What I Ate On $1.50 a Day // Budget Friendly Vegan Meals (Days 1-3)

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  • čas přidán 4. 05. 2017
  • From May 1-5 2017, I will be spending only $1.50 per day on food - the equivalent of the extreme poverty line. Here are all of the meals I ate on the first three days of the challenge.
    ✗ My 60+ Recipe Ebook ➢ bit.ly/FromMyBowlEbook
    ✗ My Kitchen Staples + Supplements ➢ bit.ly/vegan-pantry-staples
    ✗ My Vegan Tees ➢bit.ly/2FKwprY
    $7.50 Grocery Haul = • Budget-Friendly Vegan ...
    Days 4 - 5 = • What I Ate On a $1.50 ...
    Wrap Up Video = • My Experience Living o...
    The Original Live Below the Line Challenge: www.oaktree.org/live_below_the...
    *If you have money to spare, please consider donating to one of the following organizations that help to end world hunger. I encourage each of you to do your own research and select a nonprofit organization that most resonates with your values!
    www.thp.org/
    www.actionagainsthunger.org/
    www.unicef.org/
    www.oaktree.org/live_below_the...
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    • ABOUT THIS VIDEO •
    Cameras I Use: Canon G7x, Canon 80D
    Software: Final Cut Pro
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Komentáře • 4,7K

  • @abigailkinghorn4707
    @abigailkinghorn4707 Před 6 lety +7086

    This is the only person I've seen do this who didn't do shit like "And I added a little of my $500 truffle infused caviar for just a bit of flavor". She actually honest to god stuck with her ingredients.

    • @mp5249
      @mp5249 Před 5 lety +91

      Abigail Kinghorn she needed some packets of bbq from fast food or something. "The packet drawer" ( I wouldn't know, I think we ate fast food a couple of times, and we were middle class)

    • @vanleeuwenhoek
      @vanleeuwenhoek Před 5 lety +185

      "And then I put these humble beans in my Instant Pot, which retails from anywhere between $60 and $150. And I was able to turn this week-long experience into a paper for my Subaltern Ethnographies Course, which retails for $2500 a credit hour."

    • @omegajackson
      @omegajackson Před 5 lety +5

      M P yyyessss exactly

    • @aliciabrumlow4412
      @aliciabrumlow4412 Před 5 lety +265

      vanleeuwenhoek She has an instant pot, but you can just cook your beans on the stove if you don’t have one. We have one, but we couldn’t afford to buy one, so my mother in law bought one for us for Christmas. Use what you have. :)

    • @biancagrijalva2091
      @biancagrijalva2091 Před 5 lety +83

      AliciaBrumlow i got a 20cup rice cooker @ a thrift store for 5$ & i cook everything in it!!! Even pizza! Lol

  • @user-lf1os3sh5c
    @user-lf1os3sh5c Před 5 lety +994

    Spices are a good investment for any one on a budget. They can elevate any meal to a whole new level. Start off with cayenne, paprika, cinnamon and cumin.

  • @mufasaiii2455
    @mufasaiii2455 Před 5 lety +610

    a great way to thicken soup is by adding potatoes. they're very filling, cheap and pretty healthy. just boil them really long to get them real mushy. or regular time boiling just for tatoes in your soup

    • @corrinnegarfield2460
      @corrinnegarfield2460 Před 5 lety +15

      Overcooking. Potatoes releases starches that can cause bloat and sometimes heartburn.

    • @kristinsrowland8313
      @kristinsrowland8313 Před 5 lety +7

      I microwave them first for ten mins then u only need to cook em for about twenty minutes

  • @SharonGisselle
    @SharonGisselle Před 5 lety +425

    As a poor college student, this video gave me many food ideas without breaking my bank. Thank you so much for this video.

  • @bsummers1386
    @bsummers1386 Před 5 lety +4555

    I grew up hella poor and my mom would turn regular rice into Spanish rice and damnnnn that shit is amazing. Spices really do save your food.

    • @monkeymoonky7900
      @monkeymoonky7900 Před 5 lety +147

      We used soy sauce/hot pepper paste but that shit gets tiring when you eat it everyday with rice.

    • @BleedTheWineUnholy
      @BleedTheWineUnholy Před 5 lety +241

      Her goal was to stay under a budget of $1.50 a day, so $1 on spices would have starved her. Spices can be cheap, but a lot of people still can't afford them.

    • @christophertaggart4921
      @christophertaggart4921 Před 5 lety +4

      Michelle Eva ,Spanish rice is reg rice

    • @bsummers1386
      @bsummers1386 Před 5 lety +80

      christopher taggart regular rice is white rice 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

    • @kelsiewadsworth1209
      @kelsiewadsworth1209 Před 5 lety +13

      What are the ingredients for the Spanish rice? I'd like to make it!

  • @ImSupposedToSleep
    @ImSupposedToSleep Před 5 lety +2652

    I didn't think about the effects of being hungry on your daily life. It made me realize that it can become a vicious circle when you don't have enough money to spend on health and food. Your education suffers from it and that makes it harder to get out of poverty.

    • @user-rz6nt5yj1c
      @user-rz6nt5yj1c Před 5 lety +23

      I guess not only that but if you're a mum - your kid suffers too.. from lack of energy to pay attention to them - and also if you're a mum and breastfeeding - I mean - your kid might just have developmental brain issues from malnutrition or something

    • @irissasa6525
      @irissasa6525 Před 5 lety

      I'm there .

    • @afrinsayed5902
      @afrinsayed5902 Před 5 lety +5

      Welcome to the life of students in third world country.

    • @Makiaveli01
      @Makiaveli01 Před 5 lety +12

      Babette Vlaeminck “nothing a little hard work can’t fix”- right wingers

    • @Turgid_Spleenis
      @Turgid_Spleenis Před 5 lety +4

      @varick wettlaufer Not true.

  • @Sam-gx5hb
    @Sam-gx5hb Před 5 lety +496

    Should have cooked the rice with some tomatoes instead of adding it later. Also, taco seasoning is like 50 cents and a tiny amount in while cooking rhe rice adds a lot of flavor.
    Source: I lived this life.

  • @tothediaspora3905
    @tothediaspora3905 Před 5 lety +198

    Investing in affordable spices and herbs makes even the simplest meals become incredible

    • @outdoorgal9602
      @outdoorgal9602 Před 5 lety +3

      Sprouts is a great place for spices because you can buy from their bulk spices and get just as little or much as you want. The bulk prices are also much cheaper than buying spices in a jar.

    • @shannonkyle8064
      @shannonkyle8064 Před 4 lety +3

      Agreed. You can buy spices, garlic, onions, and peppers pretty cheap to give food flavor. Eating that much white rice isn’t that good for you. It’s just filler and I cannot even entertain eating it, because I’m a diabetic.
      Her study is an eye opener, and she does state that she is grateful that this is not the norm for her.

    • @sammermanorange
      @sammermanorange Před 2 lety +1

      realistically you need every calorie you can get on 1.50 a day.

  • @MiVidaBellisima
    @MiVidaBellisima Před 6 lety +867

    I like that she actually cared to make an attempt to understand someone else's lifestyle and struggles. Much respect

  • @WeWillBeRemembered
    @WeWillBeRemembered Před 7 lety +1849

    I really appreciate your honesty about the food and the acknowledgement of the privilege many of us have with affording healthy food. You put yourself in an uncomfortable challenge to truly recognize a worldwide problem first hand, and I think that's very commendable. Really enjoying the series.

    • @CaitlinShoemaker
      @CaitlinShoemaker  Před 7 lety +122

      thank you so much :)

    • @dangermouse6758
      @dangermouse6758 Před 6 lety +1

      Caitlin Shoemaker just a head's up to you and everyone else be aware of canned tomatoes because the aluminum of the can leeches into the food especially canned tomatoes because they are acidic, aluminum is one of the most toxic metals to the body and this in the form of canned tomatoes can be cancerous sorry not meaning to scare or alarm anyone just thought to mention for those that do not know. God Bless

    • @marioarias9942
      @marioarias9942 Před 6 lety +2

      Danger Mouse also check sodium levels they tend to be very high with anything tomato in cans.

    • @thrivesurvive
      @thrivesurvive Před 6 lety

      I was going to say the same thing.

    • @pappajohndodgybob
      @pappajohndodgybob Před 6 lety +7

      Uncomfortable challenge? It was a detox at best! A TRULY "uncomfortable challenge" would be to live like that for a month, NOT have the convenience of a car to go to the shops, NOT use running water, and have to scrape the money together to pay for the food! I'm guessing that $7.50 was to her just one latte at her favourite store! BTW how much money from this video actually went to the poor & needy? Zero I'm guessing! What a CYNICAL EXPLOITATIVE BITCH .

  • @deadsoon
    @deadsoon Před 5 lety +2211

    This is more food than I ate when I still lived in Venezuela. Sometimes it'd only be rice and ketchup, or yam and plantains. Chicken was a luxury. Vegetables were scarce. Fruit was almost like dream. Even water, sometimes.

