Month: April 2022

Lunch

We made a simple lunch of Deli Ham wrapped around cold Mashed Potato. An echo of Foodie Philip’s childhood birthday parties, it’s way better than it sounds!

• Ham adds about 60c per serve
• Mashed Potato adds about 43c per serve.

A surprisingly tasty meal for $1.03 per serve

Dinner

Even with a reduced amount of Tuna – to bring the components into balance – a Tuna Tataki Rice Bowl is a very satisfying meal.

• Twelve ounces of Ahi Tuna from Aldi is $5.62, and we shared ⅔, or $1.88 per serve
• Black Rice adds 34c per serve
• The Avocado was$1.29c or 75c per serve
• Add 20c for ¼ Cucumber per serve
• Add 20c for Lettuce per serve.

One of the nice things about a Rice Bowl is that there are multiple different textures and tastes to be experienced individually, or together in varying combinations. Add excellent ingredients and you have a very good meal for $3.37 per serve.

As for the picture – I’m still working out how to get the best results from an iPhone 12 with a tendency to overexpose by about two stops!

Lunch

Once again we enjoyed a Toasted Chorizo, Bell Pepper and Gouda sandwich.

• The Dave’s Killer Bread is 74c per serve
• Gouda is 34c per serve
• The Chorizo was $4.72 and we used half, or $1.18 per serve
• Fire Roasted Peppers cost $1.99 and we used half, or 50c per serve.

It’s an excellent sandwich for $2.76 per serve.

Dinner

On a hot day it was good to get outside and grill some Lamb Loin Chops, although the wind made eating outdoors a no go, sadly. We served them with a Cherry Kumato, Pickled Beet and Feta Salad

• The Lamb Loin Chops were $10.69 or $5.35 per serve
• The French (Valbreso) Feta was $10.99 but we used 1/6 or 69c per serve
• Pickled Beets adds 45c per serve
• The mini Kumatos were $3.99 for the punnet, and we used just over half, or $1.20 per serve
• Add 30c for Balsamic Vinegar.

The Lamb Chops ended up with a slight smokey flavor from the grill, as we give the fat a head start so it will smoke, and perfectly cooked. The Salad was a great accompaniment and the left over Mint, Preserved Lemon and Sour Cream Sauce from last night was great on the Chops. A well balanced and tasty meal for $7.99 per serve.

Lunch

Lunch was a simple Ham Salad Sandwich on toasted bread.

• Dave’s Killer Bread is 74c per serve
• Breakfast Ham is 60c per serve
• Add 40c for Salad ingredients.

A decent sandwich for $1.74 per serve.

Dinner

To go with our Tikka Masala Sauce we purchased some boneless Chicken Thighs, cubed them and marinated them in plain Yoghurt and the included (with the Sauce) Spices.

• The Chicken Thighs were $8.39 or $4.20 per serve
• The Masala Sauce was $2.49 or $1.25 per serve
• Brown Rice adds 34c per serve
• Peas add 30c per serve
• Add 70c for Tomatoes, Shallot and Yoghurt for Marinade and Dressing.

The Tomato Salad was exceptionally good, while the Masala Sauce was tasty with a creeping heat that caught us both by surprise. Providing the Spices for a Marinade was a good move, and definitely improved the dish. The Chicken was Chicken, and it’s hard to get excited about it. Overall, a tasty and enjoyable meal for $6.79 per (very generous) serve.

Lunch

Since we had some remaining Coleslaw from Mr Fish and Chips we did a Ham and Coleslaw Sandwich on toasted Rye Bread.

• Dave’s Killer Rye Bread is 76c per serve
• The Breakfast Ham is $2.99 for six, or 50c per serve
• Coleslaw adds $1.25 per serve.

A decent sandwich for $2.51 per serve.

Dinner

A good meatless Monday choice is a Frittata, and tonight we added a frozen Bell Pepper and Onion mix, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Feta.

• Two Pastured Eggs per serve add 76c
• The Bell Pepper Mix was $2.99 and we used half or 75c per serve
• The French (Valbreso) Feta was $10.99 but we used 1/6 or 69c per serve
• Sun-dried Tomatoes add 60c per serve.

The Frittata turned out to be quit tasty for $2.80 per serve.

Lunch

The Foodies had a brunch of Oatmeal Pancakes for about 95c per serve.

