Just because ‘recessionista’ is over doesn’t mean you’re going to a have a nice Christmas (or Hanukkah, for the Jews in the room). Money is tight, and job security isn’t exactly the promised land it once was. You never know when your rainy day dollars (read: plastic surgery fund) will need to be tapped into, so it’s important that it’s as plush as possible.
One of my favorite ways to save money (and calories) is bringing my lunch to work. If you’re not doing this, do me a favor: get over the brown bag stigma, wake up 10 minutes earlier, and pack your own shit! I spend about $50 bucks a week on groceries, which leaves enough of my paycheck to purchase necessities– beer, boots, and babes (okay, maybe not the babes; but the other ‘B’ was illegal. Use your imagination). Anyway, you’re lucky to spend less than $15 on lunch per day– and that doesn’t include meeting up with your friends during lunch hour to try out some trendy bistro. That’s standard take-out pricing in New York City. Yes, we all love NYC, but it’s sure as shit not perfect.
For the most part, my groceries come from Trader Joe’s. I fix a quick fruit salad for breakfast, a regular salad with chicken or tuna, throw a string cheese in there, and finish it off with some sort of fruit or snack bar. Then, a strange thing started happening: Trader Joe’s snack bars started giving me hives. That’s not to say they’ll give you hives (I love you TJ’s and I’m sorry); but in an appearance-based industry, I can’t walk around having unannounced hive breakouts. It’s skeevy, and all of the red-faced apologies in the world won’t change that. I had to start looking elsewhere for my snacks, which was a blessing in disguise. Here are the treats that have kept me well-fed and hive-free.
Breakfast has always been the most important meal of the day, but it’s only recently become a vital part of my routine since discovering Early Bird Granola. Instead of bringing a satchel of food items to work, this granola has inspired me to take fifteen extra minutes in the morning to relax at home and eat at a table like a normal human being. Supposedly, it’s so effing delicious because the granola is baked in tiny batches… but upon tasting it you kind of don’t care about the where’s (Brooklyn), how’s (slow roasting to perfection), and why’s (why the fuck not?) because you’re too busy having a foodgasm. Mix it with vanilla yogurt and a sliced banana for breakfast, or frozen yogurt and raspberries for dessert (buy frozen raspberries and melt them down a bit in the microwave for maximum pleasure). Find them at the Early Bird Website, prices vary.
Sunbelt‘s Sweet & Salty Granola Bars were the perfect replacement for my snack bars of yore. That’s not to say they’re similar; the bars I used to buy were fruit-based, while these bars are a delicious combo of chocolate, peanuts, and peanut butter– but after making them a part of my routine, I realized I had been depriving myself in the name of skinny jeans for far too long. Sold at all major grocery chains at $2.59 for a box of 8, I was won over by a low price tag and an intense amount of flavor. Unfortunately, they’re so good that I now have to eat one after every meal. Such is life.
While a great addition, snack bars are like a fuck buddy. You always have to go all the way with them; it’s just the nature of your relationship. You don’t taste a little and then save the rest for later, you devour it without remorse. This is why I’m a fan of munching. Workplace munching between meals is a great way to keep your metabolism up and your stomach silent.
See, while snack bars promote instant gratification, munching is more like… a friend with benefits. Take a little here or there, it’s up to you. If you munch a little and then put me on the bench for awhile, I’ll still be there when you come back. No worries.
Unparallel to my real life, I found a friend with benefits who has yet to let me down. Dr. Delish has an amazing Cashew Trail Mix Crunch, which contains clusters of cashew, a touch of seasalt, and a honey glaze that holds it all together. Healthier than Pringles, but similiar when igniting the caveman instinct to eat the entire bag in one sitting. For $1.99 a bag exclusively from Duane Reade, the guilt won’t outlast the pleasure.
So ladies and gents, get off of your high-calorie horses and ride into a new era of healthy, affordable meals. You’ll rake up those credit card points some other way, I promise.
