[mikelevins]

I've been in similar situations before (though my family situation is luckier); I sympathize.

I don't know what LA is like, but I had good luck some years ago in the Denver area finding grocery stores with good dumpsters.

A good dumpster is one where the staff throws out food that is still perfectly good to eat, but that they know is unlikely to sell. Stuff like fruit that's too ripe and starting to accumulate bruises, or bakery goods that will soon get stale. A good dumpster is one where the staff doesn't really try to keep you out, and doesn't mix gross stuff with the good food. Finding good ones is a crapshoot, but if you do find one, it can be a big help.

My experience was that cafes and restaurants weren't generally worth the effort unless you were friendly with kitchen staff. Not all grocery stores are good, but I always managed to find some that were.

Dry beans and dry rice can keep you going a long time for next to no money, but of course you need some place to keep them and some place to cook them.

I wish you the best of luck.