Today, as it's Friday, I've spent some time reflecting on the fact that we've stayed so disciplined for these past two work weeks. In twelve days, I'm guesstinating that I've saved over $31 in buying coffee out (how pathetic am I!) and over $30 in eating lunches and grabbing snacks out and about in the city. Together, we've probably saved an additional $100, at least in what we might have spent going out for a few dinners or participating in a few happy hours. GO TEAM.
That's not to say that our grocery bills haven't gone up, because they have, but probably only by about $20 or so, leaving the math clear.
Cost aside, because while saving money is a wonderful benefit of this first resolution, it was not the driver behind our intentions. More so, it was pushing ourselves to cook more, try new recipes, incorporate more foods, re-examine & re-invent the "packed lunch" and just be healthier all around. There's something fundamentally healthy about knowing every ingredient (and quantity of that ingredient) that is put into your meal.
However, in thinking about the benefits of saving money- it has also made me realize the other unintended benefits that we are currently enjoying as a result of not eating out.
(In one of our next postings we'll have to talk about the insanely delicious sandwiches we've been enjoying the last twelve days to keep ourselves satisfied and joyful, so more to come on the packing lunch front...)
But over the past two weeks I've noted that I've read more, written more, gone to the gym more, stretched more and even had noticeably more energy than usual. I believe this a result of feeling consistently better about all of my meals (as I am my own chef :o) ) and the fact that I've been home more.
Due to the nature of my job, it's easy and often compelling to work from coffee shops (which relates to why I saved so much money on coffee so far), to work late or go out after work. Because I've had to come home to eat and cook, I've had at least an extra hour if not two at home every night, meaning, I've actually been able to achieve other goals and priorities (like reading and gym). I didn't expect this upon embarking on this journey- but loving that it's been a by-product of the adventure.
In my reading time, I decided to start Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barabara Kingsolver (a favorite author of mine). I've been meaning to read this book for a while now, and thought that these 36.5 days would be the perfect time to dive in. She writes about the journey she took with her husband and two daughters for 1 year- living completely off of the land surrounding them. She writes candidly about their journey to toil their own soil, build their own garden, harvest their own foods and live and eat by their family values. The picture on the right she calls "vegetannual" as it represents the vegetables they harvested over course of the year by season. So fascinating and so inspiring! As I dive deeper into the book, she uncovers wonderful recipes, ideas and bit of empowerment, which I will no doubt share as I read on and continue my own adventure.
One particular section stuck a chord with me this afternoon, regarding American food culture, or lack their of really. She speaks about our agricultural and food industries and their role in the unhealthy society that we have become. She also talks about a new and better food culture that is is beginning to develop, one that involves caring about where our food comes from, being proud and mindful about what we eat and feeling great using "food" and "dirt" in the same sentence. She writes, "Something positive is also happening under the surface of our nation's food preference paradigm... It's the city dwellers who roll their kids out of bed on Saturday mornings and head down to the farmers' markets to pinch the tomatoes and inhale the spice-sweet melons."
This made me think of my love for Eastern Market and then made me love it even more. I love that I know the vendors, can smell the melon she describes and know that on any given day, I'll probably run into my sister, friends and colleagues doing the exact same thing. What a special place to be.
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