stick to none name brands, buy the cheap house brand products. Try creative recipes for home made bread, pizza. Take out all the extras from your shopping cart and you can easliy live on 10$ per week per person. Me and my wife do this each week and we still eat the same as we did when we first started shopping together.

It is sad that so many people on here are quick to point out how thrifty they are and what they have done to survive when the point of the article is to show how hard it is for poor people in large cities to get adequate nutrition and have variation in their diets. This article was NOT intended for people to BRAG ABOUT BEING THRIFTY. HOW SAD IS THAT??? It is the fact that poor people do not get enough nutrition or have to GO OUT OF THEIR WAY to live on less. Fishing? Please, girl. So many lakes are polluted you could get sick.

The point is, we should be demanding that fresh foods like fruits and vegetables cost less and are available to poor people - not just beans and rice. There are so many poor people that are obese because they are forced to buy cheaper canned goods with bad ingredients.

i was going to read the comments, but Sara is so outspoken and proud that i had to leave.

I really do admire you and the other people in the comments.  I am single and live alone, and I spend roughly $400 a month on food (this includes groceries and dining out), which means I'm averaging about $13 a day.  I am a huge food waster.  I buy fruit that I don't eat all of, fresh herbs that I only use a small amount of, and my pantry is just packed of random stuff that sounded good at the time but I never actually cooked.  About once or twice a year I clean out my pantry and give food to food drives.  I also love to entertain, so about twice a month (on the same budget), I feed 4-6 people.  It is definitely an inspiration to see people working a budget.  I wish I had the patience and will to do the same!

"The point is, we should be demanding that fresh foods like fruits and vegetables cost less and are available to poor people"

And how praytell would the agriculture industry accomplish this?  As it stands now we already import a substantial number of fruits and vegetables out of season and we limit some measures to control pests and disease because of health concerns?  I'm sorry but its outright ignorance for someone to make a comment like that.  I mean while we're at it can we demand cheaper gasoline too?

Forgive my bluntness but many people struggle to eat well on a limited diet because they just aren't very intelligent or disciplined.  Planning ahead and doing your homework (collecting coupons and studying the sales papers) along with being flexible as needed will allow any family to eat one $25 per head.

Some of the posters seem to be forgetting that the challenge was $100 for a FAMILY, not necessarily an INDIVIDUAL.  Try feeding FOUR or FIVE people on $25 per week - that's a lot different than just yourself.  Trust me, it's not so easy.  And yes, food stamps are supposed to supplement your income, and there are people who abuse the system, but there are also people who don't have any extra income because it's needed elsewhere.  I have a good job now and don't need it, but when I was pregnant 8 years ago I lost my job (due to budget cuts), and a month before the baby was born my husband was laid off (his company went out of business).  We spent the next two years taking whatever crappy, part-time jobs we could find, and we never would have made it without food stamps. All of our money was being spent on diapers, medicine, and rent.   Thank for a minute before you get so judgmental.

Most people on these government "handout" programs should be embarrassed of themselves.  withholding this recent recession,  (generally) if you can't buy enough food, maybe it is time to work a little more... no one has handed me anything and because of this fact I find it real hard to find sympathy for folks with brand new sneakers and shiny wheels on their cars and cigarettes in their mouths.  'cause these are (generally) the same folks who complain about not getting enough support from their government... the same government that they DO NOT support by paying taxes.   There should be a minimum age and/or handicap requirement to participate in this type of social program.  Furthermore, I feel that if you have more than three dependents, some form of birth control should be required to receive "aid".  If you don't help yourself STOP ASKING ME TO HELP YOU!  Get off your back and get a job.  There is no reason a healthy average citizen needs financial aid just to live, NONE!

Amen, Rory!

I think the argument about people being willing to work some more is played out. Where are we supposed to work exactly?  My finance is in the automotive business and he was laid off for about two months.  He looked for work in our state, but finally had to move out of state to get a job.  If he took a lower paying job, he would have lost his unemployment benefits.  He would have been working for the gas alone if he got a lower paying job.  Some people don't have a choice, no matter how hard they try.  That "pull yourself up by the bootstrap" ideal only works when you have a place to go or other options.  Ideally, the $25 a week (or presumably $100 for a family) is supposed to be supplemental, but what if you've gone through your savings trying to save a house or get sick?  What then?   Think before you post, please.

I am all for food stamps.. I would love to increase welfare, free health care, food stamps, and even free job training...

However in order to get ANTYHING I would like to see it require both the father and mother be medically sterilized to never have children again.

Sorry, I just don't think people like that need any more kids.