Cheap Eats : How to eat in Europe on a Budget | My Melange.
“Sometimes, you just have to eat at that place. Your know that five-star, Michelin or Zagat rated, people-can’t-stop-talking-about-it..place. Trust me, I get that. Really, I do. But, think about this. My guess is, many times, you are going for the experience, as much as the meal. What if, just getting all gussied up and sauntering up to the bar having a drink and an appetizer would satisfy this need. It just might and you will be able to save a boatload, without sacrificing most of the experience.”
As I’m sure many of you have resolved to eat bit better (at least for a week or so 😉 ) as we start this new year off…I thought I would round up a few tips to make the process less stressful for your wallet. You are probably aware of most of them, but it never hurts to give yourself a refresher course. You may have to keep in mind that these are just general tips and tailor them to your own specific needs. Some ideas may not apply in every circumstance for each and every person, and your location/food accessibility can come into play. Know that sometimes you may have to compromise with your spouse, family members, roommates, or whomever you share your meals with. Just because you want to eat tofu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner doesn’t mean they will want to. And, just because they want that super expensive brand name junk food doesn’t mean you have to get into a barroom brawl over it, lol.
What I like about the above link is that even though it is written for traveling in Europe, the concepts certainly translate to dining out anywhere in the world. I especially adore the thought of picnic dining:
“Visit a local food market and buy some of the best produce you can find. Grab some cold salads, some bread, fresh fruit and pick a glorious spot, sit down and relax and enjoy your meal at a fraction of what a meal out would cost. Don’t just think of picnics for lunch, consider one for dinner as well. I am not talking about eating in your car or anything boring like that. Instead, join the locals on the lawn of the Eiffel Tower, and watch the lights twinkle. It will be a romantic dinner picnic you’ll not soon forget. Or dangle your feet off a less-traveled footbridge in Venice and watch the gondolas float by. Now that’s a picnic!”
As you know, I love dining out and often scout out Happy Hours. In many restaurants, Happy Hour savings can be quite considerable. Or, I commonly have a look at lunch and dinner menus online before deciding what to order upon arrival. If I find certain dinner items are also available at lunch for a reduced rate (sometimes the portion size is the same or just slightly smaller), I make sure to order those items only during lunch hours. I will have the options not available at lunch during the dinner hours. Why pay more for the same meal because of a few hours difference? Appetizers and small plates are also a way to satisfy a taste for a particular dish without a larger portion’s price tag.
10 Tips for Eating Healthy on the Cheap
A few tips from this post:
“Stretch Your Meat – If you are indeed a carnivore, then you know how expensive meat can be. However, you can stretch your poultry and beef out by using healthy fillers like tofu and grains.”
“Shop at the Farmer’s Market – Are you paying gouged prices at your local health food store when you could be getting your food direct from local growers? Check out the local farmer’s market before heading to the grocery store.”
“Buy In-Season Produce – A seasonal produce chart may help you do determine what will be cheapest at the store right now. Buying your favorite fruits and vegetables during the off-season can really cost you some major dough.”
I do not prepare a lot of meat at home, but making it stretch with grains or tofu is a great idea. Rice with ground beef is quite common. I carried organic TVP with me to school to add to soups, rice bowls, and veggie chili. As it’s dry, it keeps well and doesn’t have any unpleasant odors (as eggs and fish can sometimes have). Farmer’s market prices can vary, but it’s always a great idea to support your local growers. Many times, fresh produce from the farm will also have more nutrients (vs. produce that has been sitting around for several days, possibly weeks). Living in Tucson, I find seasonality of prices is not as greatly affected as others areas I’ve been in. We’ve been experiencing warm days in the 60’s and 70’s, while many places in the country have been having bitterly cold temps.
How to Eat Healthy on a Budget
This blog post has several ideas including preparing and ordering foods in bulk, as well as a few non-food related budgeting ideas: “Make expensive baby items at home…Natural Homemade Baby Wipes, baby food, and cloth diapers.”
20 Simple Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget
Athletes and those looking to increase muscle mass (even those looking to lean out), can sometimes find it challenging to reach nutritional goals within a small budget. This blog post offers some practical ways to make that happen, such as:
“Buy Whole Foods. Unprocessed foods are cheaper and more nutritious than processed foods. They also give you total control over the ingredients. Avoid anything that comes from a box 90% of the time.”
“Buy Cheap Proteins. You need 1g protein per pound of body-weight per day to build and maintain muscle. Eating whole protein with each meal also helps fat loss as protein has a higher thermic effect than other foods. Keep the steaks & salmon for special occasions. Buy eggs, milk, whey, mackerel, tuna, calves liver, frozen chicken breast, cottage cheese…”
“Buy Generic Food. And store brands. Raw foods like rice, pasta, eggs, milk, cottage cheese, frozen fruits/veggies, … taste like brand name foods once you get used to them. But they’ll save you money on packaging & advertising.”
“Check the Unit Price. But also how the big the servings are. Big packages are often, but not always cheaper than small ones. Sometimes 2 small boxes are cheaper than 1 big one although there’s more packaging.“
Organic and natural foods are fab, but many cannot afford to purchase them. Years ago, I saw The Dirty Dozen list of the 12 most and least pesticide residue-contaminated produce items. If you’ve not seen it, you can find it here. If you do have the ability to buy only a select amount of organic produce, this list may help you decide where your money is best spent.
I hope these links will be of some use to you all. Even if you are able to spend indiscriminately, I think most of us have a frugal nature at heart.
Have a great weekend!
La Cashionista 
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