I Meal Prep For A Family of 5 With Less Than $100

We challenged Personal Chef Erica Adler to meal prep for a family of 5 with less than $100. Can she do it? Be sure to follow along with Erica's cooking at @fresh.erica and check out her e-book at fresherica.com/product/fresh-...
Check out Erica's new KZbin channel: / @fresherica4402
Find ingredients for meal prepping at Fresh Direct:
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[@angelacline5032]

Hoping to add to the positive comments- I wasn't too interested in the recipes when you said what you were making, but when you were finished....MAN does the food look yummy! Good job on the food presentation. I would try all of these recipes. Thanks for sharing meals that aren't meat-heavy. Also, I spend very little on flavourful meals for my family all week. Maybe people with the negative comments about that live in different areas. I use a lot of stuff found in the back of my pantry while cooking and I don't know anyone who buys olive oil and seasoning every shopping trip. Lol Thanks for sharing!

[@JR-su6gm]

It looked bland let’s be real

[@lydia1285]

This comment section is really critical wow

[@anniejenkins8511]

People come to these sites because they need ideas for budget friendly meals, so yeah, when it turns out not to be much like the tag line, people are going to criticise

[@lydia1285]

@@anniejenkins8511 I get that but it just seems to me that questions and suggestions can be asked in a more polite way some of the comments are acting like everything was done maliciously which is obviously not the case

[@lydia1285]

@Baddy Btch I'm not seeing what youre seeing im also not sure what that has to do with anything

[@lydia1285]

@Baddy Btch oh theres no tone I just don't agree and dont see how the state of her hair while she is in quarantine and cooking for her family relates to the previous comments in my post but agree to disagree nothing wrong with that

[@lydia1285]

@Baddy Btch I'm sorry you feel that way

[@Candlewick14]

Love this girl. Could watch her for hours. Has helped me prep for my family

[@ashleylackey5210]

I personally like that you went into the pantry. Even tho that brings the total cost of this up technically I like that the format felt more like being informative and encouraging us to make choices rather than just following everything you do exactly :)

[@ArstyImogenSky]

This is where the title is misleading. I meal prep for five people. 7 days, 3 meals a day and 2 snacks daily. There is no way to do that for 75$, or 100$. And 90% of our food is from scratch.

[@Charvey02180]

I'm thinking that's pretty sad if you're not able to do it less than a hundred bucks for each meal! Millions of people are doing it every day in America

[@ArstyImogenSky]

@@Charvey02180 not each meal. Feed 5 people for an entire week for less than 100 dollars. Eating real food and no coupons. The video says she feeds 5 for a week. She does not. She feeds 5 dinners for 5 for less than 7 days for 75#.

[@mon6745]

My mom can froma big family... it can totally be done, but unless someone has experienced being poor... or soemthing... they have no idea

[@Slizz]

I would recommend that you look into foodsharing and buying grains and legumes in bulk. That way I can feed a Family of 3 for less than 100€ a month.

[@Adalebabe]

Jordan Page does $100 per person per month for groceries AND all other consumables.

[@isaachuerta116]

I came here for the recipes but ended up searching for that fishtank everybody was talking about, it's at 1:01.

[@cl3x18999]

Thanks 😝

[@dianainboulder]

Brilliant! I love the way you just see your way through a daunting challenge. Everything looks absolutely scrumptious. Can't wait to get your e book!

[@rachelsbusy9948]

I love this format of cooking! It's so efficient, especially for big families. Less cleaning, less waste, and better chance of not splurging on eating out.

[@marissawacholder5822]

I don’t mean to be rude but the shopping your pantry cleared up a lot of expenses. I wouldn’t consider this fully $100 for a family of five

[@Glitterpop785]

Because Most families on a budget Don't have most of those ingredients and consider them "luxury".

[@TheCapsulateIon]

If you notice most of the pantry items were essentials like oil, vinegar, spices etc. The veggies & meat that she cooked was bought except perhaps beans. So it all rounds up considering her grocery bill was only 75$

[@Glitterpop785]

@@TheCapsulateIon I agree but I cook so my pantry of basics has more, similar to theirs. I'd love to see a video start to finish on a budget though.

[@TheCapsulateIon]

Glitterpop785 I have seen some of those on KZbin. The common tip in those sorts of meal preps seems to be to buy whatever is on special & to manage the menu accordingly. But I think with that way of shopping you really need to have a talent to know what ingredients go with each other and what spices go with what. Plus you need to have a household where people eat everything and there are no fussy eaters with allergies like myself & my toddler 😫

[@lmt6672]

@@Glitterpop785 pasta and rice and beans are not a luxury lol

[@judith.corinne]

I love how so much of this was organic! So if you're getting conventionally grown things, it will be cheaper. But I love a budgeted meal plan with organic goodies, and products that cater to dietary restrictions ( i e gluten free pasta)

[@WhatAPeachbyBharatiBajaj]

Ayeeeee, was waiting for a video like this! 😍🌼

[@laurenl.3735]

Thanks for making these videos they’re super helpful!

