But still interested in feeding yourself? What if I told you that there’s a person with a blog who had to feed both themselves and their young son…on 10 British pounds ($15/14 Euro) per week?
This individual (Jack Monroe) saved my life last year. Actually saved my life. I had a piggy bank full of change and that’s it. Many people in my fandom might remember that dark time as when I had to hock my writing skills in exchange for donations. I cried a lot then.
This is real talk, people: I marked down exactly what I needed to buy, totaled it, counted out that exact change, and then went to three different stores to buy what I needed so I didn’t have to dump a load of change on just one person. I was already embarrassed, but to feel people staring? Utter shame suffused me. The reasons behind that are another post all together.
AgirlcalledJack.com is run by a British person who was on benefits for years. Things got desperate. They had to find a way to feed themselves and their son using just the basics that could be found at the supermarket. But the recipes they came up with are amazing.
You have to consider the differing costs of things between countries, but if you just have three ingredients in your cupboard, Jack Monroe will tell you what to do with it. Check what you already have. Chances are you have the basics of a filling meal already.
Here’s her list of kitchen basics.
Bake your own bread. It’s easier than you think. Here’s a list of many recipes, each using some variation of just plain flour, yeast, some oil, maybe water or lemon juice. And kneading bread is therapeutic.
Make your own pasta–gluten free.
Monroe gets it. They really do. This is the article that started it all. It’s called “Hunger Hurts”.
They have vegan recipes. Including a chocolate/beetroot cake. YUM.
A carrot, a can of kidney beans, and some cumin will get you a really filling soup…or throw in some flour for binding and you’ve got yourself a burger.
Don’t have an oven or the stove isn’t available? She covers that in her Microwave Cooking section.
They have a book, but many recipes can be found on their blog for free. They price their recipes down to the cent, and every year they participate in a project called “Living Below the Line” where they have to live on 1 BP per day of food for five days.
Things improved for me a little, but her website is my go to. I learned how to bake bread (using my crockpot, but that was my own twist), and I have a little cart full of things that saved me back then, just in case I need them again. Jack Monroe gives you the tools to feed yourself, for very little money, and that’s a fabulous feeling.
Tip: Whenever you have a little extra money, buy a 10 dollar/pound/euro giftcard from your discount grocer. Stash it. That’s your super emergency money. Make sure they don’t charge by the month for lack of use, though.
I don’t care if it sounds like an advertisement–you won’t be buying anything from the site. What I DO care about is your mental, emotional, and physical health–and dammit, food’s right in the center of that.
If you don’t need this now, pass it on to someone who does. Pass it on anyway, because do you REALLY know which of the people in your life is in need? Which follower might be staring at their own piggy bank? Trust me: someone out there needs to see this.
Edit Dec 30, 2015: Tumblr FINALLY gave me back the ability to edit posts, so here it is.
1. Jack recently came out as genderfluid and requests that the pronouns they/their/them be used, so this post has been edited to reflect that.
2. Their blog title has been changed to http://cookingonabootstrap.com/
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