Sep 8: BLT; Stir-fried Beef and Sugar Snap Peas

Lunch

Today we returned to the Bacon, Lettuce and Kumato sandwich, and one one each.

  • Dave’s Killer Bread is 66c per serve
  • Bacon is $7.99 for eight pieces and we used four, or 2.00 per serve
  • Five Kumato were $3.49 and we each had one, or 36c per serve
  • Add 30c for Garlic Spread and Lettuce.

A great sandwich for $3.32 per serve.

Dinner

For dinner we returned to another favorite way of using “Beef for Fajita” from our Keller Crafted meat box.

As we had “meat for fajita” in the freezer and a new wok to try, so we returned to a favorite: Stir-Fried Beef With Snap Peas and Oyster Sauce with brown rice. We have some leftovers for sandwiches.

  • The ‘fajita’ beef cost $13.5 for a full pound of beef, or $5.40 per very generous serve
  • Snow peas add $1.00 per serve
  • The various sauce and marinade ingredients add $1.00 per serve

The stir fry is a good weeknight meal, for $7.40, mostly because we get all our beef aged from Keller Crafted, which is definitely more expensive than conventionally sourced beef.

Sep 7: Gyros; Caramelized Pork Bowls

Lunch

For lunch we picked up a Lamb Gyros from New York Chicken and Gyro for $8.00 per serve with tax and tip.

Dinner

Tonight we returned to our Caramelized Pork Bowl,=s, which is a great way to use some of the ground pork we get each month in our meat box. We prefer it on a simple salad and sprouts.

  • The ground pork was $8.35 and we’ll get four serves from that, or $2.09 per serve
  • Add 40c for ginger, shallot, garlic and chili, etc
  • Add 10c for grated carrot
  • Mung Bean Sprouts were $1.49 or 75c per serve
  • The other Greens add 30c per serve.

A standard for us because it tastes good , is easy to prepare and costs only $3.64 per serve.

Sep 6: Sweet & Spicy Tuna, Egg Salad & Sprouts; Roast Fish with Cannellini Beans and Green Olives

Lunch

Today we shared two of our typical lunch sandwiches: one with Sweet & Spicy Tuna with Capers, the other Egg Salad & Sprouts.

  • The Dave’s Killer Bread is 66c per serve
  • The Guacamole Snack Pack is $3.99 or 50c per serve
  • The Sweet & Spicy Tuna is $1.99 or $1.00 per serve
  • The egg salad is $3.69 for 10 oz and we used 2 oz per serve, or 46c per serve
  • The sprouts cost $1.99 and we shared about 1/8 or 6c per serve
  • Add 30c for Garlic Spread.

Two good sandwiches for $2.98 per serve.

Dinner

Being Fishy Friday we revisited the Baked Cod with Beans and Olives recipe. This time we had frozen Cod from Whole Foods instead of the Ralphs/Kroger home brand. While 50% more expensive, the Whole Foods Cod is a much better protein and still not that expensive.

  • The beans were $1.00 per can or 50c per serve
  • The cod fillets were six for $19.99 or $3.33 per serve
  • The olives come in a $4.49 jar, and we used half, or $1.25 per serve
  • The lemons were $1.78 or 89c per serve
  • Add 30c per serve for seasoning and oil
  • We served with black rice at 44c per serve.

The new Cod did not lose massive amounts of water and maintained its structure and flavor. The dish was much more enjoyable because of it, for $5.71 per serve.

Sep 5: Rissole & Cheddar in a Panini Roll; Hot and Sour Beef Salad

Lunch

Today we repeated the Rissole Roll to finish the last of the rissoles.

  • A Rissole is $1.75 per serve
  • The Panini roll is 63c
  • The Old Crock cheddar was $5.45 or 68c per serve
  • Add 20c for BBQ sauce.

A great roll for $3.26 per serve.

Dinner

We enjoyed the Hot and Sour Beef Salad last time we had it, so we decided to repeat it. We grilled the Rib Eye on the outside grill before marinating and serving on a very simple salad base.

  • The 10 oz Dry Aged Rib Eye is $8.10 per serve
  • The Salad Greens mix was $3.29 but we shared half, or 83c per serve
  • Limes were 66c for two but we shared one, or 16c per serve
  • Instead of a Chili we used some Sambal Ulec, which adds 20c per serve.

We really enjoyed this salad. The slight heat in the dressing lifted both steak and salad to another level. An excellent meal for $9.29 per serve.

Sep 4: Curry Chicken Salad; Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Avocado Salad

Lunch

Today’s erratic schedule had us eating apart, and Foodie Philip had half a container of Trader Joe’s Curry Chicken Salad for $2.25.

Dinner

While this is a new recipe for us, what could be bad about a Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Avocado Salad? After all a BLT is a favorite sandwich.

  • Bacon is $4.99 for ten pieces and we used four, or $1.00 per serve
  • Five Kumato were $3.49 and we shared three, or $1.05 per serve
  • The Lettuce mix was $1.99 and we used ⅔ or 33c per serve
  • The Avocado was $1.59 or 80c per serve
  • Add 40c for Balsamic Vinegar and Oil for the dressing.

We cooked the bacon closer to “American” crisp than we’d normally go, but definitely enough to crumble. The texture difference was important and elevated the salad. For $3.58 per serve, we’ll do this again.

Sep 3: Rissole & Cheddar in a Panini Roll; Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Bowls on Bean Sprouts

Lunch

What else do you do with a left over Rissole? Rissole Rolls!

