This started at twitter as I responded to the trials Cory Booker was going through as he tried the SNAP challenge (living for one week on a typical budget a food stamp recipient is given). It continued as people asked me questions and joined in with tips such as going to the Dollar Store.

A table of SNAP benefits by state if you'd like to join in: http://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/18SNAPavg$PP.htm

Here are some of those tweets, cleaned up a bit.

It's far more difficult to budget by the week on food stamps than by the month. You'll need to re-create your pantry every month because few things are left over other than spices, oil and maybe some starches such as rice.

Replace soda with home made ice tea, make your own corn chips with corn tortillas in oil.

Millet is often overlooked but is a wonderful grain if you're tired of rice. Recipes: http://t.co/IkZ4CSVx

I've used millet in bread for crunch and I've also added millet to soups (dal, chili) and used in casseroles or in lentil burgers, or used as breakfast cereal.

Save money--roast your own red peppers: http://t.co/V5DgO3Xy

It's easy to roast a few at a time in broiler, remove skin, seeds, freeze some.

Black bean enchiladas with roasted red pepper sauce: http://t.co/MgieYzfM

Quick home made enchilada sauce for use with lentil filling, corn tortillas: http://t.co/5K8vnclc

Cooked lentils make a good enchilada filling, spice 'em up. No need to soak before cooking. Use this foolproof recipe to cook, substituting regular supermarket lentils for the rice, same cooking time: http://t.co/ztoa6Qpf

Red lentils also don't need soaking and cook quickly. Red lentil dal: http://t.co/c8Mjtqv9

Naan (Indian Flatbread): http://t.co/gbO75xGM

Another, quicker Indian flat bread--chapatis: http://t.co/53Xw4SHZ

Perfect oven-baked brown rice from Alton Brown: http://t.co/ztoa6Qpf I have used half lentils/half brown rice just fine.

With lentils and brown rice you can make veggie burgers by adding spices, breadcrumbs, egg, onion and garlic. You can also make "meatloaf."

Lentils can be used to make vegetarian sloppy joes. Substitute cooked lentils for hamburger, add with veggies: http://t.co/WaZ6Wu3N

Spice buying tip for urban areas: Buy spices at Indian grocer, some also used in American & other cuisines. Share with friends. In fact, you could buy some, they could buy some, then split spices among the group.

Once you've bought bulk Indian spices why buy curry powder when you can blend it? http://t.co/KsIBh964

Bean recipes: http://t.co/GQvXeV8n and http://t.co/UzXfSvTN

Kitri (has rice, dal, veggies): http://t.co/KJoDb5vW
If by chance you have one burner/one pot make it count, cook lentils/rice/veggies in that one pot.
Tip: use whole grains as much as possible because when you have so few food $$ you have to maximize nutrition.

Even Whole Foods, snarkily referred to as "Whole Paycheck" has bulk food bins with whole grains and beans plus a section for herbs and spices. They don't have as many as my local health food store, though. I reference Whole Foods because in many areas they are the only health food store, having driven out local ones.


Here are some bulk food items you may find: polenta, cornmeal, all kinds of flours, popcorn (snack!), lentils, split peas, urad dal, mung dal, basmati rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, arborio rice for risotto, dried herbs, spices, and bulk loose teas. Save used jars for storing some of your bulk purchases rather than juggle the plastic bags. Be sure to label them. Teas in bulk food bins include herbal and black, chai spice mixes. It is nearly always cheaper to buy without packaging.

Some bulk bins also have nuts, cereals, oats, pastas, soup mixes, tvp (fake soy meat granules), and snacks. TVP can be reconstituted in hot water and used in place of hamburger in recipes.

Turn to different ethnic cuisines to mix it up. The same ingredients can be totally different with varied spices.

One of my readers on twitter suggested the Dollar Store for good deals.

More recipes:

Aarti's pumpkin soup with black lentils and coconut: http://www.aartipaarti.com/2012/11/20/pumpkin-soup-with-coconut-tamarind-and-black-lentils/

Red lentil soup: http://t.co/xT8nW1WF

Easy beginner bread recipe: http://t.co/Z9kmJNf9

Buttermilk Quick Bread 10 ways: http://t.co/mOUwaeY5

Other from-scratch recipes for omnivores by the author of Sex and Bacon: http://markedformetal.livejournal.com/187203.html

Should give a shoutout to Budget Bytes: http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/

Lebanese lentils, rice, caramelized onions w/yogurt: http://t.co/BuR031qa

Mashed Potato Pancakes: http://t.co/iRRxTWK6

Shahi paneer: http://t.co/mHU0qMI0

Tofu salad (spread): http://t.co/dGRmxmEm

Cabbage rolls: http://t.co/TuhLnc6p

Choc cake in a mug: http://t.co/TsSSXqcH

Eggplant w/tomato & parmesan: http://t.co/w5Hbn1gc

Butternut squash dish temp nearly 400 F: http://t.co/cz4s49mw

African peanut-potato stew: http://t.co/pKZCijfg

Spinach soup: http://t.co/GUg7Xh4E

You could use canned or dry beans in this salad: http://t.co/IwPPbpnl

Pie crust: http://t.co/DgVcafmd

Who says you need store bought chai? http://t.co/T0CzYCX0

Latkes: http://t.co/EMJIqcEe

Chilequiles: http://t.co/0m2N1ccd

Lentil soup recipe: http://t.co/yPDdetfI

Pinto bean soup with or w/o pressure cooker: http://t.co/INVsSHv9

Potato Kofta cakes: http://t.co/Qi4fusz3

Curried cauliflower w/green peas: http://t.co/lDb9x8NF

Paneer--fresh ricotta—can press to form into a rectangle and cut cubes to fry, or leave it softer and use in place of ricotta: http://t.co/L3hJoC2g

Curried rice/peas: http://t.co/ycpyqBnh