No Spend Month: Day 7

I am a little bit proud and a little bit ashamed to admit that I have spent exactly nothing all week. I’m proud because it seems to me to be quite an achievement to spend nothing for that long. I’m embarrassed that I had more than enough food accumulated to make this possible.

So what did I eat? On the weekend I baked two loaves of whole wheat bread and made a big pot of barley soup. I had peanut butter toast and tea for breakfast every day and soup for lunch every day. I’m lucky in that I don’t mind repetition with meals, especially if they’re healthy and yummy. I get fatigued of processed foods after a few days, my body can really feel the difference, and if I don’t like something I’m simply not going to eat it. But I’ve had peanut butter toast and tea for breakfast nearly every morning for several years, and it’s still one of my favourite parts of the day.

Dinners I thought would be trickier, but apparently I thought wrong. I had braised chicken and veggies, spaghetti with home made sauce, even lamb stew! I buy meat in bulk and freeze it, so I may not need to buy meat at all during this entire month.

These meals were supplemented with apples from a five pound bag, popcorn from the pantry and chocolate from the stash. Yes, I keep a stash of chocolate in my closet, doesn’t everyone?

So I clearly haven’t been deprived, but I sure have been tempted. I went into Auntie Crae’s, a local bakery and specialty grocery store, to inquire about a certain ingredient and I nearly threw in the towel right then. Chocolates and nuts and fancy, fancy cheeses. After I spoke with the clerk I practically flung myself out onto the street to avoid the truffle oil. Side note: did you hear that scientists are working on cloning truffles so the masses can eat them? I’m not sure how I feel about that.

Worst was yesterday. I had a job interview. I’m pretty good at interviews, to quote Angela from “The Office” : “I believe I stand up very well under scrutiny”. But it’s still stressful. I usually cope by having a fancy coffee before and a chocolate treat after. Yesterday I held off! I had a standard cup of black tea from the box of tea bags I keep in my desk and waited until I get home to attack my stash. I still wanted to buy myself dinner, though. Boyfriend wasn’t over and I simply could not will myself to get down in the kitchen. I thought about Ziggy’s, the chip truck that parks down the street. Poutine for $6, would it really be so bad? It was looking bad.

When things look bad the answer is always the same: call mom. Within an hour I was at the table with my parents, tucking into chicken, rice and broccoli with homemade rolls and wine.

Overall I think this week was a very good start to my challenge. I will need to go to the grocery store tomorrow, so some spending will happen. I need more fresh veggies and I need a couple of ingredients to properly celebrate a truly fantastic mom this weekend. But more on that later.


PS: Basia Bulat’s new album “Heart of My Own” totally rocks. Get it.