    • @theilliad4298
      @theilliad4298 Před 5 lety +300

      im so sorry you had to go through that. i hope everything is better

    • @fbb119b.3
      @fbb119b.3 Před 5 lety +147

      I hope you're living a better life

    • @Rhuddem000
      @Rhuddem000 Před 5 lety +203

      I am living in Venezuela, and sadly I can relate. It's honestly so fucking hard. But good for you that you're in a better place now

    • @beautifullybroken4879
      @beautifullybroken4879 Před 5 lety +45

      @@Rhuddem000 I hope you can get out soon

    • @reinasampson4840
      @reinasampson4840 Před 5 lety +59

      Maruzca oh my gosh. My family and used to live in Guatemala and we never had meat unless a villager brought us meat. We’d simmer beans and eat those with rice or have potatoes and fresh corn and an occasional soup.

  • @HistoryHighwithLisaMarrie
    @HistoryHighwithLisaMarrie Před 5 lety +908

    I would have spent the 50 cents on an onion or a bell pepper to make the other food more bearable.

    • @mikaylah7487
      @mikaylah7487 Před 4 lety +106

      Agreed, or maybe some garlic powder from the dollar tree if you can't buy fresh / minced garlic

    • @quarterhorsgirl
      @quarterhorsgirl Před 4 lety +19

      I was thiinking onion!

    • @WithloveTrinize
      @WithloveTrinize Před 4 lety +33

      these people white

    • @amber-dn5jk
      @amber-dn5jk Před 4 lety +100

      @@WithloveTrinize dude, race doesn't determine how much spice you use. My family's white, but I don't think i've ever had a plain home-made meal in my life

    • @WithloveTrinize
      @WithloveTrinize Před 4 lety +24

      @@amber-dn5jk First.... I'm a lady. Second.. Congrats to you because if you went up the street to Sarah's house I'm sure they cooked with no onion and slap ya mama's seasoning.... people so sensitive now.

  • @oohbintyboo
    @oohbintyboo Před 7 lety +2811

    I really appreciate you raising the point about not being able to concentrate. When I was teaching, I had to regularly stock my room with granola bars because my growing middle school boys were often hungry and would be unable to concentrate. This often leads to "acting out" and unless you take a step back and realize that they need their basic needs met, it was easy for other teachers to just discipline these students when in reality they hadn't eaten (sometimes in days). I hope others will do this challenge too because this conversation is so important. Thank you :)

    • @CaitlinShoemaker
      @CaitlinShoemaker  Před 7 lety +192

      That's so sad...several other people have messaged me telling me stories like this. I feel so blessed to have had a good education, shelter, and a supportive family growing up

    • @mayaj291
      @mayaj291 Před 7 lety +49

      Brittany Hemingway there were a few of my teachers like that k-12, they made sure we had breakfast, lunch and a snack.

    • @mayaj291
      @mayaj291 Před 7 lety +26

      Brittany Hemingway especially for tests

    • @monkeymoonky7900
      @monkeymoonky7900 Před 7 lety +24

      Brittany Hemingway God bless you

    • @temporarythoughts
      @temporarythoughts Před 7 lety +10

      Brittany Hemingway this is so lovely!

  • @esmeraelillywing612
    @esmeraelillywing612 Před 7 lety +494

    I sincerely appreciate your bringing attention to this topic. It's a real struggle, people seem to gorge themselves on the regular, and don't realize what truly poor people go through. My little family (hubby, me and our 7yr old son) went through a really bad time for about two years. I couldn't work because of illness and my husband for part of it had a very low paying job, and then no job at all for a while. We had to walk three miles up a hill to get something from a store because we didn't have gas in the car, nor insurance on it, obviously. Any gas we had had to be used to get him back and forth to work. I often couldn't buy groceries at all and had to depend on local food banks. I thank goodness for them, so now I try and donate whenever I can because they kept us alive. More times than I can count, my husband or I (or both) wouldn't eat at all just to make sure our son did. I learned how to support 3 people for about $5 a day, that's all inclusive. I would make clothes, or repair and mend ones we had because we couldn't afford new clothing if something ripped or got stained. And we also didn't have running water in the house for about 4 months at one point. It was an incredibly depressing and painful time, neither of us likes to think about it, but I think it brought us closer together. I found out later that most couples break up over finance related issues, so now we joke that if we could survive that, we could survive anything together. :) Anyway, thank you again. This was much appreciated!!

    • @CaitlinShoemaker
      @CaitlinShoemaker  Před 7 lety +77

      I'm so sorry you had to go through that, and am glad you are in a better place now. It was definitely an eye-opening experience

    • @esmeraelillywing612
      @esmeraelillywing612 Před 7 lety +42

      Thank you :) I appreciate the kindness. But you know, in the end we are ok, and we learned some valuable lessons! Like how to appreciate what we have and not to overindulge because it's disrespectful to people in that situation. It also gives you a unique perspective on low income families. So often people talk about people on Medicaid or food stamps like they are trash, and I can tell you first hand that not only is that not true, but most people only use them while they truly need them, and don't take advantage of the situation. But videos like yours and challenges like this help bring awareness to the situation, and I really appreciate that!!

    • @monkiram
      @monkiram Před 7 lety +26

      I think it's so admirable that your marriage survived through such an awful time, you must have a very healthy and strong relationship

    • @nycolbebraddy
      @nycolbebraddy Před 7 lety +14

      Imaginary Winchester Your comment made me cry. It's beautiful that you and your husband got through such a rough time. Many people don't and aren't as strong as your family is. Happy to hear you guys are doing much better as well. This definitely inspired me to donate what I can to my local caring kitchen.

    • @AFROcentricFLO
      @AFROcentricFLO Před 7 lety +4

      Imaginary Winchester ma'am, you are so amazing. I'm a recent college graduate, and I have to financially think, plan, and improvise just the same. The stress has brought me to the same point many times but one day, I and my family will be able to live and eat what's best for us and our bodies.

  • @Leah-Owens
    @Leah-Owens Před 4 lety +93

    These comments have me tearing up. I hope everyone can get out of their situation because those times I DO NOT MISS!

  • @KaytlinGomez
    @KaytlinGomez Před 5 lety +2470

    I lived on beans and rice my whole childhood 😂 honestly everything tastes good when you are starving 😭😂

    • @jessicapineda117
      @jessicapineda117 Před 5 lety +10

      Midnight Swami amen sister

    • @paolagarcia8298
      @paolagarcia8298 Před 5 lety +6

      Factss

    • @mishkeisha
      @mishkeisha Před 5 lety +42

      Midnight Swami my mom turns that stuff into dinner for the queen tbh

    • @cassandra4238
      @cassandra4238 Před 5 lety +63

      Really Madison Daily?! sounds like that's all they could afford. You're clearly not very intelligent, if you think that's what a child suffering is like...smh.

    • @ricebeansrockroll882
      @ricebeansrockroll882 Před 5 lety +47

      @Madison Daily nobody should have kids if they lack the mental capacity to raise them into better than assholes, but yours did anyway...

  • @Thestarrycherry
    @Thestarrycherry Před 7 lety +1769

    This really makes me think about the children who do not have the privilege of adequate nutrition and how it affects their mental, emotional and psychological being, thank you.

    • @CaitlinShoemaker
      @CaitlinShoemaker  Před 7 lety +63

      Definitely, it's such a sad issue :(

    • @kathrynashin7154
      @kathrynashin7154 Před 7 lety +7

      Just what I was thinking while I watched this!

    • @mattnlogan101
      @mattnlogan101 Před 7 lety +8

      It really makes me think how glad I am to be rich and a meat eater.

    • @bstmeg5237
      @bstmeg5237 Před 7 lety +46

      tho you can be rich and well fed and still struggle with mental illness or you can eat vegan and be unhealthy or eat junk food and seem healthy. food doesn't cure mental illness but it sure helps to eat adequately

    • @thisthingcalledlove8
      @thisthingcalledlove8 Před 7 lety +29

      I grew up like that. Coming from a 3rd world country it was very difficult to have anything nutritious that wasn't expensive.

  • @icannotchoose
    @icannotchoose Před 6 lety +3287

    I think being honest about the difficulties of the challenge of important to show why poverty is such a huge issue.

    • @visuaIkei
      @visuaIkei Před 5 lety +25

      Drama_Llama_5000 Its so sad this is what a lot of people go through and have to eat everydau

    • @youwhatmadeidk
      @youwhatmadeidk Před 5 lety +24

      It actually not. You’re trying this in a Western country, where prices of food are more expensive. Try this in an Asian country, where they’re not very developed but have very cheap produce. They can feed their whole family each day, without being calorie deficient...

    • @lumen8341
      @lumen8341 Před 5 lety +57

      hey dingdong, we're dealing with the poverty in this country FROM PRICES BEING EXPENSIVE

    • @youwhatmadeidk
      @youwhatmadeidk Před 5 lety +4

      Mandy C. If you mean Western countries, no you are not. Unless you’re trying to conform to some fancy diet, you can buy food very cheap in countries such as the U.K. and USA.

    • @ideljenny
      @ideljenny Před 5 lety +23

      20 sek a day (Swedish for $1.50) will not get you 3 meals a day. Even if you completely cheapskate it and eat like a bird like she does. I'm always amazed at how cheap food seems to be in the US.

