We're shaking things up a bit. To keep the diversity and a vested, collective interest in dinner time, everyone in the family is now responsible for devising and making a meal once a week. In the kids' case, we'll help them prep and cook. This takes some of the pressure off me, too.
Dirk, who is now billing himself as the resident Fresh Mouth beefcake, cooked tonight. He donned a tie and an apron and lit candles. The kids loved the touch. We had grilled chicken marinated in rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil with jasmine rice, sauteed peppers and onions, and green beans with lemon, and strawberries in balsamic vinegar. Dirk and I shared some great beer - Bell's Two-Hearted Ale.
Making dinner an occasion heightened the fun of a weekend meal together - takes the hum drum out of things. We're at the three-week mark, and we all feel good. But there are still yens and cries for all things ersatz, mostly fast food fare like chicken nuggets and fries.
I did our weekly grocery shop this week with Aidan, and he said, "I miss food."
"What food do you miss?" I asked.
"I dunno. Like chicken nugs and fries," he said. "Can't we have them as a special treat?"
"No, Aidan," I said. "They're really bad for you. And do you realize that since we've been doing Fresh Mouth, no one's been sick?"
"Yeah. That's good," he said pretty resigned.
"How about I make oven-fried chicken this week?"
"OK," he agreed.
If it takes three weeks to break a habit, we may be a tad bit behind the curve here. Progress takes time, right? In terms of cost, we're at a three-week total of $1,087.44, and I'm gunning to get us through this week with as few extra store trips as possible. That equates to about $60 a person a week. How does this compare to you? Check the latest poll and weigh in.
Menu
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with onion, sourdough toast, apples, grapes, OJ with fish oil and coffee.
Lunch: Tuna fish sandwiches with mustard, vinegar, oil, onion and celery on pita bread. A mix of raisins, toasted almonds, pecans and walnuts, and leftover "Gaga Brownies" and apples.
Dinner: Grilled chicken marinated in rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil with jasmine rice, sauteed peppers and onions, and green beans with lemon, and strawberries in balsamic vinegar for us and plain ones for the kids.
Nugget o' the Day: "But nuggets are so tasty, salty and delicious." - Aidan trying to convince me to cave on the fast-food chicken.
4 comments:
That's similar to our grocery bills. If you think about it, it is usually a $15+ bill to go out to eat one night so $60/week isn't really that bad since it is all meals.
Right now, you're adjusting to a different lifestyle. As this becomes a bit easier, you'll be able to devote more time to finding cheaper ways to attain it. Also, some products will last longer than these 30 days. Consider some of it as an "upstart cost".
Thanks not only for sharing your story, but for making it an enjoyable read.
Hi all - I've been following you since Day 1, and I am so impressed with your efforts and dedication to the project. You've got me working on convincing my boyfriend that we should try it too - hopefully he'll go for it!
As for the grocery bill - sounds about how much we spend, on average. Remember that as Renata said above, you're adjusting. Also, as we move into spring and summer, more fruits and veg will come in season and see a price reduction!
I think you're all spot on about costs. I think there's the "upstart" factor, and the groove of a new diet. We're still getting our sea legs. Once we get some staples down, we'll probably spend less. And the farmer's market will be open soon. February was a hard month to embark on Fresh Mouth - there's really not a ton in season!
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