What I Eat For Around $2 Per Day

For the past 2 1/2 weeks, I have challenged myself to each for just $29 per day. After the first week, I had spent only $13.34.

Upon further investigation, I learned of the 'Elon Musk' challenge. That is to live off of just $2 per day in food costs. You see, early in Musk's life when he was around 17 he thought he might see if he could eat for just $1 per day. He reasoned that $30 per month would be easy to make under any circumstances, and so he could afford to work on his business even if income was non-existent

Now, nearly 30 years later, that $1 has been inflated to $2. So, can people live off of just $2 per day in food costs in America? Sure, you could just eat basic noodles and butter. I will try to do it with a decent variety and health factor. It won't be organic, free-range foods, but just something decent enough.

For my challenge, I have created additional rules to simulate the situation that people on SNAP benefits might be in.

I can only shop at the 99 Cents Only store. This is to simulate being in a 'food desert' - an area that lacks traditional grocery stores.

I can't use my microwave or oven to cook. Some people might lack a fully functioning kitchen.

I started from absolute scratch. Not even the salt and pepper I had in my kitchen was usable.

Additionally, I created a hardship that someone on food benefits might find themselves - at the end of week 2, my EBT was not reloaded due to a government error. So for this last week, I added no food besides two key limes I found on the street.

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WEEK 3 DAY 3 BREAKFAST - $0.34

Just a simple brown rice and two scrambled eggs meal. So very filling though.

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LUNCH - $0.70

Just another portion of the bacon and asparagus spaetzle with a cookie.

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DINNER - $1.21

This was one of my most favorite meals this week. A nice spaghetti in a tomato sauce with onion, garlic, mushrooms, Mexican squash, diced tomatoes, and Braunschweiger liverwurst.

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WEEK 3 DAY 4 BREAKFAST - $0.22

I am still using up the batch of banana pancake batter I made on Monday. These are very cheap but they fill me up until lunch, so they do the job!

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LUNCH - $0.87

This is actually half the spaghetti from last night and half the spaetzle. I had a little extra of each, but not enough for a full meal. To me, it was quite natural to just throw them together as one! They did work nicely together. Plus, a nice cookie. :D

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DINNER - $0.80

Brown rice and sardines with diced Mexican squash, garlic, tomato, and onions in a tomato sauce. Also milk and cookie.

I'm not much of a fish person, but this was pretty good and filling! And cheap!

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Week 3 day 1 total: $2.25

Week 3 day 2 total: $1.89

Week 3 running total: $8.54