Heh. Much as I love Alton, and I do, I'm not sure how much using his methods is going to help you save money.
I do agree that cooking is way to save $ over eating out. There are a lot of fairly simple tasty things you can make. I recommend finding recipes that can freeze, making extras, and packaging them for quick meals later.
Anything's gotta be cheaper than what I'm doing now, and I've been meaning to get this book for a long time, ever since Slashdork raved about its initial publication in 2002.
Fair enough. I'd like to read it. Will you lend it to me for couple weeks if I make you dinner once?
As for Comcast, we have it in Medford because DSL isn't available (never mind that my friend who lives up on a mountain in VT can get it, we, being 50' too far from an office, can't) and it works ok. Speed is eh, but I've been remarkably lucky on customer service. We pay about $60 for basic cable and standard internet.
Where Alton Brown can get you into trouble is on the hardware. He'll make you want a stand mixer, for example. (On the other hand, he advocates $0.99 quarry tiles over $30 pizza stones.)
I'm spending maybe on average roughly $30 a week at Trader Joe's, but this is variable due to whether I'm out of coffee and so-on. I don't like cooking, but you can get all sorts of healthful food that still tastes good and requires minimal preparation and clean-up. You can get all manner of frozen, microwavable pasta; you can get frozen and easily baked fish. You can get chicken drumlets and so-on. I have been buying chicken drumlets and lightly breaded cod. I have been occasionally -- well, forget that. You can get gobs of food that *EVEN I* don't mind preparing. Um... I'll assume there is a store that's equally okay for getting stuff, if there is no T.J.'s near you.
Re: Budget of KyrocnoocyOctober 20 2005, 19:29:41 UTC
There are other decent grocery stores. Johnnie's Foodmaster is notably cheaper than Star. Also, don't go to the Porter Square Star. It is an evil place. Go to the one on Beacon Street.
the deathstarcthulhiaOctober 20 2005, 20:55:44 UTC
people hate the star in porter. I have yet to figure out why.
also, prog, consider planning on preparing several meals at once. (i.e., enough roast to give you lunch for most of the week -- cheaper than cold cuts, casseroles...), since it means you won't be trying to cook every night, which, aside from the dish pile-up, is probably more time investment than you'll be able to give in the beginning, and you'll be back to expensive dining options in no time.
sounds like college days!jtroutmanOctober 20 2005, 21:18:23 UTC
my suggestion is to invest in some semi-disposable plastic containers, and then to do some cooking in quantity, once you figure out what you like to cook (and feel like eating afterward). And then you can freeze up some meals,a nd microwave them as needed
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I do agree that cooking is way to save $ over eating out. There are a lot of fairly simple tasty things you can make. I recommend finding recipes that can freeze, making extras, and packaging them for quick meals later.
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As for Comcast, we have it in Medford because DSL isn't available (never mind that my friend who lives up on a mountain in VT can get it, we, being 50' too far from an office, can't) and it works ok. Speed is eh, but I've been remarkably lucky on customer service. We pay about $60 for basic cable and standard internet.
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* Buying groceries once a month and
* Eating out only once per week (delivery or eating out) for dinner.
* Eating out for lunch at work ...
... my budget for everything is between $340 and $380 for foods and drinks.
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I have yet to figure out why.
also, prog, consider planning on preparing several meals at once. (i.e., enough roast to give you lunch for most of the week -- cheaper than cold cuts, casseroles...), since it means you won't be trying to cook every night, which, aside from the dish pile-up, is probably more time investment than you'll be able to give in the beginning, and you'll be back to expensive dining options in no time.
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Here are some favorites:
http://www.annies.com/ -- best boxed mac & cheese ever
http://www.worldfood.com/indian/pataks.asp -- Patak's Indian food
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