lynn Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 This would be for a young male student who needs a little help. Probably nothing that has to be cooked beyond a microwave would be good. I don't know about refrigeration, I believe he has basic utensils. So far I have: crackers peanut butter bananas/apples poptarts maybe some Ramen, chef boy r d, soups loaf of bread tuna fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Well, honestly, I'd ditch the ramen, poptarts and the crackers in favor of soup, healthy granola bars, and bread. Peanut butter for sure. They are not super healthy, but I have sent those Hormel Complete Meals to my son--shelf stable that can be made in the mic or in boiling water. I sent my son a box of stuff recently--he does have access to a stove/oven, so I sent mac and cheese (you can get microwaved kind), tuna, soup, completes, beans and rice, granola bars and instant oatmeal, plus dried fruit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share Posted April 5, 2013 Well, honestly, I'd ditch the ramen, poptarts and the crackers in favor of soup, healthy granola bars, and bread. Peanut butter for sure. They are not super healthy, but I have sent those Hormel Complete Meals to my son--shelf stable that can be made in the mic or in boiling water. I sent my son a box of stuff recently--he does have access to a stove/oven, so I sent mac and cheese (you can get microwaved kind), tuna, soup, completes, beans and rice, granola bars and instant oatmeal, plus dried fruit. I like your list better. I woke up way to early to think this through.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I would give healthy, nonperishable food: dried fruit, nuts, peanut butter, juice cans or juice boxes of vege/fruit juice (like V8 Fusion), milk in vacuum-sealed cartons. Apples last pretty long without refrigeration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 LOL--It's hard to keep it under $20, that is for sure. I mailed him the box--so I used a "stuff as much in as you can for one low price" box from the post office--amazing how much fit! I think I spent about $40, but it got him thru til the food stamps kicked in. I was going for survival, not as much for nutrition, so some things were pretty high in sodium but had calories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Could you just send a grocery gift card? Then he could get the basics? if not I would think healthy granola bars, fruits, sandwich stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 A young male student? I'd send gift cards to nearby restaurants. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I don't think I am following. When I read the post I understood that this guy has $20 to his name but needs food. But in reading further posts I am wondering if you mean YOU want to spend $20 on him for food? Are you needing to ship it? Either I need more coffee or I am not fully following what is going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 My young male student would suggest Easy Mac! Good of you to look after this young man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Hmm. If I were trying to keep it around $20, I think I'd get (these are 'regular'/non-sale prices I'd pay here in MI): A loat of HFCS free 100% whole wheat bread (we get Aunt Millies) - $2.29 A jar of natural peanut butter: $3.49 A bag of either apples or oranges: $3.49 Three microwave ready bowls of EasyMac or some other sort of ravioli/ramen noodles: $4 A bag of sunchips or other healthyish snack, like veggie chips or whatever: $3.49 That's $16.76. I'd spend the rest on whatever I could find a good deal on. Some ideas would be: Some drink boxes of milk; Somtimes Kroger puts the Horizons Organic milk boxes on sale for $1 each A box of healthyish cereal, like Cheerios for example those tuna salad packages that come with the tuna and mayo together natural jelly/jam 100% juice boxes individual cups of fruit or applesauce perhaps a small treat, like right now I'd check out the clearance Easter candy (I'm sure this would be much appreciated by a broke college student) Knowing me, I'd end up spending somewhere between $30 and $40 because I couldn't get him everything I wanted to for $20. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeritasMama Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Rice and beans :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 pull tab cans of sardines - no cooking required and long shelf life instant oatmeal - just need a bowl/mug and hot water unsulphered dried fruits - good for snacking and fiber nuts - easy snacking granola bars - good for exams cramming season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Going for cheap, filling, reasonably tasty, and somewhat nutirious . . . Large peanut butter Two loaves of bread Ramen noodles x10 Granola bars Honey (shelf stable substitute for jam) or jam if he has fridge access Large box of raisin bran or similar cereal Shelf stable milk - two three packs Bag of apples Bunch of bananas Big box pretzels, flavorful crackers, or similar salty type snack like goldfish, etc. I'd skip juices, as they are low in nutrition AND don't fill you up either. No veggies, I know. Sad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandsam Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Ramen noodles, granola bars, crackers, a mega jar of peanut butter, maybe some nutella, pop tarts, mac and cheese. I'm trying to think like a college man. Honestly, I would have sent a grocery gift card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 I'd skip trying to buy heathy stuff. The kid probably just needs to eat. I'd look at what is on sale in your area right now. Chef Boy Ar Dee ravioli and such is on sale here for 68 cents a can. Large boxes of Cheerios (several flavors) for $2.50. Pop Tarts 18 in a box for $3.25. Mac and cheese boxes for under $1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 I'd skip trying to buy heathy stuff. The kid probably just needs to eat. I'd look at what is on sale in your area right now. Chef Boy Ar Dee ravioli and such is on sale here for 68 cents a can. Large boxes of Cheerios (several flavors) for $2.50. Pop Tarts 18 