Ed. note: Welcome to the second installment of the five part series, Living With the Recession by author and executive consultant Granville Toogood, who also happens to be my uncle as well. For more information on Granville, visit his website [here].

Cheap Chow That’s Good for You

Before the soufflé hit the fan last fall, it would never have occurred to me to whip a great meal for two for less than $15.

But the soufflé did hit the fan — and it wasn’t long before I discovered that you don’t have to eat fast food to save money.

According to nutrition experts, we all should be eating not three big meals, but five small meals that include less meat and more fruit and veggies every day.  Let’s assume, however, that for a lot of reasons we can’t all subscribe to the five-meal plan. So let’s take a look at what we can do with just three:

Breakfast for One

One or two eggs every other day — about 40 cents.

Half cup of blueberries (frozen are cheaper, but just as nutritious) – about  80 cents.

Half cup of raspberries – about  $1

Glass of OJ – about 30 cents.

1 pc. whole grain toast – 15 cents

Half cup of oatmeal – 20 cents

Banana – 35 cents

Total: three to four bucks

Lunch for One

For lunch, swing by any green market and grab a container of fresh stir-fry veggies and a container of raw carrots and celery for snacks.

Veggies stirred-fried in a pan with Hoisin or stir- fry sauce and sesame seeds – about $3.75

Two pieces sliced smoked salmon – about 90 cents

Cup of green tea –- about 20 cents

One ounce of dark chocolate – about 60 cents

Total: a little more than five bucks

Dinner for Two

Half a pound of fish (prices vary store to store and day to day). Let’s say $10.

Mesclun salad – about $3

Avacado – about  $1.25

Lemon water (fresh squeezed) – about 30 cents

Raspberries (frozen) – about $2

Total: less than $17. That’s about $8 each.

Not everyone is going to want to follow a plan like this. But for those who do, you’ll probably wind up losing a couple of inches off the waist, and at the same time save enough cash for the occasional ribeye steak blowout at your favorite local restaurant.