Eating on Two-Packs-a-Day.

The concept of eating cheaply, I mean really cheaply, came partly out of necessity and partly out of a sense of experimentation and adventure. After my restaurant was forced to close due to the economic climate of the times,  I decided to really get serious about our budget. As with many families, there were only so many places where we could cut our expenditures. Utilities, housing, and automobile expenses didn't leave much wiggle-room so we decided to "cut our money where our mouths are," we'd cut on food. Luckily, I have a modicum of culinary expertise and a little bit of creativity so I thought that this would be an easy exercise. The only question was how cheaply could I feed us? The discussion spilled over into conversations with some friends and I wagered that I could design a menu for two people that would cost about as much as our friend spends on her two- pack-a-day cigarette habit, ten dollars. Additionally, I looked at the USDA Food Plan Cost of Food at Home chart; their Thrifty Plan for two allocates about $78.30 per week. I opted to create a plan to spend $250.00 - $275.00 per month for two people. Incidentally, if you have a more "typical" family, the USDA Thrifty Plan for a family of four allocates $130.00 per week.

I invite you to join me as I develop recipes, shop, cook, and eat. We'll examine the economic realities of low-income eating as well as the nutritional parameters to keep in mind when planning menus.