

I would definitely buy a self published cookbook.@@DollarTreeDinners

[@MistySlocomb]

I love this idea... carrying it into a second week. And this video was awesome! Thank you so much for all that you do.

[@bettymotley2224]

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

[@Ozziecatsmom]

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.

[@sharonedwards-kk1pd]

I love how you vary the meals a lot and prepare the meat and vegetables cut up in the beginning of the week. You help so many people. Congratulations on going over 100K on subscribers! I’m not surprised.

[@rs2343-o4e]

I love your channel. I cant wait for you to get your web site up.

[@osoniye4209]

The US government also provides info for a "Thrifty food plan" which is I think is less than this. I love the trick for bending the chicken leg together and cutting it! Thanks for the tip! I think "leg" refers to the whole thing and "drumstick" refers to the lower portion. I'm already looking forward to next week's video!

[@DollarTreeDinners]

This was the thrifty plan I was sharing :)