[@KellyTawni]

This is awesome!! This makes cooking fresh and whole food look more accessible. I would love to see more about how you plan a menu.

[@katelynnharvey6985]

Anyone else got a little worried the fish was dead?

[@oleksandralukic5092]

I'd love to know the recipe for her raisin and rice curried turkey meatballs. Does anyone have any similar one? It sounds absolutely delicious!

[@wajeehaquadriiii]

Just what I needed! thankyou

[@tanukimario7184]

I'm no fish tank expert but for my healthy logical mind this doesn't look good. I feel sorry for that poor lonely fish. No filter, no hiding places, no fish friends, not much space. Would you like to live in a tiny room without a bed, without windows and no social contacts at all? Please change that.

[@LR11306]

You're right... it needs some hides, an aerator, heater and some plants. Not all fish are social so that's less pressing but the hides are an ASAP fix!

[@bellagarson9590]

I know when I saw it I felt so bad ):

[@latesummerearlyfall]

Noticed this too :-(

[@kanisharichardson4507]

You are so resourceful and you think outside of the box you're very organized and upbeat and I enjoy these videos they are a lifesaver don't let negative nancies break your stride do you and continue your journey and please continue helping those of us out here that truly appreciate it ♥️

[@jacobsmith-hi6ey]

I love her choices. Gave me great ideas for the next meal prep planning.

[@bumblebeec4714]

this looks and sounds great would love to find all the receipes please can you tell me what sights you got them from?

[@erryen]

alwaya love to see this meal prep with Erica!

[@angelicapepinillos388]

That fish can’t swim properly... he seems like he can’t sink... he probably has a swim bladder disorder. If you haven’t checked him, which by the measurements of that tank my guess is “no” please do so or give it to someone who will.

[@awesomecow7256]

Poor fish

[@angelicapepinillos388]

Tiffiny Graham yes poor fish indeed.

[@awesomecow7256]

I feel so bad for it. It reminds me of all the fish at state fairs. So so sad

[@beccameg3213]

When in the video?

[@dmd2803]

the way she opens her mouth and talk reminds me of Emma Stone in La La Land somehow😂

[@ttramm3014]

Love it! More please....

[@ninjanerdstudent6937]

So 5 dinners for $75, not too bad. I think that could be stretched more by shopping in different stores, but of course more time is spent with budget shopping.

[@KrisRN23935]

I wonder if the prices are higher from her ordering her groceries with delivery instead of going to the store herself? I mean things like Doordash have delivery fees and taxes so why wouldn’t that?

[@skullfullofbooks7398]

@@KrisRN23935 my thoughts as well. I was interested in trying a curbside pickup until the store charged twice as much for the service! No thank you, I'll go in.

[@thoselittlehands5388]

It depends on the delivery company. Whole foods through prime only asks for the driver's tip and it's optional as well, so if u dont wanna tip, and they have really good prices for fresh fruits, veggies, and regular items in their brand. Instacart charges a service fee plus the tip which are both around %10 each, plus the actual items are prices higher than the market, and they admit it... to me it ends up being 20% more of the total of my groceries if i walked in. I choose my battles because I m busy and have little kids. And yeah her groceries were overpriced because its chickpeas pasta 3times price regular pasta, organic vegetables, and name brand rice n raisin ...

[@ashleymcdonald5449]

I have got to have the recipe for that grainy mustard slaw! It looks so good!

[@bethanycooke2115]

Me too!

[@aholibamalira3719]

Where can I get the recipes for all of these?

[@ilovelifesbeauty777]

I think it all looks super delicious! Also prices for groceries can vary really widely depending on where you live. I also don’t get why these comments are so critical. Eeeek.

[@annahernandez3690]

Erica just wanted to say the shorter hair suits you really well!!

[@kt_rvs2731]

Erica please come out with your own KZbin channel! You're such and amazing chef with so much knowledge to share. I mean, you made 5 meals for 5 people at $75 total. That's insane savings!!!!

[@xXAzNGirl952Xx]

I love watching these videos.

[@barbecueddeer395]

3:56 one way you could improve that cabbage meal is dont put the dressing in it let other people do it because then after about 3 or 4 days it gets soggy

[@Snailmet]

That’s a great tip ✨

[@jdm3014]

I liked your kitchen. That'd be great if you can make a video about how you got into this personal chef job. I'd like to see more videos from you. I also liked your energy. It is so positive.