  • @tracyjusttracy8899
    @tracyjusttracy8899 Před 5 lety +86

    There was a time when my children and I lived off of 2 five lb bags of flour a week..I had a few spices like cinnamon and garlic powder..and I had an oven..so I got creative
    .I made bread, pretzels, pancakes etc...We only had to eat like that for 1 week each month because we would run out of food.

  • @keeweefabulous7094
    @keeweefabulous7094 Před 5 lety +216

    I appreciate the fact that you’re so open-minded to challenge yourself like this. Also so so so so grateful to hear your insight and basic understanding of how “the other half” (of course a lot more than that) lives. Honestly, I come from an area where majority of the people and I myself had to experience living with limited resources. It’s no joke. The main thing is learning to be grateful for all that you have.
    Great job and great video.

  • @TaraShulerAuthor
    @TaraShulerAuthor Před 7 lety +4810

    Having grown up in poverty, I LOVE this video. I used to eat mostly ramen noodles and beans and rice, and it was boring and definitely didn't satisfy me. As a consequence, I really appreciate food more. In fact, I gained a LOT of weight when I was able to start buying my own food. I'm working on eating healthier, but I still don't have a ton of money even though I'm better off than my parents were for sure. I love fruits and veggies, so that helps. Thanks for these videos!

    • @WhatSayYouLandLubbers
      @WhatSayYouLandLubbers Před 6 lety +94

      The G Family oh my God I TOTALLY get where you're coming from. My family actually went vegetarian for awhile because meat was too expensive. My mom made her own hummus so that was our protein most of the time.

    • @vampireleniore
      @vampireleniore Před 6 lety +56

      Same for me. I still can't eat packaged ramen because I'm still so burned out on it.

    • @harleykelevra515
      @harleykelevra515 Před 6 lety +81

      I'm glad somebody gets it. growing up poor I definitely love food so much more as an adult. I actually ended up practically addicted to soda. I was drinking like a twelve pack a day but not gaining any weight and it took a long time to realise that I had actually developed an eating disorder. turns out a combination of being preme and malnourished I have no sensation in my stomach's so I can't tell if I'm hungry or full. so I was self medicating with sugar and caffeine for energy but wasn't actually nurishing my body and I would go days without eating without ever feeling hungry until I finally decided I should and I would throw up because I couldn't tell if I was full or not.
      I had to learn to remind myself. weigh my meals and spread them it through the day without relying on junk food Wich was so much cheaper and readily available. I'm fine now, a healthy 130, and I haven't even thought about my eating disorder in months but it was a struggle to get here

    • @milaanouska9810
      @milaanouska9810 Před 6 lety +4

      She basically just made beans nd rice though

    • @js44cana
      @js44cana Před 6 lety

      The G Family At least you had ramen 💀

  • @dagoddess5748
    @dagoddess5748 Před 5 lety +988

    Thank you for bringing awareness. Alot of us are spoiled and can buy food and waste food like it's nothing. You literally did the challenge and did not stray. A very humbling experience. Peace and Love.

    • @Melodyofthesea78
      @Melodyofthesea78 Před 5 lety +9

      Hon....my uncle is on govt. assistance and he works. He definitely deserves some food like everyone else.

    • @Melodyofthesea78
      @Melodyofthesea78 Před 5 lety +3

      I don't think we need fancy food. It's a waste of money. I'd take burgers and French fries over anything fancy.

    • @thefinewino
      @thefinewino Před 5 lety +3

      @zadose child please

  • @39Bosski
    @39Bosski Před 5 lety +610

    plantains for 15 cents? what the??! from Aldi's? i realize this is a couple of years ago, but what the???? that's a fantastic bargain. wow. well done.

    • @Kingsusa
      @Kingsusa Před 5 lety +39

      Aldi's and Lidl's have similar, fantastic prices. They carry a significant amount of organic veggies and fruits.

    • @SUKI23902
      @SUKI23902 Před 5 lety +22

      Aldis is the shit

    • @odette6328
      @odette6328 Před 5 lety +8

      Wait what? I thought those are German supermarkets?!? I'm shook

    • @shittymcrvids3119
      @shittymcrvids3119 Před 5 lety +1

      Aldi has pretty good quality food for very low prices, I love it

    • @martiinnaaa
      @martiinnaaa Před 5 lety +4

      I bought 8 avocados for $2 from Aldi’s a couple months ago

  • @zsecnarf2143
    @zsecnarf2143 Před 4 lety +57

    I remember eating rice with oil and soy sauce when I was a kid. 😭Feeling blessed today.

    • @deannahaynes1668
      @deannahaynes1668 Před 3 lety +1

      Omg how did I find you in the comment section of this video 😂 shes one of my favorites!

  • @sararazor982
    @sararazor982 Před 6 lety +402

    Wow it made me so sad when you were talking about being hungry at school and not being able to focus because it makes me think about kids who might be hungry at school.😢 it’s good that you shed light on this

    • @mp5249
      @mp5249 Před 5 lety +1

      Right in the Beans that's why schools offer free breakfast and lunch

    • @alexlodge2983
      @alexlodge2983 Před 5 lety +10

      @@mp5249 Only if your parents apply for the free or reduced lunch programs at the school. It takes a lot of time to research what help is available them and navigate the system. The application process is difficult and time consuming. They simply don't have the time or energy to do so.
      Plus they're generally only available on school days. You cool with not eating on Sat, Sun, holidays and all summer?

    • @rajalakshmisukumar2801
      @rajalakshmisukumar2801 Před 5 lety

      Always Changing artist G l

    • @KR-gi2co
      @KR-gi2co Před 5 lety

      @@alexlodge2983 the process itself takes five minutes, it's very quick. Many people also lie about their income in order to let their kids receive these free lunches (gotta do what you gotta do). Recently there have also been breakfast in class which doesn't require any application

    • @katharinerobert8378
      @katharinerobert8378 Před 5 lety

      @@alexlodge2983 At my kids local school the application is one single form and that puts you into the application for both free and reduced lunches. All kids at their school get free bfast no questions asked. They also offer free bfast and lunch all summer long (as long as you can get to the school, which in my neighborhood kids can walk there, it's very close). I felt bad when my kids got free bfast there because they did not need it but I am very happy that they offer it to all the kids no questions asked - and I am sure that any 'left overs' go to waste if not eaten. I am packing up all my kids uniforms after school ends tomorrow from the last year that no longer fit and are in good condition to donate to the school for the kids that need them.

  • @carmiethegreat
    @carmiethegreat Před 7 lety +1889

    It would be really cool if you could make a "vegan for a week" video that includes recipes and a "shopping list" based on a reasonable budget.

    • @CaitlinShoemaker
      @CaitlinShoemaker  Před 7 lety +305

      That sounds like a great idea!

    • @esmerivera3287
      @esmerivera3287 Před 7 lety +40

      Caitlin Shoemaker really hope you do this eventually 😭 just came across your channel and subbed but my bestfriend is vegan and I'm vegetarian transitioning to vegan after seven years and next year we hope to get a place together. As two full time college students who will be working as well I'm a little worried but overall curious about groceries/prices for a plant based lifestyle 🌱

    • @hospitalcakewalk
      @hospitalcakewalk Před 7 lety +29

      Reasonable meaning under $70 like most youtubers, or reasonable meaning actual reason like under $30 because that would be a challenge

    • @ski1509
      @ski1509 Před 7 lety

      J

    • @RobinVanger
      @RobinVanger Před 7 lety +24

      Yes under 30 please because that is what I have to spend in a week because yea.. student life :")

  • @emilymelvin6631
    @emilymelvin6631 Před 5 lety +1998

    Having been very poor myself (and still am somewhat now) I’d just like to say most probably wouldn’t have a blender lol

    • @letsgoalready5515
      @letsgoalready5515 Před 5 lety +358

      Emily Melvin that is true but I found one on clearance for $4! It won’t blend ice but it is still a luxury to my family

    • @o0Avalon0o
      @o0Avalon0o Před 5 lety +266

      @@q7jdwomfvkbj74 Salvation Army, especially in poor neighborhoods, inflate their prices to be equal to Walmart and box stores. Check out estate sales & garage sales for a blender for a dollar. Ask them to plug it into an outlet before you leave to make sure it works & doesn't smoke.
      Be friendly, ask them how the sale is going and treat them like kind and respectful people, they often will be happy to give you stuff for free or even invite you to lunch sometime as a friend. There's a lot of great people out there if you know how to look.

    • @thisismylovehandle
      @thisismylovehandle Před 5 lety +118

      Yeah..or an instant pot. But I'm glad she has one. I saved for an entire year for my blender in my twenties. Got a Crock-Pot recently, in my thirties. So instant pot in my forties, hopefully!

    • @smp6565
      @smp6565 Před 5 lety +9

      Emily Melvin or that fancy cooking pot lol no idea what that is?!

    • @ShelleySkyDoe
      @ShelleySkyDoe Před 5 lety +13

      Or a steamer/ rice cookers.

  • @VoiceTalk52
    @VoiceTalk52 Před 5 lety +101

    I’m a social worker. I see my clients go through this. No car, no blender. Just food stamps and whole lotta doctors appointments. Thanks for making this video.

