Missing the Convenience of Eating Out

Okay, so it's April 8, and I admit I miss eating out. I drove by my favorite sushi restaurant today and I nearly pulled into the parking lot. Then I drove by Safeway and I thought, "Wouldn't that Panda Express be great?" But a commitment is a commitment. This is hard -- but life is much harder for so many people who don't have enough food to feed their families -- and certainly who don't have the resources to get take-out.

Dad came home from the hospital tonight and I stayed for dinner at my parents' house. It is so great to have Dad home. We had meatloaf -- which was delicious despite the fact that I seldom eat meat -- and a green salad. It was nice to have new foods that are not in my freezer or pantry. It makes me consider the people who don't have the option of eating fresh fruits and veggies. In a difficult economy, what a gift it is to know that there are agencies and places dedicated to helping families and people in need. If you can afford to help out, they really need your spare change. It makes more of a difference than you know.

Happy Birthday to Me

Today is my birthday -- and it has been a really amazing day. Of course the fact that my father, who has been in the hospital since mid-March, is getting better was a huge gift. But this experiment has made me realize how many people are both available and willing to help if only we make the effort to ask.

As you know, the point of this blog and experiment has been to pay attention to how much food we waste, bring awareness of the families who struggle to survive and to also bring awareness of the agencies that help. Today, I am adding a fourth point to the value of this experiment -- and that is the value of asking for help. We all need help sometimes. Why are we so afraid to ask?

Last week, a friend of mine from jr. high, who now lives in LA, sent me a Facebook message that if I still lived in LA he'd have me over to dinner several times a week. It was a lovely gesture from a lovely man. Two states away, I won't be having dinner with David during this experiment -- but his offer serves as a valuable reminder of the millions of people who are happy to help when they see a need.

Because I knew I would be doing this experiment, I told my family that I didn't need "knick-knacks and things" for my birthday this year. And they listened. My mom filled my planters with fresh dirt and flowers -- and she made me breakfast. She drove over to my place with a bag of groceries, and made me breakfast in my kitchen before I went to Palm Sunday services. It was an amazing gift of her time, her love, her fantastic cooking -- and it confirmed to me that when we share our needs with others, they do listen and they do help as they can. What gets us into trouble is when we don't share and we expect others to read our minds.

My aunt and uncle brought a cake (lemon -- my favorite!) by my place to celebrate my birthday with me, my mom, sister and of course them. The cake was awesome and Mom took a small piece back to the hospital to share with Dad.

It's Day Five of the No Food Shopping Experiment... and I am loving this. I am learning to use what I have, ask for what I need, and express genuine gratitude for all the lovely people in my life who (like me) do wish to make a meaningful difference.

I don't really miss eating out. I don't miss the convenience of running to the store because "nothing looks good in my cupboard." Many people do not have the option of having a pantry, even a small one. How successful we feel is closely related to how much gratitude lives within our hearts.

If you can spare $1 or $5 today... please donate to your local food bank, soup kitchen or mission. Your spare change can make a world of difference to a family that is hungry and in need. Then, take a minute to add a comment about a favorite charity of yours that helps others. You may just bring awareness to someone who shares a passion to help. Their dollars combined with yours will help that many more people.

Day 3 - Getting Easier

Given the frustration I was experiencing yesterday, I was having serious doubts that I could complete this experiment all the way to April 30. Today was a lot easier. While I was super busy, both with clients (two different clients) and with ordinary life chores (getting Emma's wings clipped, picking up a prescription, dropping off some dry cleaning, paying rent, etc.) I made peace with the idea of eating at home.

Dad is still in the hospital for in-patient rehab and I didn't make it up to see him today; but I will go early tomorrow and take my breakfast to eat with him while he's eating his. I took flowers to his nurses in telemetry and the 5th Floor ortho wing tonight (different hospital); they really appreciated having a patient's family recognize the high level of care they give each patient.

