Last month I decide to make mercimek köftesi, those delightful little lentil and bulgur appetizers from Turkey. The pictures below is how the actually appeared.
The picture below is how mine turned out.
While the flavor was not, so far as I remember, like what we had in Turkey (Mine had bit too much onion I think) it was none the less more or less on the mark.
I ended up making 28 of them. 4 of them is enough for a meal. On a bit a of a lark, I wondered how much the meal cost me. I added up the cost of the ingredients - lentils, bulgur, tomato paste, onion, green onion, a few spices - a total of $4.67. Divide by 7 (the numbers of meals I got out it) and that was $0.67 per meal.
What an interesting thought exercise, I thought to myself. I wonder how much I spend on meals. overall.
My diet has changed somewhat since I start fully living here in New Home 2.0, partially because of the fact that I am an inherently lazy cook that opts for the least amount of time and energy cooking and partly because of the fact that by accident or design (or both), I am trying to lose some weight for health reasons - and, of course, with money being a bit tight, being sensible about my meal planning is helpful. As a result, I tend to now eat a lot of dairy (I always did, of course) and more vegetables and fruits - and less meat. In fact, outside of some salmon last Friday, I do not think I have had meat in almost a month.
Breakfasts remain the same for me five of seven days a week: oatmeal, yogurt, coffee, protein powder, and vitamins. The other two days are dairy free so no yogurt or whey with more oatmeal. Cost of these meals is $3.05 a serving ($1.75 on dairy free days). The protein powder is my big extravagance (almost half the cost of breakfast), but worth the amount of protein it has for the calories.
Lunch is almost always the same now as well: spinach, homemade bread, homemade cheese, apple, fruit (currently mandarins as they are on sale), carrots, and almonds. Cost is $1.69 with dairy and $1.43 without dairy.
Dinner always has romaine lettuce, croutons (one serving, or five croutons) and a tablespoon of red wine vinegar. The main dish varies: it can be mercimek köftesi as above or eggs (2-3) or lentils and rice or pan fried tofu. The cost runs anywhere from $1.18 (mercimek köftesi) to $2.02 for eggs. Were I to "level up" with chicken breasts, the cost is $1.38.
Bottom line? I can eat between $5.92 and $6.76 a day (interestingly to me, eggs are the most expensive dinner). Average cost a day for 3 meals and two snacks is $6.26 a day, or $43.87 a week. A meal like that is easily 1700-1800 calories per day without trying hard at all - and most days, I now find myself filled up after dinner.
The cost, mind you, is not linear: I can get oatmeal at Costco for $7.99 per 113 half cup servings and 48 eggs for $5.69. Milk is $3.64 a gallon - but from that I can easy get two weeks worth of yogurt or two weeks worth of cheese, plus a week's worth of whey to drink. Things like spinach and romaine lettuce have to be purchased a bit more regularly, or course. And I am not truly accounting for things like homemade bread and coffee, other than in a very generalized cost given the volume I have to buy the raw materials to make them.
A couple of points to keep in mind:
1) I live 100% in an urban area and do not grow anything, therefore I have to purchase everything. That said, I can take some raw materials like milk or flour and forward process them.
2) I am not a very original cook and I am not trying very hard.
For comparison (if you have not been out of late), a "reasonable" meal for two perhaps including a non-water beverage and entrée will run you at least $40 or more, before the tip. For that amount, I can basically feed myself for a week.
Do I consider myself particularly meritorious for doing this? Not really, no - although it has been a great exercise in minimalist eating, has allowed me to shed some pounds, and saved me some money. But it has taught me at least one thing: I can cut costs with the best of them.
I think you're doing an admirable job of keeping your meal costs reasonable. I confess I was a bit shocked at what you have to pay for oatmeal. That's double for what I buy it for. City living being what it is, people are pretty much held captive by whatever the cost of living happens to be. It's just the way it is.
ReplyDeleteYour mercimek köftesi may not look like the ones you ate in Turkey, but they look really good anyway!
Thanks Leigh.
