prices and portions...

It is obvious that not everyone will have the exact same recipe cost as me. The point of posting the cost information is to give a reference point. It is possible your cost will be higher but it is equally possible for your cost to be lower. Your individual cost will depend on your local market, product availability, current sales, purchasing preferences and willingness to find the best deal in town.

I shop at a different store almost every time I go. It depends on my mood, my needs and, most of all, my laziness. If I am super lazy I will get all of my shopping done at one store which usually means there are a few ingredients that I could have paid less for somewhere else. C'est la vie. The important part is that because of my menu planning, I am still shopping and cooking for super cheap.

SO, just be aware that the prices for my ingredients and recipe totals are going to be general. Your recipe may cost you less, it may cost you more. If you prefer all-natural or all organic, your recipe will cost you more. If you are dedicated to only shopping at small local grocers, then your cost will be more. If you have the time to sift through weekly sales flyers and tool around town buying the lowest price on everything, then your cost will be lower. I'm somewhere in the middle.

The portions I have listed are also fairly general. I know that a man twice my size will eat larger portion sizes. If you feel like you eat a lot, I would go ahead and assume double portion sizes and therefore double the portion price from what I have listed. I base my portions on two things: I am a small woman and I know that as Americans our portion sizes are way out of control already.

Always keep in mind that controlling your portions will also control your spending. Eating more than you need = spending more than you need. Although I don't always follow this concept, I appreciate the philosophy of only eating until you are no longer hungry, not until you are "full". We live in a culture of excess and that habit can be hard to break.

My information is just a guide to show you what is possible. If you are having a hard time getting the same results that I do, just ask for help! You may not realize there is a less expensive, good quality substitute for an ingredient you are currently using.

It IS possible to eat for a whole day on less that what one person normally spends on lunch!