If I hadn't gone home for lunch (since as you know I don't eat lunch out unless I pack it this month), I would have missed a call from Kaplan University to go over my program outline. I'm very honored and excited to be among their list of speakers for their online executive series in May. If you're a Kaplan University student, I'd love to have you join my sessions from 1:00-2:00 p.m. or 9:00-10:00 p.m. Eastern time on May 4. Going home for lunch was a good thing.

I have found that if I either am relaxed enough to plan my meals and snacks -- or I am so crazy busy I don't have time to even think about food -- that's when I do the best with this whole "no food shopping" experiment. This "no food shopping" experiment has enabled me to save a lot of money! I realized that when I do run into the store for one or two items, I always seem to walk out with a small bag full of other items I didn't know I needed. Since I no longer run in for a single food item, I don't run in for anything else either. Having said that -- I need to go to Macy's tomorrow to pay my bill. My hunch is that I will find a must-have item while there.

Last night, I went to the Taste of Home Cooking School at the Yakima Convention Center with my mom and sister. Fiesta Foods served samples of the most delicious fajita chicken, a local grocery store bakery served cake, and two wineries held wine tasting as part of the ticket price. (I bought the tickets back in March.)

Even though the food was included as part of the event, and hence not something I knowingly paid for, I am wondering if just the small joy of having someone cook and serve me samples sort of tempered my desire to eat out. The only way to find out is to go to Costco tomorrow and test all their free samples. If that holds me over for a week I'll know that I must have a gene that feels loved whenever anyone else serves me food, even if that food is a single bite served on a napkin or pressed down into a white paper cup the size of a pill cup in the hospital.

Better run. It's early and I'll need to get up early to make coffee, and breakfast, and make it across town to eat breakfast with Dad at 8:00. Sleep tight. And thank you for following my blog. Has it inspired you to donate money or food to a local charity? If so, please tell me about it and about the charity you enjoy supporting.

Healthy But Pain in the You Know What!

So it's April 2 and I'm already sort of tired of this experiment. The practical, logical side of me (which is about 65%) says, "Uh, you've got fresh milk, fresh bread, eggs, fruit, veggies -- you can't seriously be complaining yet." But the emotional side, of course, wants anything I don't have access to: sushi, Chinese food, a gyro!

So I decided to have a hardboiled egg for a snack, and while I thought about having a second one -- I realized that with only 24 eggs for the month, 12 of them hardboiled and 12 of them raw -- I needed to make the healthier choice of "one is enough." That was a good choice.

But since I can't just run to the store for lunch, I also had to think through what I would make.

Despite the fact that my freezer, refrigerator and pantry are stocked -- nothing looked good. I noticed a couple of ripe tomatoes on the kitchen tier, and since I'm not wasting food this month, I decided to make something with tomatoes. When I was a kid, my mom used to make a tomato and canned bean salad with a bit of mayo, salt and pepper. Since I have about 12 baby cucumbers, I decided to add one of those. Of course, I don't use canned green beans on a regular basis, so they are stored in the garage as opposed to my limited kitchen cupboard space.

Yakima is beautiful today -- sunny, no wind and about 53 degrees (which is a huge difference from the wind and snow flutters we had yesterday!) I opened my patio door, loving the sunshine, and I bounced happily out to my detached garage to get a can of beans. Unfortunately, while accessing them, I accidentally pushed another can which pushed my specialty bottled mushrooms in a savory Italian marinade off the shelf and onto the floor. Of course it broke. I was saving it for a spring or summer Italian or Greek salad. Too bad it's in the dumpster. Glass everywhere. I had to clean that up and my garage still smells like vinegar. Have you ever set out to do something that you really thought would be great and would help a lot of people, or even some people, only to feel kicked in the tushie? Well, that's how I felt when I was cleaning up the garage, trying not to get glass in my fingers.

