The Essential Bachelor Diet

Your place probably came with a fridge, right? So stock it with beer and a bottle of ketchup and all's right with the world, huh?

Wrong.

Sure, you can live on delivery pizza, Chinese (or if you're really hip, VietNamese) carryout, and microwave burritos. Hell, I did, until I realized that half of my disposable income went into inflating my waistline.

The trick is to eat simply, cheaply, and well. A buddy of mine, after his 4th divorce, claimed that he just couldn't survive on less than $200 per week for food. His diet was Chinese (at a very modest place in Houston's Bellaire Chinatown, Breakfast at Mickey D's, and pizza or carryout Mexican every day.

Let's break it out. EggaMuffin plus hashbrowns about $5, plus $3 for a coffee at Starbucks. (But you write off the Starbucks 'cause of the free internet and maybe you can meet a contact there, right? Tell it to the IRS auditor)<

$6 for lunch (the $3.99 special, plus iced tea, plus a buck tip).

$8 for the pizza, 'cause you've got a coupon, but a 2 dollar tip, 'cause, really, you can't give less than that.

So we've got 24 dollars in food. For one day. And you still haven't had a really nice meal.

Now let's compare and contrast.

Oatmeal with cream and brown sugar (under one dollar)

Leftovers microwaved for lunch (on a pro rata, call it 3 bucks), with iced tea made on site (by submerging tea bags in a bottle of water).

And then a steak dinner with baked potato and salad (about $7)

Ok, let's hear the totals!
$24 for the carryout and drive through
$11 for the DIY routine

BUT I CAN'T DO THAT!

I hear your screams. And I know the guys that paid for designer gourmet kitchens covered with carryout boxes, And I know that some of you are the same people.

Rest easy, for more will be revealed.

Welcome, &c

This will be my attempt to share essential Y-chromosome information to others in my situation. Those living alone in this brave new world, bereft of the wife, girlfriend or mother that once took care of care and feeding.

I'm guessing that most of us have had a breakup of some sort - divorce, separation, whatever. On my case, I'm middle aged (for a whole at least, then it will become old) with two teen-aged sons. .

My problems may not be your problems, but as it has been said, a wise man learns from his mistakes. A really smart one learns from other folks mistakes.

I'm giving you that opportunity.