    • @alexandriamckoy4704
      @alexandriamckoy4704 Před 3 lety +2

      I'm a Care Coordinator that works with the same group of patients. Food stamps and ALOT of appts....ALOT!

    • @amydecker6207
      @amydecker6207 Před 2 lety +1

      We ate like kings when we had food stamps. Only two of us qualified, and there were six of us. That $347 fed all of us very well each month.

    • @overgrownkudzu
      @overgrownkudzu Před rokem

      yeah i'm glad she mentioned that what she's doing here is not even realistic, because most poor people aren't going to have all this equipment or time.

  • @kaityparsons1212
    @kaityparsons1212 Před 7 lety +227

    I love this. I feel like most vegan CZcamsrs don't understand what balling on a budget actually means. You see so many "vegan grocery halls on a budget" videos where they spend like 100 dollars a week.
    I am a university student working 4 jobs just to pay rent and tuition, so 100 dollars a week is obscene.

    • @kaityparsons1212
      @kaityparsons1212 Před 7 lety +32

      not to invalidate truly unprivileged people, I know I am very privileged, I just appreciate this video since it is so much more realistic

    • @tobe4real
      @tobe4real Před 7 lety +3

      There are a lot of good cheaper ones you should check out

    • @erikasolorio2468
      @erikasolorio2468 Před 6 lety +2

      kaity parsons right im a single mom i try to keep my budget at 40 a week for my baby and i

  • @MadiMonkey1994
    @MadiMonkey1994 Před 7 lety +934

    You eat how I eat. But instead of beans and rice, we eat pasta almost every lunch and dinner. Sometimes I try to make something different, because my son gets tired of pasta. We just don't have the funds for that, though. I don't like saying that, but that's the way it is. After the week is over, my bank account is dry. I'm just thankful that I can feed my son.
    Just think. There is always someone who has it better than you; there is always someone who has it worse. We should be thankful.

    • @thenoobyoutuber2490
      @thenoobyoutuber2490 Před 7 lety +99

      Madison White u're a great mom for doing ur best :) always remember that god is always here for u and that things will eventially get better ; much love

    • @MariaGomez-qv6zc
      @MariaGomez-qv6zc Před 7 lety +50

      Madison White do you have a food bank near you? it would be great if you could supplement with a few things for the week. I think you have a great attitude!

    • @MadiMonkey1994
      @MadiMonkey1994 Před 7 lety +89

      Yes, we do have a food bank. I actually volunteer there every year. Thank you. I give my all in having faith and staying positive. I know that things will get better in due time.

    • @maxhztrukl231
      @maxhztrukl231 Před 7 lety +16

      if you cannot even afford food, then do not breed, gosh...

    • @emilym6994
      @emilym6994 Před 7 lety +114

      @Jeezy @Max Hztrukl You're rude

  • @gee777
    @gee777 Před 4 lety +41

    I remember finding 2 cans of pasta sauce for 50¢ and crying with happiness

  • @irissasa6525
    @irissasa6525 Před 5 lety +38

    With developing your cooking skills, your food can be amazing. I was poor, I'm still struggling with money, but my quality of food and the taste and texture of my meals are AHHH-MAE-ZING

  • @nenahunt
    @nenahunt Před 6 lety +465

    Watching this made me cry for all the people and children who cannot afford enough food. We take so much for granted and complain about nonsense when in reality we are the lucky ones. Another thing, in my household with just wastage alone could easily feed another person or two....I will share this video with my husband and extended family. I think more awareness is definitely needed. Thank you 👍😘

    • @norahbradley5138
      @norahbradley5138 Před 5 lety +4

      Nevena H yeah this was hard for me to watch. I don’t tend to waste food, but I’ve never gone without food in my life. I went off to school and my mom made sure that I had a stocked pantry.
      Now I have a one year food pantry in my basement. I had a rough spot financially and ate out of that for eight months only buying pet food and eggs. I’ve fed four families at a time from my pantry when they fell on hard times. I just sent the cousin who i helped raise a four month supply of groceries. My daughter going hungry is one of my worst nightmares.

    • @romeo3771
      @romeo3771 Před 5 lety

      @@norahbradley5138 yeah man here I starve to death

  • @molly104
    @molly104 Před 7 lety +105

    the comments here are amazing. this is what youtube should be. this is quality content, you are raising awareness of something that matters for you, you're sincere and honest about your intentions and present us with aesthetic and easy to watch videos. thank you. I was thinking today about the fact that so many of us are living above what is deemed to be normal and the opportunity to education is so taken for granted. I reflect on this far too little, thank you for bringing it to my attention as well as the privilege I have to adequate nutrition

  • @candyman190
    @candyman190 Před 5 lety +165

    A little cinnamon with the pancakes would’ve been 👌🏽 😁

    • @daniellewelch8913
      @daniellewelch8913 Před 4 lety +6

      Johnny Noon so true! Once when my daughter was little and I made her breakfast every day we accidentally dumped a LOT of cinnamon in the batter...and voila!...Cinnamon Pancakes! Now that is how I make them every time. 😊🐭🦋

    • @candyman190
      @candyman190 Před 4 lety +3

      Danielle Welch haha! Love that! It’s anazing! And also, have you tried “frying it” in coconut oil? If not, then ugh! 😍 you dunno watchur missing! Put a nice heaping tablespoon or 2 of coconut oil and wait till the oil starts to smoke. When it does, pour your batter and you’re welcome. 😏😛

    • @victoriafuentes1883
      @victoriafuentes1883 Před 4 lety +2

      I added cinnamon and vanilla

  • @trishaswartz1011
    @trishaswartz1011 Před 5 lety +80

    I'm not a spokesperson, but Aldis is totally the answer for everything. I eat $40/WK sometimes less n I'm golden.

    • @taylorbritt499
      @taylorbritt499 Před 5 lety +13

      I'm a college student (living on limited funds) I can spend about $30 at Aldi's and that food plus the few times I go to the dining hall last me a couple weeks, sometimes longer. Aldi's is a godsend for sure!

    • @CS-by4vg
      @CS-by4vg Před 5 lety +7

      Its definitely good, but the one in my town has started jacking up its prices since it remodeled. Its attracting more higher middle class people who can pay the higher prices. Its rediculous. They wouldn't shop there before but now that it looks nice its the cats meow for them.

    • @camismith5338
      @camismith5338 Před 5 lety +2

      Lidl is a godsend also. I spend 80 there every 2 weeks roughly and I get alot of organic items. I would never go back to a traditional super market

    • @NikkiDocherty74
      @NikkiDocherty74 Před 4 lety

      @@CS-by4vg I've shopped at Aldi since they built one in my town. I've always budgeted and never bought sodas or many junk foods but i always had snacks and quick lunches for my daughters.

    • @taoou2633
      @taoou2633 Před 4 lety

      U EAT MONEY :0

  • @alexiazamora3500
    @alexiazamora3500 Před 6 lety +810

    I’m so glad you were real with the fact that it wasn’t easy and it didn’t make you as full as you were used to. Thank you for this video!!

    • @whitevelcro6182
      @whitevelcro6182 Před 6 lety +7

      I have found an amazing key if you need more calories on a low budget is oil, particularly canola oil (soybean oil "vegetable oil" is pretty bad for you, canola is a lot better). I don't know what the prices are everywhere, but you can often get more than 5,000 calories per dollar from canola oil. Healthy fats are good for you and extremely satisfying. When Caitlin was talking about not feeling full, the whole time I was thinking "just add oil!"

    • @raapyna8544
      @raapyna8544 Před 6 lety +2

      White Velcro Yes, she was eating very little fat, and fat is what mostly keeps your brain going!

  • @staishamichelle1232
    @staishamichelle1232 Před 7 lety +368

    You don't sound whinny, your just giving your honest opinion on what it's like to eat on 1.50 a day and how, what your making, really taste. It gives this video a realistic view on what it would be like

    • @MiVidaBellisima
      @MiVidaBellisima Před 6 lety +9

      Staisha Michelle more importantly it gives insight into what ppl who have to live this way are experiencing on a daily basis.

    • @limeyfigdet7460
      @limeyfigdet7460 Před 6 lety +3

      Yeah, if it ain't pleasant, then that's even more reason to donate in order to help those poor kids.

  • @sabrinazarogoza8686
    @sabrinazarogoza8686 Před 5 lety +15

    Growing up my dad didn't always have a steady income, since concrete is such seasonal work and my mom has five kids, so it wasn't easy. Beans, Spanish rice and fried potatoes lots of dinners. Egg sandwiches for breakfast. Breakfast burritoes and raman noodles were also something we had lots of.
    Now my husband and I have a total monthly income of 1400 dollars, so it's better, although we do definitely still have our hard times.
    I'm so greatful for the prosperous and the difficult times.
    Most times we only eat dinner. I like to tell people it's because we choose to, but we're also kind of forced into it by our financial situation. So I try to make sure we keep our meals to 3 dollars per person. Sometimes I can afford more, it just depends on how bills and things like that work out, also if there's anything we need for the house like toilet paper or dish soap that can cut into things a bit as well.
    Honestly, the harder times are my favorite because it's proof that we can survive. We are strong and we can get through this.
    Not only that, but sometimes you come up with the most interesting recipes that actually taste good.

