Author: Philip

November was another quiet month that we spent entirely at home. 

Our evening meals continue to be about the same as last year, with a wider variety of protein! 

The averages for this month were down a little for food cooked at home: up a little for food prepared in restaurants.

• Lunch prepared at home $2.09 ($2.14 in Oct)
• Lunch eaten or purchased outside the home: $9.64 ($10.48)
• Dinner eaten at home: $4.52 ($5.02)
• Dinner prepared in a restaurant $18.66 ($10.93)

The variation is small month to month.

Our most expensive meal of the month was The Country Deli as we missed our modified Bento Box with Tataki Tuna. The Deli was for $18.86 per serve.

This month, lunches at home cost 21% of the cost of eating lunches prepared outside the home. Our evening meals prepared in the home are 24% of the cost of take-out meals.

Had we purchased every lunch and prepared none it would have cost us $289.2 per person in September. We actually spent $52.17 for lunches at home plus $48.22 for lunches purchased or eaten out:  $100.39 per person in total. These are a little lower than the averages for recent months.

If every evening meal cost us the same as our one this month, it would be $559.80. We actually spent $130.97 for dinners at home and $18.66 for our one dinner from a restaurant, or $149.53 per person in total, which is a little down.

Without the travel we’re back to our typical meal costs, within normal variation. We saved about $590 per person by preparing almost all our meals at home and we have a lot more control over what we eat.

Lunch

Since we still had some Soutzoukakia we heated Panini Rolls and filled them with the Soutzoukakia, Garlic Spread and Onion Sprouts.

• The Soutzoukakia is $3.23 per full serve, or 81c per lunch serve
• The Panini Roll is 63c
• Garlic Spread adds 40c per serve
• Onion Sprouts add 15c per serve.

As always a very good ‘sandwich’ for $1.99 per serve.

Dinner

Tonight we had a Ham, Cream Cheese and Pea Frittata.

• Pastured Eggs add 66c per serve
• The Ham Steak was $5.99 or $3.00 per serve
• Neufchâtel adds 30c per serve
• Add 20c for Seasoning.

The Ham worked better than the Prosciutto we used last time. A good meal for $4.16 per serve.

Lunch

Lunch today used the remaining Smoked Salmon on a Brioche Bagel.

• The Brioche Bagel is 58c
• The Smoked Salmon pieces were $1.38 per serve
• Add 20c for Neufchatel
• Add 60c for Cucumber, Tomato, Onion Sprouts & Capers.

An excellent lunch for $2.76 per serve.

Dinner

To use the last of our Shredded Lamb, we reheated it, placed on warm Hummus and served with Pita Chips and a Lettuce, Cucumber, Tomato and Preserve Lemon Salad.

• The butterflied Leg of Lamb from Aldi was $23.28 and we will get eight serves, or $2.91 per serve
• Mint was free
• Add 30c for Onion and seasoning
• We used semi-dried Cherry Tomatoes for 30c per serve
• The Lettuce was $1.49 and we used half, or 38c each
• Add 15c for Dressing ingredients
• The Pomegranate was $2.69 and we used half, or 68c per serve
• Add 46c for Hummus.

This turned out to be an excellent use of the Shredded Lamb and a very delicious meal, for $5.18 per serve.

Lunch

For lunch we picked up Lamb Gyros from New York Chicken and Gyro, for $8.17 with tax and tip.

Dinner

There was another serve of the Chipotle Turkey Bacon Meatloaf and tonight we served with Baked Japanese Sweet Potato topped with Yoghurt and Chive and served with Sugar Snap Peas

• Ground turkey cost $6.39 or $1.60 per serve
• Bacon was $5.99 and we used ⅓, or 50c per serve
• A can of chipotle is $1.50 and we used half, or 38c per serve
• Add 65c for onion, breadcrumbs and seasonings
• The gravy was $1.78 or 89c per serve
• Sugar Snap Peas add 44c per serve
• Add 45c for Yoghurt and Chives..

A favorite Meatloaf makes a very decent meal for $4.91 per serve.

Lunch

Today we finished the Smoked Trout Chowder for $3.98 per serve.

Dinner

Even though the weather was cool and a little windy it did not deter us from grilling our Smoked Salmon Pizza outside.

• Sockeye Smoked Salmon pieces were $5.49 or $2.75 per serve
• The Pizza Dough was $1.49, or 75c per serve
• We used semi-dried Cherry Tomatoes for 60c per serve
• About two ounces of Neufchatel went on each Pizza, or 25c per serve
• Preserved Lemon adds 5c per serve
• Pickled Beets adds 15c per serve.

As always a very tasty meal for $4.55 per serve.

Lunch

As we were in Simi Valley we picked up Scallops, Coleslaw and Fries from Mr Fish and Chips for $7.27 per serve with tax and tip.

Dinner

We planned on our Bento Box plus Ahi Tuna Tataki, but had to change plans when the restaurant wasn’t answering their phone, so we changed plans and created a Tuna Tataki Rice Bowl.

• The Tuna was $7.19 and we used about ⅔, or $2.40 per serve
• Brown Rice adds 34c per serve
• The Avocado was 79c or 40c per serve
• Add 20c for ¼ Cucumber each
• Add 40c for Soy, Fried Onions and Ponzu.

While it wasn’t what we were expecting, it was an excellent meal for $3.74 per serve. Unfortunately the Trader Joe’s Ahi Tuna was not as appealing looking as the Aldi, but had great flavor.