All this food for only 20$!!!
So one of the main reasons for this blog is to show how you eat cheaply but not sacrifice on taste and creativity. Since the beginning of this year I have been trying to live off all homemade meals for under 25$ per week for myself (with dinner including two people).
So far I have found it very doable and actually I find myself eating a lot better tasting food. The catch is it can take some preparation and you have to learn to stop "shopping for meals" and start shopping for ingredients. This is a very different approach to cooking for me. Before I would make a list of things I would want to make and then shop separately for each meal. Now I go out to stores see what produce and items are on sale and get some great deals and then decide what to make out of it during the week. I usually have some general idea what to make but other times I am surprised at what can be put together with different ingredients! The key is to be open and adventurous!
With that being said I also made a couple of rules for myself:
#1 No sweets! This doesn't mean I cant use sugar for cooking but I am getting in better shape and see no reason to spend money on sweets I could easily use on food instead!
#2 Buy as little as prepackaged products as possible! Most things can be cooked cheaper and better tasting with just a little know how and time. I have quickly come to realize that most things take about the same time to cook whether store bought or homemade but the difference in quality is definitely much higher when I make it homemade! (MOST of the time..I have my own house of horror creations that I have also made!)
#3 Cross-tie food items much as possible! Who says certain ingredients go only go in certain foods? Where are the food police? Are they going to come in your house and shut down your kitchen? I usually use the same items all week in such a variety of ways! What goes in soup can also make great crab cakes! What makes a great salad can also make a fantastic pizza! Your an adult now! You can do whatever you want with your food!
One fantastic reference I have used which has inspired a lot of my cooking is from a birthday gift I received from a dear friend. It is a book titled "How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman. It literally is a guide to cooking nearly everything! And if falls short of some culinary knowledge you need there is always the world wide web! (The book "How to Cook..." is also available as a phone app although I find it much handier to keep a physical copy around. Plus we are trying to save money remember! Your best is to find a copy at your local used book store. The book has been around forever and your chances of finding on the cheap are pretty good!)
With that being said, lets get back to cooking! For future shopping list, I will probably list what items I purchase for the week so you can get an idea of what I am actually getting and using! I am looking forward to our cooking adventures together!
Joseph
All this food for only 20$!!!
So one of the main reasons for this blog is to show how you eat cheaply but not sacrifice on taste and creativity. Since the beginning of this year I have been trying to live off all homemade meals for under 25$ per week for myself (with dinner including two people).
So far I have found it very doable and actually I find myself eating a lot better tasting food. The catch is it can take some preparation and you have to learn to stop "shopping for meals" and start shopping for ingredients. This is a very different approach to cooking for me. Before I would make a list of things I would want to make and then shop separately for each meal. Now I go out to stores see what produce and items are on sale and get some great deals and then decide what to make out of it during the week. I usually have some general idea what to make but other times I am surprised at what can be put together with different ingredients! The key is to be open and adventurous!
With that being said I also made a couple of rules for myself:
#1 No sweets! This doesn't mean I cant use sugar for cooking but I am getting in better shape and see no reason to spend money on sweets I could easily use on food instead!
#2 Buy as little as prepackaged products as possible! Most things can be cooked cheaper and better tasting with just a little know how and time. I have quickly come to realize that most things take about the same time to cook whether store bought or homemade but the difference in quality is definitely much higher when I make it homemade! (MOST of the time..I have my own house of horror creations that I have also made!)
#3 Cross-tie food items much as possible! Who says certain ingredients go only go in certain foods? Where are the food police? Are they going to come in your house and shut down your kitchen? I usually use the same items all week in such a variety of ways! What goes in soup can also make great crab cakes! What makes a great salad can also make a fantastic pizza! Your an adult now! You can do whatever you want with your food!
One fantastic reference I have used which has inspired a lot of my cooking is from a birthday gift I received from a dear friend. It is a book titled "How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman. It literally is a guide to cooking nearly everything! And if falls short of some culinary knowledge you need there is always the world wide web! (The book "How to Cook..." is also available as a phone app although I find it much handier to keep a physical copy around. Plus we are trying to save money remember! Your best is to find a copy at your local used book store. The book has been around forever and your chances of finding on the cheap are pretty good!)
With that being said, lets get back to cooking! For future shopping list, I will probably list what items I purchase for the week so you can get an idea of what I am actually getting and using! I am looking forward to our cooking adventures together!
Joseph
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