After spending a few days on a foreign trip, one feels the need to atone for certain sins even though we stayed well within our budget and did not buy any crap. For me, having a good time doesn’t involve staying in 5 star hotels or eating in fancy restaurants. Besides, who needs fancy places when you can have something so delicious in an ordinary cafe? Yes, the tartaleta tasted as good as it looks…
However, when I set out on my customary Monday morning trip to the supermarket I was in a let’s-show-some-responsibility-with-money mood. And came back as satisfied as Morty Seinfeld. Skyrocketing inflation has taught me to pay a closer look at grocery bills and I’m sure I’m not the only one who does this.
I am quite pleased to say that everything I bought today was only $20. On my way home, I felt pretty smug doing menus in my head and realizing that this haul could cover lunch for me and my son for a whole week. Make that double smug since I’m on a keto drive and promised myself I won’t be touching the potatoes… unless someone suggests fries, which I’m not going to resist. What’s the point of living if you deny yourself fries?
If that was not enough, I discovered I got another discount on the already discounted steak. I didn’t even need pork, I had plenty in the freezer, but I’m a sucker for discount signs. No wonder there’s talk of stores doing away with “best by” dates. They wouldn’t be forced to apply discounts if it weren’t for that… My heavily-discounted meat went straight into the pan as I’ve become addicted to a recipe @honeydue posted a while ago. (As I’m on the receiving end of many of her culinary experiments I can assure you her recipes are totally worth it. Well, I cannot vouch for those that involve too much green stuff since I don’t believe greens are made for human consumption.)
Come lunch hour I was feeling saintly, especially as I resisted the temptation of making a creamy sauce, heavy on flour for my mushrooms. No carbs on my plate! Best thing of all? Doing a bit of math in my head, I realized that this perfectly balanced and healthy lunch was actually cheaper than the tartaleta in the first photo. Not as delicious, though.
On a more serious note, I think more countries should start boycotting supermarket chains like they did in Croatia and other Balkan states. One of the targets of the boycott was the German Lidl, which is exactly the store I went to this morning… because it’s still cheaper than other stores. Not that we have much choice. Living in a big city you either buy food from a chain store or you starve. The so-called fresh market sells mostly imported overpriced food and the last independent grocery in my neighborhood closed a few months ago when one of them chain stores opened a mini-market right next door.
Until people decide to fight back, bargain-hunting is not only a smart thing to do, but also your duty. Let us make Morty proud! 🙂
LE: I just read that the candidate who was prevented from winning the presidential elections, Calin Georgescu, proposed a one-day boycott on Feb 10 and the hashtag is already trending on TikTok. Guess I won't be going to the supermarket next Monday! It's a start!
All that grub for $20? I just don't know what people are complaining about!:)
I had to Google Morty Seinfeld. I feel like I've failed some sort of test.
I'd say you missed out on a great show, but it's never too late. I believe there's a Seinfeld quote for every situation.
You had me at "Seinfeld"! I really miss that show. We're tightening our budget over here too. I just found a 50% off ribeye steak a few days ago and felt like I had won the lottery. : ) Prices will be through the roof in the next few weeks here in the US with all of the tariffs being imposed. People are already hoarding paper goods and things like coffee and tea.
I've been trying to follow the news with the new tariffs and it doesn't look good for you guys. I don't understand Trump's plan, but I'm afraid many people will be very unhappy...
Coffee is indeed a major worry, especially as producer prices are already going up.
As for Seinfeld, Zuckerberg is a sweetheart and offers me Seinfeld reels every day :))
Grocery items are flying off the shelves. Apparently the tariff strategy is to force the other countries to renegotiate trade deals. If all goes as planned the increased tariffs will just be in the shorter term but we'll see if the strategy works. I bought four pounds of coffee beans yesterday just incase. So I guess I'm one of the hoarders. Lol. If you're a Seinfeld fan I highly suggest Michael Richards' memoir Entrances and Exits. I'm about a 3/4ths of the way through the book and have loved every minute of it.
Thanks! I could use something fun to read!
You're welcome! It's so interesting to learn his backstory and the origin story of the show.
I mean, life is awfully short.
just say the word :)