How a Portland Musician Uses a CSA and Double Up Food Bucks to Eat Well on $75 a Week

Hi, {{first__name | reader}},

Welcome back to Rose City Receipts by Stumptown Savings! If you’re new here (welcome), each week people from the Portland area are sharing their tips and tricks for juggling grocery shopping, dining out, and keeping those budgets in check. Want to be in the spotlight? Just give me a shout!

Today, we hear from Nick from Richmond. Nick walks us through a week of balancing grocery shopping with his weekly CSA delivery. He also shares how Oregon’s Double Up Food Bucks helps him stretch his budget, and a simple but flavorful recipe for summer minestrone! 

Who are you?: I’m Nick, a single creative professional working as a digital media editor. I moved to Portland from California in 2023 for a change of pace and to continue pursuing my dream of writing and releasing original music.
Where do you live?: I live in the Richmond neighborhood of SE Portland, close to Mount Tabor.
What’s your weekly grocery budget (roughly)?: $75
How many people are you shopping for?: 1
What are your favorite stores?: Trades Joe’s is my go-to for pretty much anything except fresh fruits and vegetables. I’m currently signed up for a summer CSA for veggies, but otherwise get them at New Seasons, or less often, Whole Foods.
What’s your top priority when it comes to grocery shopping?: My top priority is value, above a certain level of quality. I cook a lot, so it tends to be easy to find quality ingredients for a good price vs. buying things that are more ready-made.

I tend to improvise a lot when cooking, but will usually plan things around protein sources, like chicken or salmon. For example, I’ll often buy and roast a whole chicken to use in different ways, including making broth for soups and sauces. Also, I make a list of things I need before going to the store, so I don’t overspend or wander aimlessly through the aisles. My biggest challenge is probably trying not to waste anything. I’m usually able to incorporate leftover ingredients into a dish, but when the week gets busy, sometimes salad greens get slimy or that last chicken thigh is forgotten.

Weekly total: $92
Eating out total: $13
Groceries total: $79
Most-expensive line item: matcha powder ($20)
Least-expensive line item: corn tortillas ($3.50)
Number of grocery trips: 2 ½
Number of meals out: 1
Stores visited: New Seasons, Providore Fine Foods

The summer heat had me craving Chicago style hot dogs (the best, in my opinion). I stopped by New Seasons for dog ingredients and a few other items, like butter, matcha powder, and corn tortillas (for easy taco meals).

For breakfast, I had my go-to: oatmeal porridge w/ currants, protein powder, and milk. No lunch today. Chicago style hot dogs with pepperoncini, tomatoes, mustard, pickles, and onion for dinner.

Monday total: $60

I picked up some fresh spaghetti today at Providore Fine Foods. I like to have some kind of noodles on hand for impromptu Vietnamese style cold noodle dishes with leftover veggies.

I made poached eggs for breakfast with potatoes and leftover veggies from my CSA box (tomatoes and sautéed chard). Hot dog leftovers for lunch. For dinner, I made minestrone soup with rice and added whatever veggies I had left.

Tuesday total: $9

I picked up my weekly CSA veggie box today, and stopped by New Seasons for buns and chips to stretch my hot dog leftovers.

Breakfast today was oatmeal porridge, followed by leftover minestrone soup for lunch, and hot dog leftovers for dinner.

Wednesday total: $10

The usual oatmeal porridge for breakfast today. Worked through lunch and didn’t feel like cooking dinner, so got a burrito from Pepinos on Hawthorne.

Thursday total: $13

Oatmeal porridge for breakfast today. No lunch, minestrone soup leftovers for dinner.

Friday total: $0

Saturday, I made a “fancy” breakfast sandwich with tomatoes from my veggie box, and English muffin, fried egg, and balsamic vinegar drizzle. Stretched the last of my Chicago dog ingredients for an early dinner.

Sunday was oatmeal porridge for breakfast and leftover minestrone soup with rice for dinner.

Weekend total: $0

I’ve been using SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) since an unexpected layoff last fall, and one thing I discovered is you can use them for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) subscription. Not only that, but Oregon also has a program called “Double Up Food Bucks,” which matches any benefits you spend at certain CSAs and farmers markets, cutting the cost in half!

My favorite recipe lately has been minestrone soup, because you can throw almost anything in there, and it still works. 

I start by sautéing diced carrots, celery, and onions with olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper, in a large saucepan. I then layer in more veggies, like green beans, kale, tomatoes (or whatever I have), according to cooking time. Once everything is tender, I cover with broth or water and add thyme, bay leaves, and more salt and pepper before simmering. 

This is delicious on its own, but I’ll often add a protein, like chicken, and serve with pasta or brown rice.

I’m so grateful to Nick for walking us through how he uses his SNAP benefits and Oregon’s Double Up Food Bucks program to eat great without breaking the bank! While there’s no denying food costs have risen dramatically in recent years, it’s wonderful to see how programs like SNAP and DUFB allow people to eat high-quality, local foods on a budget. If you’re on SNAP and aren’t utilizing these programs, what are you waiting for? The Pacific Northwest Community Supported Agriculture organization can even help you pick the perfect CSA for your budget and needs.

Want to be featured in Rose City Receipts? Email [email protected] and share your grocery shopping approach!

Happy saving!

Bryan M. Vance,
Founder/Publisher,
Stumptown Savings