I have spent a few hours putting together my shopping list and meal plan for the R12 a day Live Below the Line Challenge. It was challenging – I won’t lie! Buying food for the week for R120 is one thing (i.e. R12 x 5days x 2 people), but maintaining a healthy, balanced meal plan is quite tough. So here is my shopping list. Feel free to make alternative suggestions or adjust to your own likes if you are taking the challenge. More thoughts on the challenge itself will follow next week.
Shopping List:
Oats (500gr; 3 breakfasts) – R11.39
Whole Wheat Low GI Bread (1 loaf; 2breakfasts [w/ eggs] + 2 lunches [w/ soup] – R7.29
Eggs (2breakfasts) – R7.49
Brown Rice Parboiled (500grm; 2suppers) – R6.49
Noodles (2 suppers) – R7.78
Lentils (400grm; 2 lunches soup) – R5.99 – can also use soup mix with lentils, beans etc
Pork Bankers (8pieces; 2 suppers; can also put in other suppers or soup) – R16.49 – can rather use chicken pieces, or substitute for other protein such as kidney beans (R10.99 for 500gr) or for more veg (Swiss Chard at 4.99) etc.
Carrots (1kg) – R6.99
Butternut (1.5kg) – R6.24
Potatoes (1.2kg) – R9.70 – can do 600gr potato and 600g sweet potato for the same price
Beans (1 punnet) – R6.99
Onions (2) – R2
Mielies (4pieces; 2 lunches) – R8
Soup stock – R4.89
Lite medium fat spread (for cooking with too) – R8.49 – apparently a medium/low fat spread is better than butter if low in transfat
TOTAL: R116.22
What will we do with that last R4?? Ha ha – well, maybe cost out spices or add in more veg or buy an apple or two or jelly or orange juice concentrate (in the sachets). So many options!
So there it is – if you have any other creative ideas feel free to share – remembering we only have R120 for all food items! (and you can check out the rules here. Good luck to all who are taking on the challenge and I hope it really does change your perspective on the poor, the poverty line, and how you live.
On Afternoons and Coffeespoons 
I used to live in a hippy commune and it’s similar to what we ate. It was an eastern style commune with emphasis on Krishna. I am a Christian now, but my food choices have come from that experience.
I would ditch the fatty pork and buy another 2 onions, Swiss chard, gem squash, avocado pear. I would not use fat spread as even low in trans fats is a heart risk. What do you need to fry that requires so much fat spread?
Stick mostly with soups, sandwiches, leftover soup for lunch, beans, lentils. Avocados are in season now and make great sandwiches.
Ask at the Krishna centre in Rondebosch for recipes. They also give away free food.