in a box for $3.25. Mac and cheese boxes for under $1. Same here. Easy, filling, and cheap would be the order of the day if I was buying the stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 If you are shipping it, I'd send a gift card instead and add the cost of what you would have spent on postage to the value of the gift card. Shipping a $20 box of food could easily be $10-15 extra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Forget healthy and go w/ cheap, filling, and what will give him the most bang for the buck. Lg jar of peanut butter, bread, crackers, cans of tuna or chicken, cans of ravioli, hearty soups, mac n cheese if he can cook it, lg bag or box of generic filling cereal (cheerios or frosted mini wheats), maybe some canned fruit, cans of beans- like pork and beans, beanie weenie. Hot dogs! Eggs if he has a place to store them or cook them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 If you are shipping it, I'd send a gift card instead and add the cost of what you would have spent on postage to the value of the gift card. Shipping a $20 box of food could easily be $10-15 extra. I was thinking the gift card would be a good idea, too, but then I got to wondering if the guy's local grocery store sells beer........................ :cheers2: Of course, on the bright side, at least he wouldn't be thirsty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 This would be for a young male student who needs a little help. Probably nothing that has to be cooked beyond a microwave would be good. I don't know about refrigeration, I believe he has basic utensils. So far I have: crackers peanut butter bananas/apples poptarts maybe some Ramen, chef boy r d, soups loaf of bread tuna fish as above, but add beans, rice, and orange juice. I don't think that $20 would buy everything on your list, though. What a good friend/aunt/neighbor you are for this young man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 I was thinking the gift card would be a good idea, too, but then I got to wondering if the guy's local grocery store sells beer........................ :cheers2: Of course, on the bright side, at least he wouldn't be thirsty. I'd just trust him. If I had reason not to trust him, I'd reconsider but for the most part, I don't think college kids will let themselves starve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 I'd just trust him. If I had reason not to trust him, I'd reconsider but for the most part, I don't think college kids will let themselves starve. Perhaps he's an enterprising young man, and would trade some of the beer for food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Perhaps he's an enterprising young man, and would trade some of the beer for food. Or perhaps he doesn't drink. Stranger things have happened. Oh course, I am also someone who doesn't care if money I give to a man on the street goes to beer or not. I gave it to him, it's his, he can decide what to spend it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Or perhaps he doesn't drink. Stranger things have happened. Oh course, I am also someone who doesn't care if money I give to a man on the street goes to beer or not. I gave it to him, it's his, he can decide what to spend it on. You know I was kidding, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 You know I was kidding, right? Ditto. We are both kidding. Stranger things have happened. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Ditto. We are both kidding. Stranger things have happened. ;) :D :D :D :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 :D :D :D :D My humor gets a mite too dry at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted April 6, 2013 Share Posted April 6, 2013 Is there a way nowadays to send a gift card electronically? That way you wouldn't even have to use a stamp, let alone shipping costs. ... Honestly, I'd ask him what he would want. For every item on the above lists, there are many college students who would not eat them, and they'd be wasted (or given away, which is better, but doesn't get this guy fed). When I went to grad school, I bought a ton of cheap mini cans of vegetables etc. - thinking, nonperishable = smart. When I moved out two years later, 95% of the cans were still under my bed. They were tossed. Best intentions and all that . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 I had a friend who had $5 for his first week of college. He ate pb on bread everyday, 3 times a day. My list looks similar to yours... bread $2 pb $3 bananas $2 tuna 4 cans= $3 1# bag of carrots = $1 bag of salad = $2 bag of clementines = $3 ramen--6 = $2 tax = $2 I went for flavor....having eaten pbj sandwiches and frozen burritos WAY too often while putting myself through school, having variety is awesome. If he eats like my oldest boy, though, and has pots to cook in and a bit of skill, I'd buy a 5# box of rice in place of the ramen and clementines. If I were buying for my oldest, I'd buy at our local Aldi: big bag of rice: $3 box of oatmeal: $3 bag of apples: $3 cinnamon $1 loaf of bread $2 peanut butter $2.25 1# bag of carrots $1 eggs: $1.25 frozen mixed veg: $1.50 oil:$2 cinnamon apple oatmeal for breakfast, pb sandwich + carrots for lunch, fried rice for dinner---mostly rice with a hint of egg and veg... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 All of the above suggestions were great . . . but add to that one of those giant sticks of pepperoni because it is awesome. Add some triscuits and a block of aged cheddar and you will be a hero. I do realize the package has been mailed and this is all for fun now :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 There are beans and rice pouches you can get, that you just microwave. The beans would be fiber and protein. Cans of chili. Peanut butter. Bread. Apples Cans of ravioli cream cheese bagels milk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Does he have any way to heat anything? If so: Eggs Cheese Nut butter Whole wheat bread or crackers Corn tortilla chips His favorite beans in a can Milk Protein bars Oatmeal Oranges Bananas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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