(YA -- Cheap food suggestions?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20111208123916AAR1FSh )
First, check out some of the ideas for cheap foods and eating cheap in my answers and links in these previous questions --there are also links there for other places that discuss cheap eating strategies:
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091002154306AA8rItq
and:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/794406
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/420877
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/420878
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_PMbdv4L90
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110506111318AADmes7
You can also do things like:
... going any kind of party or meeting/etc where there will be refreshments (or join clubs/groups that do that)
...dropping by by Whole Foods or Costco and other stores/etc that give samples on certain days
...going to soup kitchens and food banks to see what they can give you
...asking your friends/relatives/etc to give you any old cans of food they have around or foods they only have a little left of, etc (see list of things in list in that first link to if you need suggestions of things to ask for or ways to start the conversation) ...or ask them just for a small portion of something, taking your own ziptop bags or containers, like 1 cup of rice or oatmeal, some peanut butter or jam, etc/etc...or get flavorings from them in small amounts like garlic or onion powder, soy sauce, cumin, spice mixes, etc
...asking your friends/etc to invite you for a meal (any meal) and/or to save you the leftovers from a meal or a day
...asking your friends to pick up little packets of things from fast food restaurants for you (or do that yourself) or little containers of coffee creamer/etc, and also from places that have open bars for salsas, jalapenos, or other condiments which can be great for changing the tastes of things you'll likely be eating over and over
...checking out restaurant/fastfood tables where the customer has just left but some salvagable stuff is still on the table (in packets) or take some ziptop baggies with you and be discreet
...seeing if you know anyone who works in the food industry...lots of them get free food from the end of the day, or things that have gotten more than a day old, etc.
...learning to use coupons, or get them online/etc and get serious about using them...you can save a LOT this way, but you'll have to get only things you can get coupons for and a lot of that isn't food
Also get more ideas about getting "free food" here in various ways:
http://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+get+free+food
https://www.google.com/search?q=free+food+scrounging
There's also foraging (for wild-growing plants) and dumpster diving IF you learn how to do them safely:
http://indigenize.wordpress.com/2010/04/19/scrounging-free-food
http://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+forage+food
http://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+dumpster+dive+for+food
