Cooking at home on Sunday - Abigail

I am getting ready for the work week by cooking ahead. My goals during this fast was 1) to stay within budget and 2) to eat healthfully. So far so good but with no condiments (such as cinnamon for coffee, basil etc. for the chicken legs in the oven), things already seem a bit dull. I finally let myself use some mustard on the chicken rationalizing that if I were really living this way, I'd be saving condiment packages from fast food places (assuming that I could afford them now and then.)

So what did I purchase at Key Foods? I bought eggs, chicken legs, ground beef (a small amount divided into 5 patties), brown rice, dried beans, dried lentils, butter (which can also substitute for oil), coffee, and two packages of frozen veggies which can be a side dish or go into an omelette. Also purchased was a small bar of cheese, for eggs, burgers, topping etc. I did reasonably well for $21.36 by reading the circular, comparing prices, buying the store brand. If I had been a bit more proactive and gotten the store shopping card, my savings would have been greater. It was quite a wake up call to hear neighboring shoppers complain about how expensive everything was.

I plan to pack lunches for the next four days including a thermos of coffee. So far I feel that I have enough food but nevertheless, worry about it! Also, although I have about $5 dollars in reserve, I do not want to spend it unless particularly tempting fresh fruit appears on my path. Last night I really craved a beer but it was not in the budget!

Can a person live on $4 a day in New York? Only by being very careful to seek out bargains, cooking in quantity, and avoiding any impulse buys. Planning and eating at home (or bringing food with you) are key. Also, anything "extra" such as spices, condiments, wine/beer, probably require saving. I wonder, though, about bigger appetites -teenagers, grown men. It has got to be hard.

Thanks for reading my post. Abigail