What you can learn from Bon Appétit’s food diary

Talking about money is difficult. Certain generations grew up thinking that discussing personal finances was rude. Some people feel uncomfortable acknowledging their wealth and instead say, “I grew up comfortably.’ Others, on the other hand, struggle to look like they can afford what they can’t.so maybe that’s why headline Like Bon Appétit’s recent “How a 27-Year-Old Consultant Earns $225,000 a Year in Washington, D.C.” so many people bristles.

As a journalist earning about a quarter its, i get a backlash. I don’t really care what the rich eat. But there are still some lessons to be learned from this column. previous one From the other end of the spectrum, “How a 24-Year-Old Waitress Eats for $18,000 a Year in Durham, North Carolina”— Applicable to any budget in any city.

Helpful tips from Bon Appétit “Receipt column

Whether you spend $200 or $2,000 on food for the week, it never hurts to cut costs wherever possible. continuously rising food costAnd when you combine the insights you get from it, diary of two Server salary is $18,000, consultant salary is $225,000, There are a lot of hacks to be found throughout.

• Cheap wine tastes good. Our 24-year-old server starts the week off with a bottle of Woodbridge white wine (regularly $6.99 a bottle) and slowly works its way up with a glass or two before bed each night. “It’s a good wine for the price,” she says, skipping the expensive bottle for yours. every day wine.
• Choose low-cost proteins. Whether you’re ordering takeout from places like Sweetgreen or grocery shopping to eat at home, You can get more protein from items like chickpeas and lentils without paying the premium cost of other proteins like meat and its plant-based alternatives.

• Add nutritional yeast to everything. we sang hymns nutritional yeast before and this food diary It reminded me that I can sprinkle on any dish if I have it on hand Amplifies the flavor and nutritional value of something as simple as a plate of vegetables.
• Let someone else buy you dinner. Parents are fine Or your boyfriend wants to treat you! Don’t worry about accepting free food offers to offset costs.
• Eating out costs more than shopping. This is a given, but sometimes it’s important to look at the numbers.Our server did 4 grocery shopping and paid 8 different out of house meal, compared to our consultants, People who went to the grocery store and ate at 12 restaurantsThe latter cost almost ten times as much.
• Enjoy stylish coffee at home. What our consultant saves is her daily coffee bill.instead of grabbing daily starbucks, which means she invested in an espresso machine so she could get her Americano fix at home. purchase sophisticated machinery, mocha pot, If you’re a big enough espresso drinker, it pays off quickly.
• Eat seasonally. If you are buying out-of-season produce, you are more likely to be disappointed with the price and quality. your haul. Buy at-Not only are seasonal fruits and vegetables cheap, However, you are more likely to fully enjoy what you purchase.
• Be a regular. Be loyal to neighborhood spots be rewardedOur consultants will be treated to champagne upon arrival at your favorite restaurantand frequent visits to the same establishment often have other perks when dining out.
• It’s worth spending money on what you love. If you had the means to spend $400 in a restaurant on a truly memorable meal, Or you can budget for every day $5 Kombucha You enjoy a ‘silly little drink’ so do it! Eating is fun, fun, I don’t mind spending on the purchase Take advantage of that joy. There are far worse things to spend your money on than good food.