The $25 Food Project: Day 7

I’m attempting to feed my 6-foot, 205-pound fiancé for one week for $25. This is our story.

Folks, we’re done. Wrapped. Fini. If this experiment was The Beatles, today is Let it Be. (Or Abbey Road, depending on what country you occupy.) We’re mostly pretty triumphant, and came in a penny under the $25, which I will now frame and hang in the shower.

There’s a ton coming tomorrow - conclusions, a shopping list, an exit interview – so we’re gonna cut straight to the numbers and a few notes tonight. Hope they’re informative, and we’ll see y’all soon!

DAY 7 TOTALS: 2575 calories, 98.3 g fat, 43 g fiber, $3.72
GRAND PRICE TOTAL: $24.99

BREAKFAST
2 servings Maple Morning Polenta: 516 calories, 9.2 g fat, 8.2 g fiber, $0.63
1 banana: 121 calories, 0.4 g fat, 3.5 g fiber, $0.23
TOTALS: 637 calories, 9.6 g fat, 11.7 g fiber, $0.86
PREP TIME: 10 minutes

LUNCH
1 serving Traditional Mashed Potatoes (skim milk): 250 calories, 9 g fat, 3.7 g fiber, $0.17
1/2 serving Easy Vegetarian Bean Chili: 122 calories, 3.3 g fat, 4.6 g fiber, $0.35
2/3 cup mixed baby greens: 5 calories, 0 g fat, 1 g fiber, $0.20
1/2 tablespoon olive oil: 60 calories, 6.7 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.06
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar: 0 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.01
2 ounces chicken breast: 62 calories, 6.8 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.21
3 Snickerdoodles: 450 calories, 20.4 g fat, 1.5 g fiber, $0.30
TOTALS: 949 calories, 46.2 g fat, 10.8 g fiber, $1.30
PREP TIME: Made most of it during breakfast, plus 5 minutes

DINNER
3 jumbo eggs: 287 calories, 19.3 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.63
1 medium potato (5,7 oz): 157 calories, 0.2 g fat, 3.7 g fiber, $0.11
1 tablespoon veggie oil: 124 calories, 14 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.09
1/3 onion, minced: 15 calories, 0 g fat, 0.5 g fiber, $0.10
1/2 cup spinach: 15 calories, 0 g fat, 0.5 g fiber, $0.10
1 banana: 121 calories, 0.4 g fat, 3.5 g fiber, $0.23
TOTAL: 719 calories, 33.9 g fat, 8.2 g fiber, $1.26
PREP TIME: About 30 minutes

DESSERT
2 servings Roasted Chickpeas: 270 calories, 8.6 g fat, 12.3 g fiber, $0.30
TOTALS: 270 calories, 8.6 g fat, 12.3 g fiber, $0.30
PREP TIME: 35 minutes, mostly roasting

NOTES
  • Dinner was a spinach frittata, home fries, and a banana. I loves me some frittatas because they’re easy and look good. Which is also how I like my men. (HAHAHAHA sorry.)
  • He’s a big fan of breakfast in general, but the Maple Morning Polenta was a real hit with the Husband-Elect. I don’t know if it’s the taste or his love affair with corn products, but I’ll take it.
  • I finally kicked the Chili tonight. Henceforth, it will be called Infinity Chili.