The semiSerious Foodies

Our evening meals are back down 20% on last year, yet we are eating very well! 

This month we did seven take out lunches and three take out dinners: Skewers’ Chapli Kebab plate, The Country Deli Skirt Steak Dinner, which we augmented, along with the Bento Box.

The averages for this month:

• Lunch prepared at home $2.63 ($2.63 in March)
• Lunch eaten or purchased outside the home: $8.04 ($8.04)
• Dinner eaten at home: $5.59 ($5.59)
• Dinner prepared in a restaurant $15.44 ($15.44)

The variation is small and we continue to see reduced average evening meal costs having dropped our meat box delivery. 

Our most expensive meal of the month was the augmented Bento Box on the first of the month, at $20.93 per serve.

This month, lunches at home cost 27% of the cost of eating lunches prepared outside the home. Our evening meals prepared in the home are 26% of the cost take-out meals.

Had we purchased every lunch and prepared none it would have cost us $291.30 per person in April. We actually spent $55.39 for lunches at home plus $64.20 for lunches purchased or eaten out:  $119.58 in total.

If every evening meal cost us the same as our one this month, it would be $518.10. We actually spent $124.68 for dinners at home and $51.30 for three dinners out, or $175.98 in total.

We saved about $520 by mostly eating at home, and we have a lot more control over what we eat.

Lunch

With Foodie Greg still a little under the weather from his final Covid 19 vaccine dose we kept it simple with a Brioche Bagel topped with Neufchatel. Foodie Philip also added Sun-dried Tomato.

• The Brioche Bagel is 58c per serve
• Neufchatel adds 25c per serve
• The sun dried tomatoes were $5.99 for the jar, or 45c for Foodie Philip’s serve, 23c when averaged.

A tasty sandwich for $1.06 per serve.

Dinner

While we have had Salad Niçoise regularly, it has mostly been with canned Smoked Tuna. Tonight we changed it up and seared some Ahi Tuna instead.

• 12 oz Tuna was $5.19, or $2.60 per serve
• The Asparagus was $4.29 and we shared ⅓, or 72c per serve
• Pastured Medium Eggs are 24c each, or 48c per serve
• Kumato adds 40c per serve
• Fingerling Potatoes were 68c per serve
• The olives come in a $4.49 jar, and we used 1/4, or 56c per serve
• Add 40c for Spinach and Balsamic.

Surprisingly, the seared Ahi Tuna is around the same cost as canned! We preferred the Asparagus to Green Beans, so this was an all-round winner for $5.51 per serve.

Lunch

We shared a couple of decent sandwiches for lunch today, as noted above.

• The Dave’s Killer Bread is 74c per serve
• The Smoked Tuna pack is 99c or 50c per serve
• Capers add 30c per serve
• Caramelized Onion Hummus adds 73c per serve
• Add 30c for Sprouts.

Quite tasty for $2.57 per serve.

Dinner

As the Foodies were receiving their second Covid 19 vaccine today, Foodie Greg pre-cooked some Caramelized Ground Pork, which we quickly reheated and added on top of a Vietnamese Slaw.

• The ground pork was $6.99 and we’ll get four serves from that, or $1.75 per serve
• Add 40c for ginger, shallot, garlic and chili, etc
• The Coleslaw Mix is 50c per serve,
• Dressing ingredients add 40c per serve
• The other Greens add 30c per serve
• Bell Pepper adds 8c per serve.

A pretty tasty meal for $3.44 per serve.

Lunch

Foodie Greg picked up some Heuvos Rancheros from Via La Fiesta during a shopping trip for $10.54 per serve, with tax and tip.

Dinner

Tonight’s dinner was a return to the Soutzoukakia with Australian Lamb, tonight served with a Feta, Olive and Radicchio Salad.

• Australian Ground lamb was $5.99 at Aldi or $2.00 per serve
• An egg is 32c or 11c per serve
• 8 oz Panko breadcrumbs are $2.99 and we used half, or 25c per serve
• Parmesan is $3.99 for 8oz and we shared 2 oz or 50c per serve
• 1/4 cup and a tablespoon of red wine – halved – is 34c per serve
• Parsley was $1.49 for the bunch, but we only used 1/4 or 13c per serve
• Fresh mint came from our garden
• The Radicchio was $3.49, but half makes four serves of the salad, or 44c per serve
• The French (Valbreso) Feta was $10.99 but we used 1/6 or 92c per serve
• The olives come in a $4.49 jar, and we used 1/3, or 75c per serve.

