If you have been following my website and/or blog then you have all the tools needed to make great cheap meals with success. However, the issue of great cheap meals is that even when people have all the tools and knowledge they need, there are still times when they do not do what they know they should do. Most people understand that they need to provide for themselves a balanced diet, and eat foods which strengthen and support their body. Also, people can read tips and tools (such as the ones posted on my blog and website) teaching them how to responsibly grocery shop according to a budget. It is not hard to understand the importance of eating well, and shopping smartly, and yet even in my own life, I begin to observe myself not making wise decisions. I have learned that understanding the head knowledge behind eating and shopping well is not enough to support the lifestyle I desired. There are several factors lying beneath the surface which (if left unattended) can hijack our attempts and efforts to eat and live well. Sometimes, we can be our own worst enemy. Out of these negative factors, there are two especially pertinent ones which I wish to address in this posting: modern culture has trained people to want instant gratification, and people allow themselves to become too busy.

Problem: Today's society has become one of quick enrichment. People are always on the go with busy, chaotic lifestyles, and a feeling of entitlement. Think about it, when we go into a store or a restaurant we expect fast service every time, and if we don't receive it, this will sometimes make us mad. On a Friday or Saturday night at a busy restaurant most people are not willing to wait a half hour just to be seated and so end up simply leaving due to impatience. An example from grocery shopping is when after a long day of work people are hungry and want food right away, so they either go to the grocery store and buy convenience foods, or they buy fast food to quickly satisfy their hunger. Convenience and fast food in general cost more money and are less nutritious, thus not supporting our goal of making great cheap meals.

Solution: Instead of eating fast food or convenience meals out of necessity, take the time to plan and prepare your meals ahead of time.

When you have time during the week, cook meals in bulk and refrigerate them to eat later in the week. Not only does this mean you do not have to cook when you get home from work, but it also saves dishes from getting dirty later in the week, and therein saves you time on washing them.