When money is tight become a ‘foodie’
When money gets so tight that it becomes difficult to put food on the table it is easy to get discouraged. It may seem counterintuitive, but becoming a ‘foodie’ at that precise moment might be surprisingly effective to stay positive.
The Facts
- Foodies are passionate about food
- They can elevate even humble ingredients
- Foodies across the world are most creative when time are tough
Foodies are sometimes seen as pretentious and frivolous, especially when content creators on social media display a ‘money is no object’ attitude and brag about dishes that are way outside the realm of everyday meals.
In real life, a foodie is simply passionate and curious about food and looks at it as a form of art rather than just a means of survival. Ingredients can be humble, as long as cooking with them is enjoyable and results in a dish with a new twist.
Wanda and Darek’s story
In their first week in Canada, new immigrants from Eastern Europe invited us for dinner. They had almost no kitchen equipment, very little money to buy food, and no furniture yet. We sat on the floor and a large suitcase served as a makeshift table, covered with a beautiful tablecloth.
The meal was incredibly simple, but stunning: eggs and mushrooms fried in a pan, garnished with parsley, and served in the original egg shells, which had been decorated with beet juice. So much attention had gone into this ultra-simple meal that I still remember it 35 years later! Life did get much easier for these friends, but they never lost the ability to make something amazing from almost nothing and be proud of it!
Don’t go it alone when times are tough!
The simple meal of eggs, mushrooms, and bread, eaten with people we had just met, led to a decades-long friendship. There is no reason to hide when money is tight. So many people struggle today that it is easy to find a kindred spirit, become ‘foodies’ together, and celebrate food adventures, even when it’s just a new twist on rice and beans!
First steps towards becoming a foodie
No ingredient is too humble to be elevated. There is so much a few spices or a new cooking technique can add to the enjoyment of a simple meal. Picking up a nice place setting from a thrift store creates the difference between eating and dining, no matter what is on the plate.
To become a foodie, train your palate to appreciate different flavors, explore diverse cuisines, and learn how ingredients work together.
- Read cookbooks, food blogs, or watch food shows
- Try new dishes or change up how you prepare your stand-bys
- Learn new cooking techniques and how acidity, salt, fat, and heat interact
- Enjoy the process!