Tag Archives: #saving money

family, saving money

Basic Ingredients, Better Results

When your kids move away, it is always special when they visit. My daughter called to let me know that she would be coming by on Saturday and would stay for dinner.  Our grill had been out of commission for the last two seasons, but I had hoped to get it up and running with the help of my friend Tom’s expertise.  Alas, that was not to be, but I did my best to throw together a pseudo-barbecue with some pulled pork and traditional sides.

I usually make dinner on one of the weekend days, and this effort fulfilled my obligation.  However, my daughter spent the night, which meant I had to consider dinner plans for Sunday as well.

I grew up in the 1960s, which seemed to be the dawn of the processed food era.  It was common for me to enjoy Campbell’s soups, cake mixes, and frozen pot pies.  Over the years, the concept of convenience has exploded, and when my kids were younger, it wouldn’t be uncommon for all of us to go out to dinner several days a week, with my wife making dinner on the other nights.  

When my wife returned to the paid workforce, something had to give, and suddenly we were eating a lot of frozen pizzas.  My then-middle school-aged kids were up in arms.  I told them that I would start cooking dinners, but only if they were equal participants in the process.  This turned out to be one of my better ideas, as they are all now competent cooks.  Beyond their newfound skills, we had a lot of fun cooking together through the years.

I never had a fear of cooking, as most of it is just edible chemistry, and I imparted that sensibility to my kids.  Once you know the basics of cooking, you see the rationale behind the methods.  

Although I’m no stranger to convenience foods, I prefer having a larder filled with basic staples.  As I have said in previous posts, a box of frozen pancakes gets you pancakes, but a sack of flour can be made into pancakes and a thousand other things. Because of this philosophy, we always have some sort of meat in the freezer as well as a good selection of staples that range from canned tomatoes to herbs and spices.

I had already gone out to buy food for my fake barbeque, and I didn’t feel like going to the store two days in a row.  What to do?  Raid the pantry, of course!  I knew we had some spaghetti and sauce, as well as some fixings for a nice green salad.  I always enjoy having garlic bread with Italian dishes, and I usually keep a frozen loaf in the freezer.  Alas, we were out.  The solution came from the Internet, specifically the website “South Your Mouth,” and Mandy Rivers’ recipe for Cheddar Garlic Muffins.  The ingredients were simple, and with the exception of fresh parsley, we had all the necessary ingredients.  I knew that I could use some dried parsley as a reasonable substitute.

After a quick gathering of ingredients and a light mixing, the muffins were done.  Delicious for today’s dinner (we did sample some as they smelled so good).  

I’m writing this post to encourage people to consider adopting similar habits of utilizing basic foods, as this philosophy will lower your grocery bill while providing you with a higher quality dish.  I can assure you that the longer you make food from scratch, the easier it becomes.  I threw together the muffins in under 10 minutes, and that included washing the bowls and muffin tin.  A basic cookbook, like The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, contains many foolproof and easy recipes, and an internet search will yield thousands more.  For fun, I’ll include the muffin recipe that I made today.  Save money, control what you eat, and learn a creative new skill… start cooking today!

Cheddar Garlic Muffins

1 and ¾ C flour

1 T baking powder

¾ t salt

1.5 t garlic powder

4 oz grated cheddar cheese

2 T fresh parsley (I used dried, about 1 T)

1 egg

1 C milk

¼ C melted butter (in a covered bowl in the microwave for around 15 seconds).

Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another.  Then combine the two, mixing only until combined.  Bake for 15-22 minutes at 400°F (205°C). Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Don’t over bake.

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Pack Your Lunch

In February 2024 this website crashed for no apparent reason. Despite using professionals at GoDaddy.com it was impossible to restore anything after October 2021 (over 100 posts). I do have many of those post in draft form (no final edit or photos) and I have decided to repost them in that manner. I apologize for typos and other errors. How do I feel about losing all of my original work? Life goes on.