  • @kiarat3428
    @kiarat3428 Před 4 lety +8

    I watched this and now I really appreciate my mom teaching me how to cook because let me tell you spices ARE EVERYTHING. Even adding a bit of garlic or a chile will spice up your life.

  • @valeale2812
    @valeale2812 Před 7 lety +1378

    cait i eat like that almost every day and it's so nice to see this, cause every other video seems to be full of expensive products 😞

    • @lanadel-qf2qn
      @lanadel-qf2qn Před 7 lety +58

      Val T stay strong,you're killing it

    • @charitybosua
      @charitybosua Před 7 lety +39

      Cheap Lazy Vegan made a serie of videos like these. I found them very helpful :)

    • @Deminutuv
      @Deminutuv Před 7 lety +9

      She doesn't usually eat expensive, just foods that are unavailable to some more left behind countries.

    • @valeale2812
      @valeale2812 Před 7 lety +2

      lana del 1975 thank you, you are so lovely ❤️

    • @valeale2812
      @valeale2812 Před 7 lety +3

      Charity Bosua yesss! i've watched them i love her :)

  • @kokonodes903
    @kokonodes903 Před 7 lety +752

    The only vegan youtuber I like cause she shows that we can be vegan on a low budget in comparison to other vegan youtubers who are extremely rich and she isn't raw

    • @airari24
      @airari24 Před 6 lety +12

      Komal Shireen She's great, but there are more CZcams's like her! You should check them out

    • @squirrel6536
      @squirrel6536 Před 6 lety +22

      Cheap Lazy Vegan is also pretty awesome with a lot of (obviously) cheap, easy recipes.

    • @limeyfigdet7460
      @limeyfigdet7460 Před 6 lety +26

      This girl is the realest vegan CZcamsr that I've seen. People like Vegan Gains and Freelee use stuff like fancy protein powders and exotic seeds.
      Regular people like me who want to follow a vegetarian diet aren't always on the same page as those rich folks.

  • @jaelynaaron9366
    @jaelynaaron9366 Před 2 lety +2

    This has become my comfort vid. My inspo video. My food rut video. My everything vid. I hope it never leaves the internet.

  • @SNancyB
    @SNancyB Před 5 lety +40

    A good place to shop is Dollar Tree or a Dollar Store, Aldi, etc because everything is a dollar. They also have a freezer section too with frozen fruits and vegetables, sometimes, salmon and chicken. They sell eggs, roasted red peppers, old fashioned oatmeal, pita bread, and more.

    • @SmileyGirl22100
      @SmileyGirl22100 Před 5 lety +3

      I'm a little wary of Dollar Tree food but the frozen veggies sound like a great idea so I might check it out.

    • @CS-by4vg
      @CS-by4vg Před 5 lety +1

      Ive eaten the dollar tree frozen veggies and I'll vouch for them being safe. The only thing is they have freezer burn and generally have no flavor/taste like dirt.

    • @katharinerobert8378
      @katharinerobert8378 Před 5 lety +1

      I've checked out food at the dollar tree / dollar store, and while some things are cheaper there I typically find $1 pasta at a regular grocery store and it's a bigger package. Most of their foods that do cost $1 cost the same at the regular grocery store (regular meaning normal less expensive grocery, not the fancy more expensive ones..)

  • @kateemma22
    @kateemma22 Před 6 lety +1849

    Your ‘whining’ was actually a great part because the simple fact is as good as these recipes are, living on $1.50 is impossible, and we need to start giving the poor a liveable wage. This is not liveable. Good on you for this vid.

    • @kkoreatheempressayhung6764
      @kkoreatheempressayhung6764 Před 5 lety +6

      The whinning was very much understood riiiiiiight.

    • @janejohn6473
      @janejohn6473 Před 5 lety +12

      I feel like this is almost what an anorexic person eats and that's scary

    • @JesusIsLove7777
      @JesusIsLove7777 Před 5 lety +2

      kateemma22 bananas oats and beans versus $5 mcdonalds meals is impossible?

    • @keyworkmermaid1246
      @keyworkmermaid1246 Před 5 lety +35

      @@JesusIsLove7777 you should be able to live in a decently healthy lifestyle. Fuck McDonald's

    • @Chris-hn2md
      @Chris-hn2md Před 5 lety

      It's satire buh-ro

  • @corsicanlulu
    @corsicanlulu Před 6 lety +879

    if ur poor like i am, u DEF. need to buy all the food u can in bulk!! u have to! i buy the spices i use the most in bulk, like garlic and onion powder. also brown rice, quinoa, lentils. yes it seems expensive at first but its worth it because the food can last for months and that always helps. amazon, and if u have club stores like bj's sams club u can go to them, or at least get a free one-day pass online and buy what u need online if u dont have one near u.

    • @Brandiisbeloved
      @Brandiisbeloved Před 5 lety +37

      corsican lulu btw dollar tree has seasoning or at least where I live for only a dollar. It’s the only way I can afford seasoning

    • @ideljenny
      @ideljenny Před 5 lety +75

      Have you ever heard of the work boots theory? If you're poor, its unlikely you have money available to buy in bulk, making everything paradoxicly more expensive.

    • @KisabellaLopez
      @KisabellaLopez Před 5 lety +31

      :( unfortunately, the cost of signing up for bulk club stores like Costco would dent your food budget considerably. Sure, it's for a whole year and I'm sure you get your money back, but it would hurt to put it down all at once.

    • @JabberJelly
      @JabberJelly Před 5 lety +35

      @@KisabellaLopez those memberships are def expensive especially if you're living on your own. What I do is: ask my friends or even my friends parents if they have a Costco, BJ's, or Sam's club memberships and if they do, I ask if I can tag along every few months so I can restock on bulk items that way I dont have to purchase my own memberships. SOMETIMES they do offer one day passes for new customers so I would look into that.

    • @JabberJelly
      @JabberJelly Před 5 lety +22

      @@Brandiisbeloved If you have ethnic food stores near you, sometimes they sell everyday spices super cheap. I love to get most of my spices at my local Mexican store as they're $1 per packet of herb/spice and they last me a few months.

  • @akanaistyping
    @akanaistyping Před 5 lety +8

    Thank you for this. I mean, what you’re eating is probably a lot more than what I eat on a “tight” day here in the Philippines. 1.50 is the equivalent of around 160 php here. You can’t eat that much quantities with 160 php. I also love that you’re being very respectful about all this because this is reality for some of us. Anyhow, this was really helpful for someone who’s not as privileged but also thinking of trying out veganism. Thank you!

  • @s.laverre
    @s.laverre Před 5 lety +7

    As a very poor high school student I appreciate this video for many reasons. You bring awareness to the struggles of living below the poverty line, especially with not being able to concentrate. I’m also mentally cataloguing these meals to have something healthier than pasta 😅

  • @mariangelbriceno9724
    @mariangelbriceno9724 Před 7 lety +333

    Hi Caitlin! I love that you did this challenge to find out how some people are living. What makes me very sad is knowing that most people in my country, Venezuela, can't even afford eating what you ate during that challenge, beans and peanut butter? That's what rich people eat. It's heartbreaking to see people starving because we don't deserve this. I would recommend you to research about the situation that Venezuelan people are going through and spread it, because most people aren't aware of that.
    Thank you for creating such an amazing content always, I love your channel and it has inspired to be a better person, I've been vegetarian for 4 months and it's been amazing, hopefully one day I'll be 100% vegan just as you❤️❤️

    • @katieelizabethnelson921
      @katieelizabethnelson921 Před 7 lety +36

      That's how bad the situation is in Venezuela it's heartbreaking.

    • @CaitlinShoemaker
      @CaitlinShoemaker  Před 7 lety +34

      Thank YOU for watching! I totally agree with you, poverty is horrible and no one should be forced to live the way many people do.

    • @marianat.4998
      @marianat.4998 Před 7 lety +6

      No pude dejar de pensar en nuestro país con este vídeo, sobretodo cuando dijo que seguramente los niños no se pueden concentrar en clases. Le doy clases de inglés a niños de Petare y llegan con hambre. Es la triste y dura realidad, no prestan atención, están de mal humor y lo único que piden es comida. Qué tristeza esta situación, se me parte el corazón por toda nuestra gente pasando hambre 💔😔

    • @emmalina3750
      @emmalina3750 Před 7 lety +2

      im venezuelan too ❤️

    • @anjelapatnaik
      @anjelapatnaik Před 7 lety +3

      can you find out if there is an easy way for those in US to make some donations to those in Venezuela? I'm not sure how to go about doing this in a way that cannot be stolen/lost.

  • @lauravaldez3829
    @lauravaldez3829 Před 5 lety +818

    Going on an extreme budget. I just went from riches to rags.... no job. All my niceties completely out the window.... but although we fall down.... we can get back up! Meanwhile thank you for sharing... beans and rice and occasional ground beef with potatoes and corn I can do! I’m grateful in times of plenty and grateful in times of famine. Let’s do this!

