Monday, August 24, 2009

This is not a food blog.

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Well, it kind of is. But mainly, it’s about the amount of money I use to feed myself, day after day. Why? Because I just don’t know. I (almost) never check prices when I buy food. I love to cook and I can easily feed six guests for less than 30 bucks (wine is extra, people), but I also spend ungodly amounts of money on grocery, then throw away a fifth of it. It has never been so easy to buy good food, but it often comes at a price. And it is even easier to buy cheap, unhealthy junk food that has an undeniable cost on our health. Where does my food budget go? How do the choices I make impact my budget, my health and the health of the planet?

It’s time to find out.

I am going to log everything I eat and how much I paid for it. I will tabulate drinks and the food I buy in order to feed guests. The food that I throw away will also get a mention. This will be documented with pictures as often as I can. I live alone, so I am mainly feeding myself, my cat and my guests. I am giving myself one year to gather this information. I may only last a month.

My goal is to learn where my food budget goes, to find out how to waste less and to explore food budgeting, from frugal brown-bag lunches to 10-course gourmet meals.

So grab a pack of Tums and take my hand. It’s going to be a well-fed road.