[@banna13]

I love these videos! If she could do something with a keto menu plan would be awesome since that is such a popular diet plan right now and knowing some recipes/ideas for meal planning for that kind of diet would be awesome to see!!

[@edog3072]

$3 per person per dinner is pretty decent. Less than fast food, which is the true goal

[@chit9077]

I wanted to see all the yummy ingredients go in or at least have the recipes linked for us! 😔

[@edhernandez5521]

Looks very tasty. Thank you alot.

[@writergurl411]

Can we get recipes for some of these dishes? 🙏

[@Marziamoin]

That's awesome!

[@vibhachauhan6956]

Hi Your skin looks really good and fresh.could you do a section on your diet and also skincare.

[@jacquiromano2071]

I love your videos the most!

[@kianahill3202]

Her actual total was $75, if you added the other things that she had, it would probably be $100 so why is it a problem, she literally gave $25 extra dollars leeway for other things which could be things you don’t have in your pantry

[@InfectiousLaugh]

I love your videos!

[@laporchacomic8143]

Do you give consults for new business owners on how to start their meal prep business?

[@BlueNinjaMonkey]

Looks like the fish is just being used as some sort of decor rather than cared for.

[@editname3145]

Depends on the state you live. Right now $75 can only buy couple of items in NY.

[@Nnikolarea]

I thought it was Merle. But still enjoyed it. Great video!

[@Vitz32]

Same

[@ninjanerdstudent6937]

Yea, a lot of white chicks look the same.

[@anniegetyourgun366]

The Desi Vegan I think that goes for any race lmao

[@ninjanerdstudent6937]

@@viovenda8922 No, Indians are very diverse. You can find all shades of skin color in India by native-born Indians.

[@ninjanerdstudent6937]

@@viovenda8922 With your statement, you are implying that all Americans look the same. No they do not.

[@Lele-rj6ro]

I could watch her all day x)

[@lalalayla916]

This would definitely not be enough for 5 days for my family haha

[@kendallelizabeth8516]

Yum!!🤩

[@ellieroque2293]

Okay, this is F*CKING impressive! Well done! Very inspiring!

[@sweetzsugar8016]

Amazing dishes

[@jacquelinesee-tho4638]

Try to do meal prep for a family with food allergies

[@theenchantedrealm01]

Or a family with multiple children with Autism. Not going to happen. Plus if you add teenage children, they will eat significantly more than a younger child.

[@leonamay8776]

Or for really picky eaters. And I mean for children that rather don't eat anything at all then eat something they can't handle. (for example due to texture issues.)

[@lorissupportguides]

this looks like 2 days worth of food

[@MandyRoy425]

I agree. I couldn’t feed just my boyfriend and I for a full week with that food.

[@mmeakasuna]

Well it's just the dinners tho not all day

[@bigpp3397]

Excellent work but for anyone interested that is not enough protein, try a spoon of greek yoghurt in every lunch and dip your bites in it

[@andreasventer4267]

Your fish tank is horrible for that fish you have. No filter no heater not even an air stone and no place to hide if you can’t take care of fish then don’t

[@EllenBeal]

For real they’re suffocating

[@talacocheta9001]

An easy google search shows immediately that even goldfish need at least a filter, or she's significantly shortening its life. "Typically, goldfish live to between 5 and 10 years but it’s not unusual for them to live as long as 20. How long they live depends on their genes, quality of care, and a little bit of luck. To make sure your goldfish live a long happy life, a tank is the best habitat. Ideally, goldfish should be kept in a 20-gallon tank to reach their full potential. In fact, goldfish that live in a large filtered tank live significantly longer than those kept in bowls." "A goldfish can live in a bowl without a filter, but not at the optimal quality of life. The bowl with no filter arrangement will likely shorten the goldfish's life. Aquarium experts recommend that you not keep your goldfish in a bowl, but rather a larger, filtered tank."

[@andreasventer4267]

Talacocheta it looks more like a betta

[@andreasventer4267]

Talacocheta but yes

[@talacocheta9001]

@@andreasventer4267 Is it a betta? They don't require filters or aerators; I thought it was a fancy goldfish. (Bettas still would prefer cleaner and aerated water, though, and they need warmer water temperature, too.)

[@nnumesiumesii2123]

No offense but your menu can be done for$50 or less even if you buy your pantry stuffs.

[@thoselittlehands5388]

Yes she bought expensive items

[@ardenbusker2806]

As a fish owner of 3 years, I'm cringing at your fish tank. PLEASE START TAKING CARE OF YOUR FISH!