    • @softesthard8168
      @softesthard8168 Před 5 lety +37

      laura valdez You got this, hermosa! Love your positivity. Wishing you the best.

    • @MrsDVK
      @MrsDVK Před 5 lety +21

      Awesome attitude!

    • @heysisters636
      @heysisters636 Před 5 lety +10

      laura valdez Wish you the best!!

    • @mysterygirl2881
      @mysterygirl2881 Před 5 lety +30

      I like the last statement: I'm grateful in times of plenty and I'm grateful in times of famine. For those who didn't know, these are the words of Apostol Paul.

    • @ChainedFei
      @ChainedFei Před 5 lety +4

      Ground beef, potatoes and Corn is shepherds pie with some cheese.

  • @evagibson1798
    @evagibson1798 Před 5 lety +206

    Do you rinse your rice? I've learned you can make the cheapest rice taste great when you rinse them off well.

    • @moondog7694
      @moondog7694 Před 5 lety +15

      I heard plastic rice was being sold in Jamaica by another country that had a machine that melted plastic bags into pellets the size of rice grains.

    • @bloodangelsheart
      @bloodangelsheart Před 5 lety +34

      Wait, you don't wash your rice? I didn't know people didnt wash it.

    • @jean6061
      @jean6061 Před 5 lety +5

      Since rice used to be one of my few staples, I would only buy Calrose Rice - so good! - and yes, I rinsed it until the water ran clear, then cooked it in my rice steamer.

    • @k80_
      @k80_ Před 5 lety +12

      Judging by the cloudiness of her soup seems like she didn’t

    • @elsitabebe
      @elsitabebe Před 4 lety +16

      As far as the rice tasting like plastic. She may actually be correct. Many lower quality rice has fillers in them made from a plastic like material. This is true, you can Google it and do some investigating yourself, I about fell over when I found this out. How does the government approve plastic for human consumption?? There were other foods also, which I don't remember, but RICE stuck with me since I use it a lot

  • @jazzyrush1
    @jazzyrush1 Před 3 lety +7

    This is so informative and helpful! A small tip - let plaintains get super super brown (like an over ripe banana) to get the most flavor out of them

  • @izzywo3254
    @izzywo3254 Před 6 lety +2198

    1,162,055 views. half of these are broke college students.

  • @laughaholic13
    @laughaholic13 Před 5 lety +1525

    I grew up with an income of about $2000 for 4 people but I can't recall ever being hungry. My mom made sure we always had food to eat and my dad (who was the sole money maker) managed to make it work somehow. Now he makes like 120K can we appreciate that glow up! He did it all on his own too. Idk what the point was here lol maybe that things get better? My dad worked his ass off to make it better for us so I believe in working hard to make a good living cuz I saw it first hand.

    • @andream.liverman6966
      @andream.liverman6966 Před 5 lety +148

      It sounds like you have a lovely family. I'm glad your dad's hard work paid off for y'all.

    • @laughaholic13
      @laughaholic13 Před 5 lety +53

      Andrea M. Liverman thank you! I'm glad that he's living a life that he deserves 😊

    • @o0Avalon0o
      @o0Avalon0o Před 5 lety +41

      What did your dad do? Start his own business? This seems like quite a big difference in salary, I'm sure people will love to know how to accomplish that.

    • @laughaholic13
      @laughaholic13 Před 5 lety +127

      @@o0Avalon0o We came to US on a visa and he used to work in a gas station and a dollar store. He wanted to be a doctor when he was younger but his dad refused to pay for his education so, after working at those places, he was fed up with it and learned computer science in his spare time and now he's a software engineer! They get paid a lot when you have the experience and good negotiating skills haha

    • @thisismylovehandle
      @thisismylovehandle Před 5 lety +22

      We (5 people) live on one income of 2k/month net. Teachers pay in AZ. Sometimes, it takes hurts to tell your children to sleep best they can while they complain of hunger. We are often tired.. But we decided that it was worth it for me to stay home with the children and give them that greater education.

  • @mondugibaby
    @mondugibaby Před 5 lety +315

    Omg please learn how to cook South Indian meals. Most are Vegan or vegetarian and so cheap but incredibly tasty. Tasty. Very tasty.

    • @ShelleySkyDoe
      @ShelleySkyDoe Před 5 lety +46

      The spices do not come under the poverty line challenge. She would have to go a day without food per spice

    • @Sam-gx5hb
      @Sam-gx5hb Před 5 lety +12

      @@ShelleySkyDoe curry powder is $2 at walmart. It lasts forever. Yeah. Its not as good as real Indian cooking, but its also not unrealistic. It wouldn't work for her challenge, but when you live it every week you occasionally will have a little extra(like you wouldnt need to buy oatmeal or peanut butter every week, or sometimes something will be on sale half off, or maybe you found a fiver on the ground, or you got an extra hour at work.)

    • @BuddingPlanet
      @BuddingPlanet Před 5 lety +2

      As an Asian, I agree with DeeGirl. But on the other hand, I can see where Caitlin was coming from.
      Those under poverty in Asia would have some spice in their cupboard to make things a lot tastier than what I saw in the video.
      Indian dhall curry and rice with Azuki beans is delicious, super cheap too. It's something that I would see at Sai Babas' centers. They need to cut their cost super low, and yet make things tasty.

    • @reshma221180
      @reshma221180 Před 5 lety +2

      Spices also increase the vitamin intake than normal.

  • @emileehill7797
    @emileehill7797 Před 4 lety

    I’m EXTREMELY blessed to say I’ve never gone hungry. I’ve always been able to put whatever I wanted to eat in the buggy without thinking twice. And so many people don’t have that luxury. Thank you for bringing attention to this topic so many know noting about. ❤️❤️

  • @bigbird2299
    @bigbird2299 Před 7 lety +92

    I just found this vid, and I really like how honest you are. I feel like most people would be like "I feel amazing, I'm gonna do this everyday" and you're like. " it's not the best. but, I at least get to eat" keep up the good work. :)

    • @christinasmith8338
      @christinasmith8338 Před 6 lety

      Andréa Rosa I don't think many people would say they want to eat this way every day but I do agree people would claim they feel ok when they really don't. It is nice she was honest. :)

  • @beccalordon3680
    @beccalordon3680 Před 7 lety +96

    This challenge is super eye-opening to me as a "broke" college student I know the struggles of not being able to afford certain things I want for meals and in general, but it's honestly heartbreaking to see how little food and variety of food people in poverty can afford. Really makes me grateful for my situation, and makes me want to figure out how to help those who can't be able to eat enough healthy nutritious and delicious foods.

  • @kimberlypowell3236
    @kimberlypowell3236 Před 3 lety +1

    Hi Caitlin! I am so proud of you for doing this challenge to spread awareness

  • @nancylothian5014
    @nancylothian5014 Před 5 lety

    Caitlin, you are cracking me up with your "honest" commentaries on your meal creations. Thank you for your honesty, eating healthy on a budget and time constraints can be a challenge.
    Love what you are sharing, thank you!

  • @KristenLeo
    @KristenLeo Před 7 lety +2196

    I loved this video and I want it to go viral NOWWWW Also I think we all need to appreciate the creativity that went into making all of this delicious looking food with such an incredibly low budget and keeping it so real and honest. Cannot wait for the next one!!!!

    • @CaitlinShoemaker
      @CaitlinShoemaker  Před 7 lety +45

      thank you so much Kristen, that means a lot coming from you!

    • @alisonmartin3921
      @alisonmartin3921 Před 6 lety +1

      Pasta recipes

    • @captaindovestone3894
      @captaindovestone3894 Před 6 lety +1

      Kristen Leo fantastic isn't it, I'm an Ovo vegetarian from England working towards full vegan and I love these simple life hacks

    • @tanishaali2619
      @tanishaali2619 Před 6 lety +2

      It went viral

    • @Dichtsau
      @Dichtsau Před 5 lety +2

      honestly? that food looks horrible to me and this i do not only say because i'm writing a vegan cookbook (with lots of cheap recipes).
      i'd rather buy a pack of toastbread, some tomatoes, some vegan mayo and a lettuce.
      if there's money leftover (maybe in the 2nd week) i'd cook southgerman medieval food: sauerkraut & potatobread.
      basically, i'd also say, eating beans & peanutbutter is healthy when it's about nutrition, but her frozen veggies have been a misbuy (not enough in the package + some of it is corn which doesn't feed you anything!) and also she misused the rice: if u eat rice, u need lots of it, so better buy more rice and just cook it with some veggie broth powder and eat it with nothing else; then the rice can be a cheap thing to keep the hunger away.
      PS: if u think in long terms and have a cool cellar, go get a sack of potatoes - they are lifesavers!

  • @InstantCrazy1
    @InstantCrazy1 Před 7 lety +276

    The worst place is to be just above the poverty line. You don't get government assistance, pb&j is a staple, and you have sleep for dinner to try and forget about the hunger pains.

    • @katederepasmusic3584
      @katederepasmusic3584 Před 7 lety +3

      InstantCrazy1 :(

    • @leal5049
      @leal5049 Před 6 lety +37

      InstantCrazy1 I feel terrible for the people barely above the line, making $50 too much for food stamps, like $50 is going to feed you for a month.