  • A Rissole is $1.75 per serve
  • The Panini roll is 63c
  • The Old Crock cheddar was $5.45 or 68c per serve
  • Add 20c for BBQ sauce.

A great roll for $3.26 per serve.

Dinner

The Caramelize Pork Bowl is a great way to use some of the ground pork we get each month in our meat box. We prefer it on a simple salad and sprouts.

  • The ground pork was $8.35 and we’ll get four serves from that, or $2.09 per serve
  • Add 40c for ginger, shallot, garlic and chili, etc
  • Add 10c for grated carrot
  • Mung Bean Sprouts were $1.49 or 75c per serve
  • The other Greens add 30c per serve.

A standard for us because it tastes good , is easy to prepare and costs only $3.64 per serve.

Sep 2: Sharkey’s Fiesta Burrito; Vegetarian “Grazing” Dinner

Lunch

As a shopping trip took us nearby, we picked up two Steak Fiesta Burritos for $15.58 per serve with tax and tip.

Dinner

Being Meatless Monday, we presented a grazing-style meal without meats. Plenty of Sugar Snap Peas, Carrot, Caramelized Onion Cheddar, Cambazola, Hummus, Guacamole and Corn Chips (left from lunch).

  • The Cambozola was $5.04 or $2.52 per serve
  • The Caramelized Onion Cheddar is $5.48 and we used about half, or $1.37 per serve
  • The guacamole was $2.99 and we used about 1/3 or 50c per serve
  • We ate very little of the Hummus, or 20c per serve
  • Add 40c for Carrots and Sugar Snap peas.

An excellent meal for $4.99 per serve.

Sep 1: Heuvos Rancheros; Rissoles with Cucumber, Strawberry and Blue Cheese Salad

Lunch

For lunch we decided on Heuvos Rancheros from from Viva La Fiesta for $10.00 per serve with tax and tip. It’s good.

Dinner

Home made Rissoles (to the traditional recipe again) and a macerated Strawberry, Cucumber and Blue Cheese Salad.

  • Dry aged 85/15 ground beef $8.57 or $2.86 per serve
  • 8 oz Panko breadcrumbs are $2.99 and we used half, or 50c per serve
  • A pastured egg is 50c or 13c per serve
  • The onion is 4c per serve
  • Organic Strawberries were $3.50 and we used under half, or 85c per serve
  • The Persian Cucumber was 34c or 17c per serve
  • Crumbled Blue Cheese was $3.49 and we used ¼ or 44c per serve
  • Add 30c per serve for Balsamic Vinegar.

Everything came together for an excellent, tasty meal for $5.29 per serve.

August 2019: Summary and Observations

August was a very normal month with only three evenings not at home, where two were out of town and the other a party where the hosts provided some excellent BBQ.

The averages for this month:

  • Lunch prepared at home $2.69 ($2.32 in July)
  • Lunch eaten or purchased outside the home: $11.68 ($10.32)
  • Dinner eaten at home: $6.08 ($5.38)
  • Dinner eaten out: $11.1 ($14.33).

Our lunches at home average in a fairly narrow band and this month is only a few cents per serve up from last month.

We ate fourteen meals prepared outside the home (mostly take out for lunch). Our most expensive meal for the month was, once again, lunch at The Country Deli.

Our most expensive at home meal was the Rib Eye with Spinach, Almond, Blue Cheese and Pomegranate Seeds at $11.53 per serve. Even taking that into account our evening meals are toward the high end of “normal” range.

This month, lunches at home cost 23% of the cost of eating food prepared outside the home.

Had we purchased every lunch and prepared none it would have cost us $362.08 per person in May. We actually spent $48.46 for lunches at home plus $140.21 for lunches purchased or eaten out:  $188.67 in total.

Had we purchased every evening meal out and prepared none at home, it would have cost us $344.10 per person. We actually spent $164.15 for dinners at home and $22.19 for dinners out, or $186.34 in total.

This month’s savings from preparing most of our food at home is $331.17 and we had a lot more control over what we eat.

Over the month we prepared 23 different recipes for evening meals.

Aug 31: Pickled Cauliflower & Cheddar, Avocado, Tuna & Sprouts; Lamb Loin Chops with Strawberry, Cucumber and Blue Cheese Salad

Lunch

The Curried Pickled Cauliflower and Cheddar was a particularly good combination, while the Garlic Spread really enhanced the Tuna sandwich.

  • Dave’s Killer Bread is 66c per serve
  • The Tuna Pouch is $1.99 or $1.00 per serve
  • The Guacamole single serve is 67c or 34c per serve
  • The Old Crock cheddar was $5.45 or 68c per serve
  • The sprouts cost $1.99 and we shared about 1/8 or 6c per serve
  • Add 30c for Garlic Spread.

A satisfying lunch for $3.04 per serve.

Dinner

Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with a Strawberry, Cucumber and Blue Cheese salad is a really good Summer evening meal.

  • The Lamb Loin Chops were $14.48 or $7.24 per serve
  • The Cucumber is 34c or 17c per serve
  • The Strawberries were $4.49 and we used half or $1.13 per serve
  • Crumbled Blue Cheese was $3.49 and we used ¼ or 44c per serve
  • Add 30c per serve for Balsamic Vinegar,

The acidic Strawberry salad was a good balance for the Lamb Loin Chops, which were perfectly cooked, and made for a great meal for $9.28 per serve.