| | Over the past several months, I've read numerous articles in various news media on how difficult it is to eat healthfully on a limited budget. The authors bemoan the cost per calorie for fresh fruits and vegetables compared with energy-rich, fat- and carb-laden fast foods. And there is truth in these articles: the $1 Jr. Cheeseburger will probably satiate your hunger better than $1 worth of tomatoes (1 or maybe 2 medium size, on the vine), arugula (approx. 1 salad's worth), or cucumbers (1.5 regular size, or 3-4 kirby). At those prices, making a salad at home could cost over $5 in ingredients, once you factor in other accoutrements, like chickpeas, cheese, croutons, and salad dressing - which make a salad more hefty and meal-like. What's a cost-conscious and health-conscious individual to do?
When we lived separately, neither Ben nor I thought much about the cost of food. I would go to the grocery store and buy ingredients for one meal for the 2 of us, and not blink an eye when my total rang up to $40. A lot of times, after making the meal, there would be leftover ingredients, which would sit in the fridge untouched until they were unusable (In those days, it was not an uncommon occurrence to find liquefying cucumbers or peppers in a plastic bag at the back of the fridge.) We figured that we were already several steps above our friends by cooking a 1 or 2 dinners/week at home, and that the cost of the ingredients would be far cheaper than an equivalent meal at a restaurant. Good logic...at the time.
But after we bought our home and the mortgage started to figure heavily into monthly expenses, we started looking for easy ways to cut costs. We still like to eat out at nice restaurants as a "date night" or with friends, and go out and enjoy the gastronomic pleasures that NYC has to offer. We have also really ramped up our cooking skills in our new shiny kitchen with dream appliances. And we abide by certain standards at higher price points: fresh vegetables and fruits intsead of frozen or canned (except beans and tomatoes, for sauce), organic milk, nice cheeses, turkey from the deli for Ben's sandwiches, and at least 75% of the time, whole wheat/whole grain for bread, bagels, pasta, and rice. That being said, by smart shopping and careful meal planning, we maintain an average grocery budget of $50/week! That covers Ben's coffee each morning, breakfasts, most lunches, and dinners during the week. We usually go out to eat with friends at least 1x/week, most often on the weekends.
So I've decided that this series of posts will document our meals this week. For each, I will calculate the PPM, or as Ben likes to call it, the "price per meal." It's exactly the fun sort of "back of the envelope" quick calculation that 2 former chemists would love...we mentally add up the approximate cost of ingredients to make the meal and divide by the number of meals that it will make. And then look at each other in mock astonishment. Our crowning glory was the mass production of 22 mouthwateringly delicious, enormous, grilled chicken-corn-rice-bean-cheese-spicy sauced burritos at a grand total of $1.25/burrito, or PPM = 1.25. They defrosted amazingly well even after months of sitting in a deep freeze!
One caveat to this is that we do have the benefit of my very generous parents, who like to bring us staples that they buy from the Asian grocery store, such as rice, tofu, baby bok choy, ginger, cilantro, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Although we feebly try to protest, they also bring us large freezer bags of my dad’s famous pork and cabbage dumplings, which often will hop into rotation as a quick, healthy meal along with a vegetable and brown rice. I will document this honestly and allow that to factor into our cost efficiencies.
Tonight's meal is simple but satisfying: Miso-glazed salmon, broccoli + carrot stir fry, and white rice.
Salmon: Silverbrite wild salmon on sale for $4.99/lb. Cost of 1 large fillet: ~$3.
Broccoli: $0.99/lb - estimate about $0.30 for tonight's meal.
Carrots: 2 lb for $1 - estimate $0.20 (at MOST) for tonight's meal.
White rice: $0 - large bag from my parents.
Miso, soy, brown sugar and other condiments - negligible and not counted towards cost.
2 small servings of ice cream: $1.99/half gallon. Estimated at $0.30.
PPM = $3.80/2, or 1.90
 |
| | Posted 7/12/2009 8:11 PM - 39 Views - 2 eProps - 1 Comment
- recommend
  - recs0
- share
- email
 - sent0
|
