Dinner for Breakfast
Since I started my $5 per week food budget, I’ve developed an odd habit: dinner for breakfast. Yes, I’m eating my dinner foods first thing in the morning, odd as that may seem.
Before I started conserving on my food budget I started each day with a tall mug of sweetened tea and a Clif Bar. The Clif Bars cost $1.50 or so here in the one supermarket in our remote mountain town. My favorite flavor was “Peanut Toffee Buzz” which has a bit of caffeine in it. Unfortunately the Clif Bars, which cost me a minimum of $10.50 per week, were the first things to go from my food budget. I say minimum because I liked them so much, I often ate them for snacks later in the day as well.
When I ran out of Clif Bars I started making oatmeal for breakfast but my supply has dwindled. Though I’m an avid food storage advocate, I hadn’t stored oatmeal. Big mistake! I plan to make a food storage shopping trip after my six-week $5/wk. budgeting experiment is over. Oatmeal is one thing I’ll stock up on. It is a great way to get a filling breakfast in the morning.
I know a lot of people reading this will be groaning because they think oatmeal is the worst breakfast ever, but it has its uses. It digests slowly and come to think of it, Avena Sativa (oat) is a popular herb for various reasons… energy being one of them. Google “Avena Sativa” and you’ll get other ideas on what people are buying this herb for. I have some in capsule form that I’ve taken as part of my regimen to get off hypothyroid medications.
Since I like to eat a substantial breakfast, and am a total vegetarian, I’ve started eating my rice, lentils, potatoes and carrots for breakfast. I cook them once or twice weekly in my rice steamer; rice and lentils in the bottom and veggies on top. I cut my potatoes in half and eat them like baked potatoes when the rice steamer opens. For breakfast I chop the steamed potatoes and carrots into small pieces, warm in olive oil with sliced fresh garlic, and then add the rice and lentil mixture on top. Spices I add are simply salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I like lots of garlic as you can see, and believe it has great health benefits for my circulatory system.
It is nearly 4am as I write this and I’ve just had two small plates of this wonderful breakfast. Though I also eat the same for dinner I’m fully satisfied with this and know I won’t be hungry for a while.
I’m developing another breakfast… with vegan pancakes and a variety of toppings. More on that another time. The recipe isn’t perfected enough to share yet. Meanwhile, I can say I’m still eating well though I’ve reached week three of my $5/wk. food budgeting experiment.
Food purchases last week were $1.99 for a bag of potatoes, $.35 for carrots, and $.98 for fresh broccoli. That gave me $1.68 left over which I’m adding to this week’s food budget. I haven’t decided yet what I’ll spend it on. I’m considering olive oil as I’m almost out. I do have a couple pounds of butter I could use instead. I’ll probably wait until later in the week to make a decision on what to buy next. Oatmeal comes to mind.
Oat meal is something I grew up with and I still love it. No matter if for breakfast or even as a dinner meal. It is healthy and filling. Still, I don’t know if I could get along with a small budget as what you have set it for you. Congratualtions if you can!
Keep going gal!
Comment by Clean Star — Tuesday, December 1, 2009 @ 10:12 am
Glad to see your experiment is going well.
I’m new here so I haven’t looked about but will you be posting recipes along the way?
Comment by Dean Saliba — Wednesday, December 2, 2009 @ 3:18 pm
Enjoy reading your food journals. Amazing
Comment by Anita — Wednesday, December 2, 2009 @ 5:22 pm
i never thought there is such a way to save money.
even i don’t like vegetable such as carrot but i like potato. i will try it.
Comment by tommy — Thursday, December 3, 2009 @ 5:09 am
Dean, yes, I sometimes post recipes… though not regularly. My kind of cooking rarely uses measuring devices. I’d like for people to feel comfortable enough with cooking to toss foods together and have confidence it will turn out alright. Sometimes it takes two or three tries to achieve perfection, but that’s fine. Learn what works and improve on that!
Comment by Linda — Friday, December 4, 2009 @ 6:38 pm
you taking innovation in the food processing its really nice.have my wishes and keep the experiment with this way.Its excellent to know the food important by your post especially Oats.
Comment by Stellamary — Saturday, December 5, 2009 @ 2:22 am
Dinner for breakfast… oat meal, wheat bread, fruit reach in calorie, and a glass of fresh fruit juice.
Comment by FWT — Monday, January 4, 2010 @ 12:34 am
Hey I’m new here and I just read your blog.I’m quite amazed with your $5 a week budget.Hhhm…I think I’ll start with $10 a week. I don’t think I can survive with $5/week on food.I admire your dedication on it though.Bravo!!!
Comment by April — Tuesday, February 16, 2010 @ 11:23 pm
That is really cheap.You are really getting innovative.
Comment by John — Wednesday, February 17, 2010 @ 3:11 am
i never thought there is such a way to save money.
i don’t like vegetable such as carrot but i like potato. i will try it…
Comment by Sandra — Wednesday, June 2, 2010 @ 9:22 pm
great! its healthy and filing i like it and enjoy reading your food journals…
Comment by Sandra — Monday, June 7, 2010 @ 1:47 am
other than dinner for breakfast, you should follow in daily life by exercise
order your food intake does not affect vital to the problem of obesity,
do not consume too much rice,
a little rice, lots of vegetables, fruits
and sports …….
will make your life in balance ..
good luck ….
Comment by bali — Monday, June 7, 2010 @ 9:22 pm
Amazing!Enjoy reading your food journals.It is healthy and filling.
Comment by Sandra — Wednesday, June 9, 2010 @ 9:38 pm
Amazing trip, I would like to compete in such a things. I would be a biigest and most extraordinary moment in my life. But as i can consider It is’nt affordable for me.
Comment by Jacob — Thursday, June 24, 2010 @ 5:06 am
I could eat your vegan breakfast for any meal of the day… it sounds like a delicious combo. I also have to give praise to oatmeal. I often have either cold cereal or oatmeal for breakfast. Oatmeal takes longer to prepare, but the days I eat it I feel more satisfied and full for longer. The beauty of oatmeal is you can load it with “power-ups” and it still tastes great. I often add some combination of… hemp seeds, flax, lecithin, fresh fruit, dried fruit, protein powder, or whatever suits my mood.
Comment by Christina Catana — Tuesday, August 17, 2010 @ 9:10 am