DeleteI have not compared the price of oatmeal against my local bulk goods provider. It might be an interesting comparison - although (runs quickly to the patnry) I get 10 lbs for $0.79. That would likely be hard to beat locally.
One of the great difficulties of city living is the fact the salaries are higher, but of course so is everything else. As you say, it is what it is.
The mercimek köftesi were actually pretty good although - note to self - they do not hold up well after freezing and tend to fall apart upon thawing.
Nice Post!!
ReplyDeletePlease Look Here At Keto Lunch in Abu Dhabi
Anon. - Sadly, Abu Dhabi is a bit outside of my area of operations for ordering. That said, I am looking more into Levantine/Mediterranean cuisine as it has some useful options.
DeleteAny farmers markets about? There are a couple of mom & pop restaurants that the two of us visit once a week and since we don't drink coffee maybe 10 bucks for each for breakfast or lunch. I'd rather give those folks growing stuff the $$ rather than the supermarkets.
ReplyDeleteNylon12, there are at least two, although both of them are winding down now due to the weather. I did a bit of stopping by there during the Summer. I would have to plan out my meal plan; the prices seem a little beyond high to me even for supporting local businesses which I think is due to the fact we are in a rather affluent area, all things considered.
DeleteI would not do well on your diet as I have developed a severe case of lactose intolerance in the last year and a half. It has been a learning curve for me to avoid dairy or at least remember to take a pill before consuming dairy. It is surprising how many times I have been caught by surprise, by forgetting that there was dairy in something, like the partial order of crab rangoons I consumed earlier this year while on vacation.
ReplyDeleteEd, Nighean Dhonn has the same issue and it did come later in her life. Like you, if she is going to have dairy, she has to take a pill. I think that if this happened to me I would severely struggle to replace dairy as it is such a foundational part of my diet.
DeleteFor the first few years of my life, I am told that I was allergic to lactose and had to drink a lactose free milk substitute to get to the solid food eating stage. Evidently I outgrew it and went on with my life. But I suspect this gave me a predisposition to end up where I am right now. The chickens finally came home to roost. So perhaps if you have been drinking it all your life, it won't happen to you. I know many a tottering gumless senior still eating those ice cream cones frequently. I just won't ever be one of them.
DeleteEd, I had a friend that developed a shellfish allergy later in life. Apparently they can just show up and then just disappear (although no-one really tends to check the "disappears" part as the risk is too high).
DeleteGood article. Lentils aka Beans and Bulgar aka Wheat (can sub for rice in many meals, just chewier). a complete protein. Good job.
ReplyDeleteI grow beans and wheat. Rice even dryland version not yet successful.
Happily, for most of the year chicken tractors make feeding the girls pretty cheap. They LOVE the Compost heaps. The shake can of corn is my come to me ladies call when trouble or bedtime occurs.
Don't see much involving vitamin C in your daily diet. Do you take a daily multi-vitamin?
Vit C is why tomatoes are so popular in South American Beans and Rice menus.
Michael - I tried dryland rice for a few times in New Home, but it never really took. And frankly, a bag of rice is cheap and lasts a long time.
DeleteI do in fact take a multi-vitamin, along with some other specifics (magnesium, fish oil ginko biloba). I figure the cost at about a dollar day.
An interesting exercise, TB. I'm sure we spend quite a bit more than this (for two people), but I (we) like meat, and I like to explore different recipes. What I find truly fascinating is the idea of eating basically the same things for breakfast and lunch. I usually don't eat breakfast, but when I do, I like to vary it. One of my sisters is similar in her habits. You mention that you are a simple cook. Is that the reason, or is this possibly also a discipline? You've piqued my interest.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I think your mercimek köftesi actually look better than those made in Turkey (in your first picture). :)
Becki, I tend to be a simple cook for the reason that I am rather lazy about it and do not like to spend the time. I have "upgraded" to cooking fish in foil pouches in the oven; that and pan frying tofu are about the amount of energy I am willing to put in, at least for myself. When The Ravishing Mrs. TB is here, no doubt things will change a bit.
DeleteThanks for the compliment! I do think the Turkish variety had a bit more of a depth of flavour than mine.