[@rachel3624]

Only 3 years ?

[@wutare6643]

LMAO

[@tlamelangmasemola]

Don't mind me, just here for the food inspo even though I'm not vegan :)

[@espressomaskin9837]

Yup, most of it is vegetarian, so if you were vegan, you couldn't eat most of this.

[@tlamelangmasemola]

@@espressomaskin9837 yeah i noticed

[@_b_u_l_l_s_h_a_r_k_]

She’s not either. Why is she featured on here?

[@yulana990]

@@_b_u_l_l_s_h_a_r_k_ This channel isn't vegan that's why. Personally a bit sad about that as their most populair videos are all vegan related, but they actually make a LOT of recipe videos aswell that aren't even close to vegan, like a lot. So it's not shocking to see someone featured on here who's not vegan, as the channel itself doesn't really care.

[@tlamelangmasemola]

@@Izlh05 literally every video you tube recommends for me from this channel has to do with veganism so i just assumed it was the same with this video

[@ahmedkadwa4337]

More videos Erica please .

[@mon6745]

So this was dinner only? Or was this supposed to be all meals for the entire week?

[@paigepeach9882]

Once I seen the dead fish, I could focus on anything else. That poor thing. I’m traumatized.

[@nandita6487]

Death is natural bruh..... And it's all part of the food chain 😂

[@nandita6487]

We gon die one day too

[@sabbycrager2102]

I’ve watched this 3 times now... love these videos. All the thumbs up.

[@michelleshepherd3268]

Listen you'll bunch of haters sipping on haterade she is clearly not at her home leave her be your here for the cooking stick to that, I thoroughly enjoyed this and shall be trying this also.💖

[@RVail623]

Two of the "pasta salads" at 6:46 & 7:01 appear to include cubed Tofu, but aren't mentioned in the descriptions. A printable recipe in .pdf format for each dish would have made for overall improved content.

[@ilo_ro]

I think it's the mozzarella

[@awesomecow7256]

Mozzarella cheese

[@estebban345]

I'm trying to figure out meal prepping for my family. We are 5 people and I feel like that amount of food would last like 3 days maybe. I just wanted to ask if any people here have any tips or maybe you are in a similar situation and can tell me about your own experience in meal prepping for 5 people. Maybe you can share some recipes or ideas for dishes with me. Thank you

[@jura_rose]

I'm from Ireland. Is 100 dollars a lot of money for cooking meals for 5 people for a week? I could do it for 50 euros over in Ireland and that is about 55 dollars. Not sure if things are more expensive over there. I know Ireland is more expensive than the UK. Any Americans give me any insight thanks?

[@azurekuzma3598]

It depends on the state, grocery shopping prices vary from state to state. Where I live we can feed a family of five for around 30 (for a day), but I suppose if you lived somewhere like California or New York it would cost somewhere around 50 dollars. A bit of insight; a gallon of milk here costs around 2.50, eggs around a dollar and chicken breast (2 lb) probably four?

[@jura_rose]

@@azurekuzma3598 Thanks for the reply. That's interesting. It is roughly the same here in Ireland to where you live. Organic food (more expensive) is not a big thing here as meat and vegetable quality is pretty consistent as we are net exporters of agricultural goods.

[@KrisRN23935]

It can also vary pretty widely even within a state. California for example is cheaper in places like the Central Valley because that’s where the food grows, but Silicon Valley is really expensive. Can’t say for Los Angeles or Northern areas since I’ve never been.

[@tarynblecher5215]

i just wanted to add some positivity to this comment section! I think that you recipe ideas were super helpful and I already have most of those pantry staples at home too. Have a fantastic day! 😁

[@BlueNinjaMonkey]

That's a really small tank for that fish :/

[@claytonthomas6316]

And no filters ornaments or friends

[@samh3305]

Don’t goldfish need like 20 gallons per fish?

[@maddisongruby5379]

I cant tell but it looks like a betta, and they only need a 5 gal tank.

[@anniejenkins8511]

So five dinners. We're short, for a week, seven breakfasts, seven lunches, and two dinners, plus fruit for health and snacks. Even if we ignore that pantry use we're still looking at quite a shortfall for a week, that $100 isn't looking so budget anymore....

[@Andybwc]

For how much time is the grocery supposed to last?

[@lydia1285]

She said the meal plan is based on 5 days worth of dinner for her family of 5

[@Andybwc]

@@lydia1285 Thank you very much, I was too lazy to watch the whole thing at the moment

[@edwinlopez3997]

Hey chef, did you go to the art institute?

