The dining room in my first apartment.
My favorite meal in my twenties:
Chicken Piccata over wild rice
served with a side of cherry tomatoes in a
basil, olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette
My favorite meal in my twenties:
Chicken Piccata over wild rice
served with a side of cherry tomatoes in a
basil, olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette
We all know how hard it can be to feed a family in this down-economy. When a parent loses a job, has hours cut, or doesn't receive an expected bonus ... the financial impact can certainly change the way a family eats and shops.
But what about young adults? The twenty-somethings who are heading off to college or are out there trying to make a living during a time when jobs can be scarce and the ones out there are extremely low-paying? Some post-graduates (or the many who are on a financial-sabbatical from college) may even have huge student loan debt plus rent to pay, while being financially responsible for the first time.
I remember spending $20.00 a week on groceries back when I had my first job, my first apartment, and years worth of student loans ahead of me (hard to believe this is going back 20 years now). Back then, $20.00 actually bought a decent amount of food for one person (who ate like a bird anyway). Breakfast was a bagel. I didn't drink coffee. Lunch was yogurt or salad. Dinner was bread, cheese and fruit; a spinach, mushroom and feta cheese calzone; or a splurge would be chicken piccata (a rare meal that I made for friends). I didn't worry much about putting food on my table back then, but what if I were just starting out on my own in the challenging economy of 2009?
Today, that same $20.00 might amount to a loaf of bread, a roast chicken, some apples, a box of cereal and perhaps a gallon of milk. As long as you like cereal (which is actually a good healthy choice provided it isn't covered with sugar) you could probably get by for a few days with this amount of food. But what if you had less than $20.00 to spend after paying bills, rent, etc.? What if you didn't even have a job? Today there are no guarantees. There are people in every age group that are struggling with how to get by with tighter budgets.
While blog-surfing (I started on Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic and then kept going ...) I caught a series of posts on how to survive during financially difficult times from the experienced point of view of the very chic Amoura Rose of Vancouver BC (her motto is "Live beautifully. Think elegantly"). In one entry, she tells the story of how as a student she was living on a food budget of a mere $5 to $15 per week. Her post on ways to really save money on food is worth taking a look at ... it certainly isn't artful cooking, but it is food for thought. (be sure to read the posted comments for additional tips on eating healthy while saving money at the grocery store). A box of mac and cheese doesn't have to be the answer ...
Something else I have been thinking about ...
When trying to come up with inexpensive recipes, look to cuisines that are known to feed a lot for less. I just read a great book, The Lost Recipe for Happiness by Barbara O'Neal. In it, the main character, a chef at an Aspen restaurant, whips up delicious menus based on her family roots in New Mexico, while discovering the essential ingredients to living a happy life. Favorite recipes linked to cherished memories are sprinkled throughout the novel. Sharing the experience of food, like creating tacos with family or friends for example, can satisfy hunger while nourishing the soul. Buen apetito!
Posted by Yvonne Blacker
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