    • @Janelle-ws3cy
      @Janelle-ws3cy Před 6 lety +3

      :(

    • @starhill6792
      @starhill6792 Před 6 lety +10

      InstantCrazy1 Sounds like the story of my family and my life.

    • @vampireleniore
      @vampireleniore Před 6 lety +8

      I am a cancer patient who can't work and have absolutely no income and I was denied disability because "they suspected my condition wouldn't last for more than a year", so not everyone who is sick and poor gets government assistance, but I know what you're saying.

  • @jctasm
    @jctasm Před 5 lety

    Good for you Caitlin. Always looking on the bright side. You're grateful for what you do have and you don't complain about what you don't have. Very inspirational. You're amazing.

  • @thehopefulwanderer1143
    @thehopefulwanderer1143 Před 5 lety +1

    I'm not even vegan but I can't stop watching. Thanks for raising awareness and doing this challenge!

  • @woolyvaro7814
    @woolyvaro7814 Před 7 lety +68

    If I'm on a budget, I always buy potatoes. Not sure how expensive they are outside of Germany, but here they cost about 2 dollars for 5 pounds.

    • @TheHaSoMa
      @TheHaSoMa Před 7 lety +18

      Wolle van Ro this. When I was a kid and we had financial Problems we ate potatoes so freaking often because they are cheap and filling

    • @lilxoluvr
      @lilxoluvr Před 6 lety +1

      10 lbs for 99 cents in arizona

    • @hanawana
      @hanawana Před 6 lety

      Jesse Hitman Where’s “here?”

    • @vampireleniore
      @vampireleniore Před 6 lety +3

      Potatoes, rice, and beans are just about the most cheap, satisfying foods in existence, but potatoes are my favorite. So versatile and cheap. Also, nutritionally dense.

    • @babybatmouse4177
      @babybatmouse4177 Před 6 lety

      2.99 for 10lbs in North Carolina

  • @tsvetig.3793
    @tsvetig.3793 Před 6 lety +1523

    I'm impressed by how you managed to cook such good-looking food on a such low budget, you're so creative. Btw, I love your dimples, they're so cute :).

    • @veganonabudget7214
      @veganonabudget7214 Před 6 lety +2

      Tsveti G. Amen 🙏🏽 to that sister.

    • @midnightcorresponden
      @midnightcorresponden Před 6 lety

      Hi Tsveti, thank u for choosing a life of veganism..I'm a vegan singer songwriter that would love to introduce other vegans to my music...if ur interested in hearing some brilliant folk-jazz-rock music written by a vegan..please respond to this and I'll send you a link to check my music out at Bandcamp....Hope to hear from you and Go Beyond Burger!

    • @tsvetig.3793
      @tsvetig.3793 Před 6 lety +1

      I'm interested in hearing it :D

    • @midnightcorresponden
      @midnightcorresponden Před 6 lety

      jordonrothstein.bandcamp.com/album/transexual-closeit would lv to know what u think if u have any thoughts.. Happy holidays!

    • @lewisisdaman
      @lewisisdaman Před 6 lety

      I agree Tvesti. She's really cute

  • @everythingstalli
    @everythingstalli Před 5 lety

    I grew up on very little food and it’s taken a toll on my body and health in older age, therefore I’ve made the decision to use most of my money for food while I finish school. Thank you for videos like this, it really helps me gain inspiration and faith❤️

  • @Angelava028
    @Angelava028 Před 5 lety +462

    My caribbean heart broke with the way she cut and cooked those plantains

    • @vianjelos
      @vianjelos Před 5 lety +31

      Same...there are a milion recipes for plantains why would you just cut them.

    • @nayelisguzman9683
      @nayelisguzman9683 Před 5 lety +5

      For real😓

    • @mockingfox4443
      @mockingfox4443 Před 5 lety +3

      Fr.

    • @jjohnson1791
      @jjohnson1791 Před 5 lety +25

      I didn't want to comment on that because that's not the point of the video BUT me tooo! And the way she pronounced it, too!

    • @nakiagurl12180
      @nakiagurl12180 Před 5 lety +16

      She ate the raw lol with cooked food 🤦🏻‍♀️

  • @cr1994yellow
    @cr1994yellow Před 6 lety +308

    Lol I’m Mexican, and this is how I eat everyday. I love that you are showing people how to be on a budget and not starve. Thanks :)

    • @hellooutthere8956
      @hellooutthere8956 Před 6 lety +7

      Carmen T. Reyes Gonzalez I imagine you season it differently than she did. I am starting to eat lots more beans and rice so I am curious abt your seasonings. Thanks.

    • @gabrielmaximus6447
      @gabrielmaximus6447 Před 6 lety +1

      Do you add anything to the beans to get rid of gas? I love beans and they're cheaper than everything else but I get terrible smelly and loud gas with them even when I take enzymes. I wonder if some herb offsets this.

    • @bandersnatchcucumberpatch
      @bandersnatchcucumberpatch Před 6 lety +1

      Gabriel Maximus a tiny bit of baking soda will help

    • @joey_9698
      @joey_9698 Před 6 lety +5

      sharon anderson I'm Panamanian, and when I make rice I usually season it with a little bit of Goya seasoning, which you can usually find in the Hispanic aisle of a grocery store!

    • @nemira8301
      @nemira8301 Před 6 lety +2

      And some peppers or a small jalapeño. Also sofrito is vegan you can add to rice or beans

  • @nicolelink7369
    @nicolelink7369 Před 7 lety +121

    this is such a great way to bring attention to such an awful (and I'd like to think preventable) issue!
    also, very impressed with how creative you were able to get with these meals!

    • @CaitlinShoemaker
      @CaitlinShoemaker  Před 7 lety +19

      thank you, and yes I totally agree! it could totally be preventable

  • @evarickert
    @evarickert Před 4 lety +1

    Very informative, creative and aware. Thank you. Appreciate what you say, how you say it, and what you cook and how you cook under the circumstances. Great job!

  • @Moozibuu
    @Moozibuu Před 5 lety +28

    Planning for my broke college student life

  • @ndjjiekkskkejjr
    @ndjjiekkskkejjr Před 7 lety +701

    I appreciate thar she literally made the same meal in like 3 different ways lmao.

    • @airari24
      @airari24 Před 6 lety +48

      Theresa Akubuilo I think she was trying to show how to work with a week's worth of vegan groceries (So using it all up in different ways), instead of showing a bunch of original cool recipes

    • @juli-fz7ep
      @juli-fz7ep Před 6 lety +8

      ikr she WAS SO CREATIVE

  • @CheapLazyVegan
    @CheapLazyVegan Před 7 lety +255

    LOVE THIS! I did this last year and it was def a bit of a challenge but eye opening :) I need to do this again!

    • @CaitlinShoemaker
      @CaitlinShoemaker  Před 7 lety +15

      ah thank you Rose! I actually watched all of those videos when they first came out and loved them :) You were the first one who brought this challenge to my attention!

    • @markpoole6449
      @markpoole6449 Před 6 lety +3

      Caitlin Shoemaker and Rose, since you're both here this is perfect! I watched both of you ladies' videos and wanted to mention that you can make more satisfying/filling soup if it's a thicker consistency...more like a stew. Just blend up part of your starch source to work as a thickener.
      There was a study by some country's army (Russia maybe?) and the soldiers actually stayed fuller for longer with the exact same soup when it was blended into a puree.

  • @B14ckFoot
    @B14ckFoot Před 5 lety +3

    LOL I love the honesty of the licking the utensils clean.

  • @sarahrossi2294
    @sarahrossi2294 Před 5 lety +13

    Hello from Brazil, I usually use garlic to prepare my rice and beans. It's delicious and not expensive option. Great video :D

  • @starrstark
    @starrstark Před 7 lety +32

    Thanks for making this video. My family is considered to be below the poverty line. Since my parents eat meat and dairy, it's too much money for them to afford 3 separate meals just for me. This helps me get some vegan ideas that they can afford.

    • @starrstark
      @starrstark Před 7 lety +1

      I will not replicate exactly because we can afford $15-20 a week for my food, but it's better for ideas than $50 a week or $4 each meal.

    • @shaelstrata517
      @shaelstrata517 Před 5 lety

      A vegan diet, is cheaper by default, than a traditional diet, because vegans don't buy meat,, dairy or egg products.
      A vegan diet, with processed faux animal like replicas, can be expensive, but not a Whole Foods Plant based diet, of plant based foods, in their natural state like nuts,, seeds, grain, fruit & vegetables.
      I know two people eating a traditional diet, and they eat animal based products, for 2 people EVERY meal, milk & cereal nearly every day, deli meat & cheese every lunch, and some dead body part for dinner every night.
      That works out to 8 gallons of milk a month, x 12 months = 48 gallons of milk a year!
      Plus a near constant hoard of meat, and cheese. Think about it, to feed 2 people deli meat and cheese every day, for 30 days, is 60 servings a month, PLUS another 60 servings of meat every day, for a month.
      Then besides that, they buy, yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, whipped cream, butter, ice cream, etc.
      That has to to cost a massive amount of money!1

  • @lorrainybrito5185
    @lorrainybrito5185 Před 6 lety +383

    you can cook the rice and beans with garlic and salt . Here in brazil we eat rice and beans every day , and we do like that :)

    • @Kpower
      @Kpower Před 6 lety +30

      Yeah I was wondering why she did not get garlic, onion or basil. They are lifesavers. They make food taste so much better. If I was her I would not buy the beans, but instead, buy some eggs and garlic. It would allow more variety in meals and it tastes better.