[@letibonnin3937]

Where are the recepies?

[@girffrommars]

It insulted water! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@marcoantonioteh5532]

I think I'm in love

[@kkipp12]

Wait but where are the recipes?

[@TheCapsulateIon]

I am vegan but I still watch her videos cuz she gives some cool meal prepping tips 🙂

[@marielearthur773]

Yees #1

[@midnightdreams519]

The fish is not dead, it moving!!!!

[@shanessareilly122]

Those air pods are like 2 weeks of food shopping !

[@lmortiz-c4196]

Yes! Many more videos with her.

[@blackfeathercrafts]

You would save a lot more money checking sales at your grocer. Not everyone is rich enough to have delivery services!

[@anduelasinanaj]

i dont think that is enough food for five people.i would eat all that food by myself for five days, and i dont have a big appetite, i weight just 46 kg.

[@ambition415]

More videos with Erica please! Love her method

[@khatua8]

Hey love from India. But all these dishes may cost less than 20$ and can be made for 10 people for a week. Please follow Indian recipes. It will give you more varity and prespectives.

[@marcosphillips4232]

I could do a couple meals for five for under 100

[@aquagamer1212]

Honestly all the things she shopped from her pantry could be around $25 if you play your cards right.

[@khushandbubu]

Can you meal plan a indian or pakistani food?

[@PaLuck]

Doubt she can nail our masalas

[@mrniceguy3750]

For my next meal, Its slow death boiled fish.

[@kerl_cats]

Please add a filter, heater, and some silk plants to your fish tank. That's not a proper setup for a betta :(

[@ingakarlsson]

Your family must be super light eaters. That food at the end would not feed 5 people 3 times in my house P.S. Take care of your fish please

[@maddisongruby5379]

How do you know she isnt taking care of her fish? Because it honestly looks like its set up as a quarantine tank to help clear up whats wrong with her fish.

[@seanmegan1278]

Just imagine how much cheaper it could be if you went to the shop yourself.

[@zograce]

Great vid! You should do a vid where you teach a friend how to cook.

[@shitlista4283]

That's just lunches, right? So it comes to about 4 bucks a portion. That's not that cheap and it's kinda boring to repeat meals.

[@lisaschwarz6961]

I could do it for $20. I assumed this was for 3 meals per day, most of us are poor as Oliver Twist and have been living on way less than that. Looks yummy, tho

[@abcxyz-cx4mr]

Do you share any tips (on how you do it for $20) that you’re willing to share please?

[@JennaSullivan112]

That poor fish.. a fish is still an animal. Seeing it be obviously ignored is extremely sad 😞

[@cody4763]

Just keeping it fresh until next weeks meal.

[@mac020507]

I'm guessing you have very young children. That "big" bowl of slaw would barely be enough for a side dish for ONE meal with 4 teenagers and 2 adults! You're off to a good start, just plan on doubling or tripling that amount when even one of your kids is a teenager lol

[@asshoo1]

That is evidently a family of 6. A 20% increase.

[@mac020507]

Well, yes, but even one teenager feels like a roughly 400% increase in food! Four of them is more like an infinity% increase!

[@oregajic3414]

mac020507 stop birthing babies

[@mac020507]

@@oregajic3414 You made a pretty big assumption. You don't know WHY I have 4 teenagers in my house! You just made yourself look like a judgemental jerk.

[@oregajic3414]

mac020507 It was a joke. Sorry if I offended you.

[@angelalaraia3846]

I don't mean to be rude but it looks amazing but my family will eat a lot so it will not be enough food

[@chunkofbutter75]

Angela Laraia ido what my grandma always did she added bread and salad to every dinner to round out the meal. Also have a simple dessert or fruit and cheese after dinner is nice to look forward to.

[@anak6129]

Going over the recipe real quick would have been helpful, its such a wordy lengthy video- talked about how we do this under 100$ bla bla...boring!!!

[@thoselittlehands5388]

Ikr!!! But going to the description box, turned out the purpose of the video is to check out her ebook and IG

[@wendysullivan825]

"Leaning in a vegitarian direction"...while neglecting the pet fish. Please rehome him as its clear this is not a good g it for your family.

[@iceunelle]

I don’t think that’s her fish. I’m pretty sure she’s cooking in her client’s house

[@victoriabotto3285]

@@iceunelle she literally said she's at home and cooking for her own family 0:20

[@iceunelle]

@@victoriabotto3285 My bad, I thought when taling about the spices she said "they have a pretty stocked kitchen" or something along those lines, implying it was not her house

[@meg1653]

@@iceunelle its not. she lives in an apartment in NYC, this is her family's home. not her fish.