Using What You Got... Foodwise

Every time I go grocery shopping, I buy two philosophically different foods. One is easy ready-to-eat (at most requiring reheating by microwave) and other raw food such as canned, frozen, and fresh ingredients that needs some preparation. The ready-to-eat food is meant to be for near emergency when I don't feel like cooking and raw food is meant for every other occasion.

  

As week rolls by, I forget about raw food that needs any more preparation than trip to microwave. As a result, the fresh vegetables get thrown out, canned food remain piling up in pantry and frozen vegetables move to back of the freezer, while easy microwavable delights keep disappearing. The ready-to-eat food is easy and at best has a tolerable flavor but usually has a high fat and/or salt content. The raw food would be perhaps prepared in a healthy way (I can’t see adding 2 sticks of butter and eating it myself), more customizable to my taste buds and cheaper. However, procrastination takes its toll and I keep on buying easy microwavable delights at an outrageous price (gotta pay for a shinny box).

    

So what should I do to eat healthy in low budget? I have decided to not buy any grocery for at least a month or whenever my pantry and freezer is empty. I promise to update you if I can survive using what I got.

Photo. Farmer's Market at Arlington, VA