87/365 : Dinner

Back in Boston, Andy and I cooked maybe a few times a week and the meals were usually instant. I consider myself a lover of food, music and movies, so restaurants were a must. When we moved to San Francisco without jobs, we stopped ordering takeout or eating at restaurants. Sometimes we'll spend a few bucks on burritos or fast food, but we generally cook dinner almost every night.

I discovered that I enjoy cooking. Sometimes I flip through cookbooks or browse online for food inspiration. I realized that I don't necessarily miss restaurants, I just miss certain foods. I can't remember the last time I had sushi or chinese food. I want to eat Mexican food and enjoy a large, salted margarita. When Andy and I are finally on our feet again, we don't plan on returning to our wasteful food habits in Boston - I want to continue cooking at home and save restaurants for special occasions.

The biggest change from living on a food budget is I use every food item I buy. I used to throw out expired products all the time. When we moved, I was disgusted with how many food items we accumulated. Now, I pick recipes based on ingredients in the kitchen. I actually have signature dishes I love to prepare, like garlic & paprika shrimp.

Also, a large, non-stick pan helps.