The first three videos that I produced for YouTube were on how to pack a lunch.  That was around 2008 and it was in response to treating divorced men who I was seeing in my practice who were going broke buying lunch every day.  Admittedly, the videos were way too long and too detailed. 

I went out with my friend, Tom, for breakfast last weekend.  We have a favorite spot in Chicago and have been going there for years.  Last month breakfast (including tip) for the two of us was around $40.  This month the same meals are close to $50.  Price increases can be found at every prepared food level, from fast food to swanky restaurants.  Based on the above, I thought I would write a post based on my decades of experience of packing everything from a simple lunch to three complete meals.

When I was a medical student I was poor, very poor.  The school that I attended had a lot of wealthy kids who thought nothing of buying their lunch every day.  I was in the small minority who brought lunch and ate it in the barren “medical student lounge.”  In those days may grocery stores had a “generic aisle” of food that was truly generic.  These items were very inferior to house brands.  In fact, once I opened a can of green beans that contained an entire plant: stem, leaves, and roots.  This is where I shopped for food.  In those days I used a simple brown bag, which I eventually upgraded to a fabric bag with a Velcro closure.  My lunches were always the same: generic bread with generic lunch meat (often bologna) or a PBJ, A Capri Sun pouch drink, and a third item such as a piece of fruit or a few sandwich cookies.  My one big extravagance was the purchase of a Swiss Army knife.  A fellow poor student had one and used it to cut up apples and the like.  I saved my penies and bought my very own knife and used it constantly.  In fact, I still have it to this very day.

I graduated medical school and started my residency.  By then I was divorced and with a young child.  I was making money, but not much.  I needed my own apartment (due to my visiting daughter), and I was also paying child support.  Money was very tight, but a bit looser than medical school.  Due to cost, I almost always cooked at home. Typically, I would make a “dinner for two.”  I would immediately separate half of the meal into a rectangular Rubbermaid container.  It was around 1” deep and was designed to accommodate two stacks of lunch meat next to each other.  That container would go into the fridge and would be my lunch for the next day.  It was a great solution and I honestly believe that my lunches were not only more economical, but better tasting than the stuff available in the hospital’s cafeteria.  I would supplement that meal with other foods, like a piece of fruit, or cookies.  When I didn’t have a  leftover meal I would go with whatever I could find in my kitchen.  Cheese and crackers, a sandwich, a can of soup.  The key was being flexible.  I know I had a lunch box of some sort, but I can’t remember what it was. In those days coffee was always available as was water.

When I started my real job I had more money.  Many people around me frequently ordered in food or went out to local restaurants.  Although I could afford to do this, it made no sense.  By bringing my lunch I could use my breaks to complete paperwork and return phone calls.  By not doing that at the end of the day I got to go home as soon as I was finished with my last patient. Here I followed a similar pattern of bringing leftovers, standard lunches, or sometimes shelf-stable meals.  It wasn’t uncommon for me to bring both lunch and dinner.  During the last 10 years of my working life I traveled to Rockford for two days a week.  It wasn’t uncommon for me to bring a light breakfast, lunch and dinner on those days. My lunch bag of choice was a soft sided cooker designed to hold a six pack.  It was compact enough and spacious enough.  An insulated lunch bag is a real lifesaver, and I never had an issue with food spoilage.  

My kids have picked up my habit and almost always bring lunch to work or school. They are still at home and are happy to use family supplies instead of spending their own money.  

The bottom line is that packing a lunch can be very simple and fast once you get the hang of it.  Plus, it will save you quite a bit of money.  Not only will you be saving on exorbitant restaurant prices, you will be using up home foods that you would likely throw out.

I believe that you should follow the KISS option when making lunch, or keep it simple silly.  The more complex you make it, the less likely you will continue to do it.  Personally, I’m the type of person who doesn’t like to rush in the morning so I would usually do everything the night before, including making my lunch. Then it was just grab and go.

Contain your food.