Kelly Rossiter
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Talk about frugal living is all the rage these days. Of course, Planet Green has been Getting Recession Ready since March, and my husband and I already live this way. But suddenly magazines and daily newspapers are getting into the act and telling readers how to cut back on their spending. I suspect "frugal chic" is a term that you are going to see bandied about more often now.
In the Globe and Mail, columnist Margaret Wente sarcastically writes "Who needs to gorge on fancy foreign food when you can be an honest locavore? Personally, I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of 1000 Ways to Cook Turnips, Beets and Rutabaga"." In all seriousness, there is a rutabaga on my kitchen cupboard and my vegetable crisper currently holds a bunch of beets and a bunch of turnips which I bought from my local farmers' market. I could actually use a book like that.
Like it or not, hard times are coming (if they haven't already arrived where you live) and we are going to have to make the best of it. I believe that we will be returning to a diet more like our grandparents enjoyed, but perhaps without so much over cooking. In my area of the world that means eating potatoes, carrots, and yes, turnips, beets and rutabaga. That means ditching the "fancy foreign food."
Here are a few ways that this recession/depression, whatever it turns out to be, might just be a healthy thing for you.
- Cooking at home. As delightful as eating out is, doing so on a regular basis is hard on your health. Not only are your portion sizes much larger in a restaurant, chefs also use significantly more salt and fat than the home cook. Chances are you'll lose some weight and your blood pressure will lower. If you eat out mostly at lunch, there are many recipes that work if you brown bag it.
- Cutting back on meat. Most dietitians and nutritionists would tell you to cut back on the amount of red meat you eat in any case. With meat as the most expensive grocery item, you'll be forced into eating meat on fewer days, and eating a smaller portion of it when you do have it. There are a whole host of reasons why this is healthier for you, from cancer to heart disease and strokes. It's better ecologically too.
- Seeking out alternate sources of protein. Now that you are cutting back on meat, you should make friends with legumes. Chickpeas, lentils, beans are all a great source of protein and vitamins and extremely healthy for you. Another great source of protein is eggs, and making a frittata is a quick and simple way to get your daily requirements.
- Taking your own coffee and snack to work. I have never understood the vast amounts of money that people spend in coffee shops. Take your coffee to work in a thermos and when it's empty, you're done. Your stomach lining, blood pressure and nerves will thank you as well as your pocket book. Oh, and the pricey muffin you bought to go with that expensive latte? You may as well sit down and eat a bowl of shortening covered in sugar. Make some cookies and brown bag them.
- Cutting back on your alcohol intake. Ah, this is the hard one for me. I like wine with my dinner, as well as the occasional martini. In fact, the only things in my freezer are martini glasses and the bottle of gin when I allow myself the treat. However, there's no question that my health will be better without the alcohol.
We may as well embrace that which we cannot change.
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Get Recession Ready: 10 Ways to Tighten Your Belt in the Kitchen
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