Watching Oprah's last show really struck a chord in me. She spoke of finding your true calling and to listen to the whisper of Higher Power. I heard a whisper and so here it is - I'm going to share with you how to eat well when you're broke. I have a lot of experience in this area... trust me on this.
First of all, doesn't matter if you're a singleton or if you've got a lot of little ones to feed. You can eat good food (read: not shite) on a budget. For all you recently downsized six-figure suits wondering how on earth you'll survive, hear me now: Cooking is not beneath you. If you can make multimillion dollar decisions, you can cook. Losing a job no matter the circumstance is hard; it doesn't mean that you need to turn to mechanically separated meats to get by.
I'm using Metro's flyer for May 26 - June 1st. For breakfast, why not have some strawberries, blackberries and raspberries (3 for $5)? For all you superkeeners, add a serving of yogurt ($1.99). Seven dollars will give you a great start for about a buck per serving. That's right - a loonie.
Cashmere is on sale for $2.99 for 8 oversize rolls. Stock up on this, kids - this is a great deal. There's nothing like wiping your backside with the good stuff.
How about a nitrate-free roast beef sandwich (roast beef: $1.59 per 100 g) with Boston lettuce ($1.49 a head) on Vilaggio buns (2 packages for $5.00)? Wash it down with a glass of Garden Cocktail (2 bottles for $5.00) for an extra serving of veggies.
Dinner has to be my favourite meal of the day. Take a pork tenderloin ($2.99/lb) and cut it open. Sprinkle salt & pepper all over the surface. Line one end with fresh herbs of your choice (3 for $5) and a couple of slices of brie cheese ($2.89 per 100g). Roll it up and bake at 350 for at least 30 minutes. Serve with steamed asparagus ($2.99/lb) and sliced cucumbers (3 for $1.99).
Here's the best part. All this will cost you $38.92 before taxes. Not only will you be eating well, you'll be eating like a rock star. I've done my best to stay away from ready-made processed shite as this is just poo in its purest form.
Before I move further, I want you all to know that I'm a firm believer in great food that's great for you. If you can, make as much as you can by hand. That way you know what's in your food. If you see something on a label that says "mechanically separated", run for the hills. That's nasty. I want to put this myth of cheap food = shite food therefore it's all I can afford to rest. It's a load of crap. I know what it's like to be broke more than you know so trust me when I say this - DO NOT turn to processed foods when money is tight. It's not worth it in the long run. Your health is priceless and during times of broke-ness is not the time to gamble with your health. A healthy you is going to get you back on track.
This is something I've been meaning to do for some time. I love food and I want to share my broke experiences with you all. If you're unemployed like I am right now, there is NO SHAME in your situation. You are still you. Don't let anyone treat you like a piece of poo because you don't have a job. You are merely going through a temporary situation - that's all. If anyone does treat you differently, always remember that the world works in circles; one day that person who cast that stone will be looking to you for advice to eke out an existence on a budget. It's high time that this negative stigma disappear, especially in these economic times.
Whew! That's all for now. Follow me on Twitter: @athenatitanides. You can also email me at athena.titanides@gmail.com if you have questions, beefs or congrats.