Dinner

A simple meal of Apr 3: Soba Soup With Shrimp, Egg and Bok Choy.

• Soba Noodles are $3.29 and we used about ⅓ or 55c per serve
• 1 lb of shrimp is $10.99,  or and we used half $2.75 per serve.
• A Pastured Egg adds 38c per serve
• Broth adds $1.00 per serve
• The Bok Choy was $1.99 and we used about half or $1.00 per serve
• Add 50c for Ginger and other ingredients.

We didn’t quite get the Egg right this time, but still a flavorsome soup for $6.18 per serve.

Lunch

We had a mixed lunch of frozen Spring Rolls and a Ciabatta Roll with Butter.

• The Spring Rolls were $4.29 or $2.15 per serve
• The Ciabatta Roll is 58c per serve
• Butter adds 40c per serve.

The Spring Rolls were a ‘nice try,’ but there’s nothing that compares to deep frying. Still a quite filling meal for $3.08 per serve.

Dinner

On of our rare treats from Trader Joe’s is their cooked Pork Belly. Tonight we sliced and seared to reheat, then served with Butter Sautéed Cabbage with Sauerkraut and a Pearl Couscous Mix.

• The Pork Belly is $6.49 or $3.25 per serve
• The Harvest Grains blend is $2.99 and we used about ¼, or 38c per serve
• Cabbage (Coleslaw Mix) adds about 40c per serve
• Sauerkraut add 45c per serve.

The Pork Belly was tender and flavorful and an easy cook. The Harvest Grains blend was a little odd with a hint of Boba (tea)! The Cabbage/Sauerkraut Mix worked well and complemented the other parts of the meal nicely. A tasty and enjoyable meal for $4.48 per serve.

Lunch

Today’s lunch was Shin Ramen with Coleslaw for $1.63 per serve.

Dinner

Our simple Friday meal of Pan Fried Barramundi with a mix of Steak Fries and Waffle Fries as we finished both packets, and a Malt Vinegar Slaw.

• The Barramundi was $9.99 or $5.00 per serve
• Coleslaw, Mayonnaise and Vinegar add 75c per serve
• The Waffled Fries were $1.49, and we shared half or 38c per serve.

The wedge of Meyer Lemon (from our tree) was a nice highlight on the Barramundi. We have decided the Waffle Fries are a better oven-bake than the Steak Fries because of their higher surface area. A good meal for $6.13 per serve.

Once again, the Foodies didn’t venture out this month.

The averages for this month were all over the place, but within our range of “normal”. We did have more lunch take-out than typical.

• Lunch prepared at home $2.51 ($2.43 in Feb 22)
• Lunch eaten or purchased outside the home: $10.33 ($12.89)
• Dinner eaten at home: $5.43 ($4.27)
• Dinner prepared in a restaurant $14.81 ($6.11)

The variation is usually small month to month.

Our most expensive meal of the month (again) was The Country Deli for $18.86 per serve.

This month, lunches at home cost 24% of the cost of eating lunches prepared outside the home. Our evening meals prepared in the home are 37% of the cost of take-out meals.

Had we purchased every lunch and prepared none it would have cost us $320.23 per person in February. We actually spent $57.69 for lunches at home plus $82.67 for lunches purchased or eaten out:  $140.36 per person in total.

If every evening meal cost us the same as our average this month, it would be $459.11. We actually spent $157.61 for dinners at home and $29.62 for our two dinners from a restaurant, or $187.23 per person in total.

We saved about $453 per person by preparing almost all our meals at home and we have a lot more control over what we eat.

Lunch

It was time for our “Taste of Tassie,” a.k.a. Fried Scallops with Fries and Coleslaw from Mr Fish and Chips for $7.84 per serve with tax and tip, which is still very good value.

Dinner

With some thin cut Pork Chops in hand it was time for Saltimbocca, tonight served with Cauliflower Gnocchi in a Lemon Alfred Sauce.

• The Pork Chops were $7.91 or $3.96 per serve
• The Speck was $3.99 or $1.50 per serve
• The Sage came from our garden
• The gnocchi was $2.69 or 67c per serve
• The Lemon Alfredo was $3.79 or $1.90 per serve.

At $8.03 per serve this was not a cheap meal, but the Saltimbocca with the Speck are more flavorful than with Prosciutto, and the Lemon Alfredo Sauce was definitely above average in flavor.