    • @cahaureliano7
      @cahaureliano7 Před 6 lety +38

      K-power she is vegan tho, no eggs for her

    • @cahaureliano7
      @cahaureliano7 Před 6 lety +9

      não tem caldo no feijão, ela fez tudo errado tadinha

    • @yesica8088
      @yesica8088 Před 6 lety +2

      jalapeños make it even better omg

    • @js44cana
      @js44cana Před 6 lety +8

      K-power She is vegan and was on a budget 🤦 Eggs cost more than 1.50

  • @xrebelkittenx
    @xrebelkittenx Před 5 lety

    These types of videos make greatful for what I have. You're such an inspiration!

  • @sarabutler-smith5285
    @sarabutler-smith5285 Před 5 lety +1

    This is amazing and you are amazing!!! This is such an important challenge and a humbling reminder. PLUS it’s very helpful in eating more simply and that it’s possible to eat meals with very restrictive incomes.

  • @c.c.1823
    @c.c.1823 Před 7 lety +146

    I think this is the best video you've ever made! xx

    • @CaitlinShoemaker
      @CaitlinShoemaker  Před 7 lety +118

      I think it is the one I am most proud of so far :)

    • @cristinamurillo4028
      @cristinamurillo4028 Před 7 lety +1

      whee you are a lazy mexican so you eat beans and rice on a daily basis (I put avocado on top, it's my favorite meal, tastes like childhood)

  • @bryanacamillebraxton4770
    @bryanacamillebraxton4770 Před 7 lety +264

    This was really impressive! Amazing you can make all those delicious dishes from so few ingredients. Definitely gives a preview into life in hunger and poverty. Thanks for doing this experiment.

  • @thehoneyasmr
    @thehoneyasmr Před 5 lety +1

    Thank you so much for using your platform to try to bring some type of knowledge about how you'd have to eat if you were poor. The fact that this is vegan-friendly is perfect. This was an amazing video. Thank you for focusing on how hard it is to be poor and eat healthy.

  • @hikingandhermitcrabs
    @hikingandhermitcrabs Před 4 lety +1

    Wow. I absolutely loved this video. There needs to be more like this on youtube

  • @magdalenakebede5838
    @magdalenakebede5838 Před 7 lety +23

    Hey Caitlyn! I'm so thankful that you've done this! Recently we're really having money proben (2kids+1 single mom) and I've been eating so much bread because it's so cheap and we rarely got more fruits than apples & bananas. Tbh you're video made me feel more human and less a ashamed of my situation ❤️

  • @choicesdriveus4795
    @choicesdriveus4795 Před 5 lety +75

    You made me cry when you started talking about children trying to concentrate. 💔

  • @nattigabrielle
    @nattigabrielle Před 5 lety +2

    My boyfriend and I are about to move into our own apartment so we really have to work on a budget. This will totally save us. Not to mention how healthy and delicious these meals are. Thank you so much for the beautiful & informative video♡♡♡

  • @claudiacreates554
    @claudiacreates554 Před 5 lety +6

    I realized how we are so much more privileged than others while watching this! I want to say thank u it really humbled me and I have been sick for 3 days and have only eaten about 2 pieces of watermelon and a little bit of applesauce that’s it so I get it

  • @glendapeterson1180
    @glendapeterson1180 Před 5 lety +418

    A really fun video. If you're interested in how poor people made it in the past, watch "Clara's Depression Era Cooking" videos. Her videos were also put into a cookbook. There are several other books on Depression and WWII cooking, which you might enjoy.

    • @phyto.sapien4022
      @phyto.sapien4022 Před 5 lety +7

      I love her videos! 😊

    • @christinabarnett7091
      @christinabarnett7091 Před 5 lety +1

      Glenda Peterson that is so cool, I’m glad I saw your comment!!

    • @mmmmmmmm1942
      @mmmmmmmm1942 Před 5 lety

      Yyyeeessss I love those videos

    • @kaylee8130
      @kaylee8130 Před 5 lety +1

      Glenda Peterson I actually was just watching Clara’s poor mans meal video xd

    • @user-mv5tm8eu5z
      @user-mv5tm8eu5z Před 5 lety +2

      'a really fun video' uhh... what? fun because she only has to do this for a day?

  • @valeriezamacona4755
    @valeriezamacona4755 Před 7 lety +487

    you incredible beautiful beam of sunshine thank you so much for participating in this challenge it's really inspired me to be more conscious of my waste and to be grateful for all i have
    its crazy and so sad to think that kids actually have to power through school with so little food
    love you

  • @sarahmh3971
    @sarahmh3971 Před 4 lety

    I really appreciate how you keep all your videos real! Truly many of us (yes that includes me) cannot afford nor necessarily know how to mix different flavors to make a decadent vegan meal. I also see you as a purist in how your diet! Thank you!

  • @natalieoverton5859
    @natalieoverton5859 Před 5 lety

    This is a really good video. I appreciate how you use your platform to make thought provoking, important content :) subscribing now!

  • @lawiez
    @lawiez Před 6 lety +821

    if i'm on this diet, i'll probably be able to save $$ on the salt...
    the tears cascading down my face will be more than enough to season the food, probably lol

    • @Sirenamia777
      @Sirenamia777 Před 5 lety

      Lmao

    • @bikinggal1
      @bikinggal1 Před 5 lety +11

      salt? salt is el cheapo!! You could actually walk into macdonalds and pick up salt packs and ketchup!!

    • @thirtythreeeyes8624
      @thirtythreeeyes8624 Před 5 lety +5

      @Naughty Hotdog Ya just go without eating for 2 days and the rest of your food will taste better.

    • @TowerofAboveandBelow
      @TowerofAboveandBelow Před 5 lety +10

      @@thirtythreeeyes8624 Starvation definitely enhances the flavor of anything edible.

    • @JayJay-ge9sm
      @JayJay-ge9sm Před 5 lety

      You're a hero for that comment

  • @flo.garner
    @flo.garner Před 6 lety +927

    girl....add garlic and onion
    it will make all food tastier
    i can't imagine eating all of those plain food

    • @alegl5759
      @alegl5759 Před 6 lety +140

      Florensia Garner wasn't in her budget but yeah I agree

    • @limeyfigdet7460
      @limeyfigdet7460 Před 6 lety +170

      Maybe not in the budget, but I would also suggest adding oregano and basil to the tomato sauce that she ate with the bean patties.
      You could use the excuse of already having them on hand, along with at least some powdered garlic and onion. She was really dedicated with this and didn't cut corners though, so respect to her.

    • @SamirCCat
      @SamirCCat Před 6 lety +131

      There would be absolutely no point to this video if she would cheat on her budget. Then she might just eat normally. The whole point is to eat only what she can afford.

    • @ambi6891
      @ambi6891 Před 6 lety +5

      Hell even the pepper is expensive unless you have a bulk store and can get like .10 worth of a spice it wouldn’t be in the budget

    • @maddiesiegmund5623
      @maddiesiegmund5623 Před 6 lety +7

      Florensia Garner she didn't even use oil when she cooked with her skillet. Props to her

  • @813torry
    @813torry Před 5 lety

    i subbed when you put it in the perspective of the people that are less fortune ! you got a heart kiddo keep it up, and hope all is well with school !

  • @mn-zh1sm
    @mn-zh1sm Před 4 lety

    you have such a positive attitude towards all this . really so beautiful 🦋

  • @adrianacorbari146
    @adrianacorbari146 Před 7 lety +215

    really impressed with the variety of meals you were able to achieve which such limited ingredients, really well done, youre so appreciative of everything and positive, truly a role model hats off to you lol

  • @sezmonsta3229
    @sezmonsta3229 Před 6 lety +321

    salt and pepper will save every broke person

    • @aeline1932
      @aeline1932 Před 5 lety +10

      Try buying provence herbs/Herbes de Provence (It's one of the cheapest seasoning you can find in France, and it lasts a long time (100g a year, 5€). It''s maybe more expensive in america). Tastes better, and is so much better for your health.

    • @ashleybeltran7182
      @ashleybeltran7182 Před 5 lety +1

      @@aeline1932 thanks for the advice .😉

    • @ultravioletpisces3666
      @ultravioletpisces3666 Před 5 lety +3

      You can do a lot with season-all.

    • @beautifuldreamz8698
      @beautifuldreamz8698 Před 5 lety

      Trueee

  • @r2b492
    @r2b492 Před 5 lety +4

    You’re so real! Ya know, God bless you.

  • @jenniferchannels1261
    @jenniferchannels1261 Před 5 lety +1

    I’ve watched this video like 10 times. Can you please do another one similar. I love them!!