The Unexpected Joys of Forgoing Convenience Foods

Food costs have finally risen enough for me to attempt the dirty work

Pomegranate carnage / Photo by author

Have you ever ordered something at a restaurant and thought, This is delicious, but I could make something just as tasty at home?

That thought crept into my mind as I finished my Mediterranean toast — a dense, grainy bread, spread thick with hummus and sprinkled with olives, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds. I was skeptical the finished product would live up to the sum of its parts since it’s an unusual combination. But I had nothing to worry about. The garlicky hummus, the briny chewiness of the olives, and the butteriness of the nuts harmonized beautifully.

I had several of the ingredients stocked so the next time I went shopping I added walnuts and pomegranate seeds to my list. I’ve seen the plastic containers of deep red seeds at many grocery stores, but I toured the aisles and came up empty.

With the rising cost of groceries, I’ve started keeping tabs on my monthly food expenditures. I discovered I spend more than the average single-person household on food, at least according to the Internet.

A discount grocery store opened near me so I’ve been trying it out. I’m happy with the savings, but they come at a cost — fewer convenience foods on…