The Soutzoukakia was light and flavorsome as usual, and the salad an excellent accompaniment, for $5.44 per serve.

Lunch

As we had half a tray of Chorizo left, and it was a cool day, we returned to the Chorizo, Bell Pepper & Smokey Cheddar toasted sandwich.

• Dave’s Killer Bread is 74c per serve
• Smokey Cheddar is 68c per serve
• The Chorizo was $$5.75 after all discounts and we half, or $1.44 per serve
• Add 50c for Garlic Spread
• Fire Roasted Peppers cost $1.99 and we used half, or 50c per serve.

A very good sandwich for $3.86 per serve.

Dinner

A simple Meatless Monday meal of toasted Italian Bread, spread liberally with Avocado, and topped with Folded Scrambled Eggs.

• The Italian Bread loaf is $2.19 and we used about ⅓, or 37c per serve
• Eggs are an average of 48c per serve
• The Avocados were 55c and we had one each.

A very simple, but tasty meal for $1.40 per serve. The Folded Eggs came together in about 30 seconds, but had a great creamy texture.

Lunch

Sundays we often have some sort of Egg dish, and today’s was Egg in the Hole in a Brioche Bagel, topped with Smoked Salmon, Capers & Shallot.

• The Brioche Bagels are $2.89 for five, or 58c per serve
• Medium Pastured Eggs are 32c each, or an average of 64c per serve
• The Smoked Salmon pieces were 68c per serve
• Add 20c for Shallot and Capers.

A very tasty sandwich for $2.10 per serve.

Dinner

We had procured some Duck Legs from Whole Foods for a change from our usual Duck Breast, as Foodie Greg had a new recipe he wanted to try: Roast Duck Leg and Potato. We served with a Radicchio and Pomegranate Salad.

• The Duck Legs were $11.79 or $5.90 per serve
• A Medley of Potatoes was $2.39, and we used about ⅓, or 46c per serve
• The Japanese Sweet Potato was $1.51 or 76c per serve
• The Radicchio was $3.49, or 44c per serve
• The Pomegranate Seeds were $4.99 and we shared half, or $1.25 per serve.

Unfortunately we overcooked the meal, but it was still very tasty and shows a lot of promise for next time. The Duck fat renders out and flavors the Potatoes, which really amps up the flavor. This will be a great meal for $8.81 per serve.

Lunch

Today’s lunch was a Bahn Mi from Pho Saigon 1 for $12.26 per serve, with tax and tip. It seems like the Bahn Mi gets bigger every time! The Foodies now eat it in two seatings!

Dinner

A new Seared Scallop recipe: Seared Scallop with Pomegranate and Meyer Lemon. We scaled the recipe down for two, and substituted Grapefruit slices for Orange wedges. Our Meyer Lemon was preserved.

• The frozen “dry packed” Scallops were $9.85, or $4.93 per serve
• Cucumber was 47c or 24c per serve
• The Pomegranate Seeds were $4.99 and we shared half, or $1.25 per serve
• The Grapefruit was 99c or 50c per serve
• Add 50c for other ingredients.

The Sauce is very intense, but flavorful and perfectly in balance with the other Salad ingredients. The Preserved Meyer Lemon added an additional Citrus/Salt layer to the flavor. A great meal for $7.42 per serve. Indulgent and delicious.

Lunch

A slightly cooler, and gray, day had us returning to a favorite sandwich.

• Dave’s Killer Bread is 74c per serve
• Smokey Cheddar is 68c per serve
• The Chorizo was $$5.75 after all discounts and we half, or $1.44 per serve
• Add 50c for Garlic Spread
• Fire Roasted Peppers cost $1.99 and we used half, or 50c per serve.

A very good sandwich for $3.86 per serve.

Dinner

Friday night is our traditional Fishy Friday and tonight we returned to Barramundi with Caesar Salad.

• The Barramundi was on special for $7.99 or $4.00 per serve
• The Caesar Salad kit was $1.99 or $1.00 per serve.

An easy and tasty meal for $5.00 per serve. The preserved Meyer Lemon slices were a hit of citrus and salt that perfectly complemented the Barramundi.