When I got back into the house, I mixed together two medium tomatoes, a baby cucumber, a can of sliced beans, a tablespoon of Vegenaise (it's like mayo) and a sprinkling of Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning Mix. It is marinating in the refrigerator for lunch.

The reality is that many people are glad to have anything to eat. They would welcome the inconvenience of tossing the ingredients together. They would be so careful with the food they did have that they wouldn't have placed the mushrooms in a place where they would fall and splash on the floor. Despite the inconvenience -- I am blessed. I will have a healthy lunch and I will remember how fortunate I am to even have food in my pantry to make. So it's not exactly what I am craving at the moment. It's healthy, it will be delicious, and it's worth the effort to create change possibly in the world, but most certainly in myself.

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April 1: Tempted to reconsider

Unlike so many families who are laid off without notice, I prepared to some degree to begin this experiment. Since my father has been in the hospital since March 13, I didn't really have the clarity of mind to prepare well -- but I did prepare.

Most importantly, I went to my family doctor and my dentist in the past month and shared details about this experiment with them. Both reminded me to find a way to get a balance of protein, dairy, veggies, and fiber. (I'm not entirely sure that even in normal life I eat completely balanced meals -- but I understand their concern and I will make an effort.)

My mom bought a large container of kiwis at Costco today and when I dropped by to deliver a book to my sister and my dad's watch (which sister keeps for him overnight), I managed to bum three kiwis off my mom. Score!

A local Mexican restaurant sure smelled good when I was stopped at a light on my way home tonight. I imagined the refried beans with melted cheese, and the fajitas being grilled to perfection. I was tempted to reconsider this experiment. I thought about putting it off a day... starting April 2, ya know. But I held firm. I drove right on by. Imagine -- 30 days of no food shopping! No take-out or dining in -- no running to the store. For 30 days I will eat exclusively out of my freezer, pantry, refrigerator, and the kindness of others.

In the process I expect to find creative ways to use all of the food in my refrigerator (instead of throwing out leftovers) as well as learn to stop wasting as much as I do. I expect to increase my compassion for people and families who don't have the option of running to the store. And I hope to bring attention to the wonderful organizations that exist through the kindness of those willing to help feed a man, woman or child in need.

I hope you'll follow my posts and if you have a dollar or five dollars to spare, please consider donating it to a food bank, a soup kitchen or another organization that works to prevent hunger. If you make a donation this month... please leave a comment stating the organization you gave to and why you selected them. The amount of the gift does not matter... but please give, and post a comment to together, let's bring awareness of all the great places out there that work to make a difference by filling otherwise empty stomachs every day. Thank you and God bless.

Designing an Experiment

Millions of people going about life and business as normal this past year, suddenly found their lives turned upside down when they lost their jobs. All at once, the smallest things could no longer be taken for granted. Living on unemployment or sometimes even less (for those who didn't qualify) meant even a trip to the grocery store was a luxury for some.

As a finance and career expert, I help people find ways to stretch their dollar and adjust their lifestyles to accommodate their income. It makes "sense" that when less money comes in, people find ways to make the dollars stretch further by eating at home and cutting out or back on entertainment. But what does that mean? What about when simply going to the grocery store is a luxury?

What does one month of meals eaten exclusively out of a pantry, freezer or refrigerator look like? Is it healthy? Can it be done? In honor of my readers who have lost jobs and don't have a choice about cutting back on even the basics, I will spend one month where I will do absolutely no food shopping starting April 1.

Unlike people who have lost their jobs, I will be able to stock up before the experiment begins on freezer and pantry items. But if I forget something, I will live without it. For one month, I will purchase no food. And I will solicit no dinner invites out (although I probably won't pass up any that are offered), and since April's both my birthday month and Easter, I'm guessing my sister will host dinner for the family at least twice. But this means I'll also have two party events where I will need to prepare a dish to share, and I will do that out of my pantry.

I'd like to encourage you to keep up with my posts. I suspect this journey will be a lot harder than it sounds, and I'll be glad to have your support along the way.