Many people have asked me how it is possible to cook between $2-$5 for most of my meals. I have posted photos of my meals and people are impressed. In fact I have had a few that have doubted me so have posted photo and receipts - so there! Ha ha. Not that I should have to, but I suppose I am proving a point. I don't like being doubted on anything.
I have been told I should publish a cook book for the needy and once upon a time I was going to do. I spoke to the salvos about it years ago. How to survive and feed a family on a voucher. It just never eventuated.
Here is a yummy salad and chicken I made for $3.40
After my accidents, and I say accidents (plural) as I have only spoken about one - there is more to tell so stay tuned!
Anyway, I was doing it quite tough raising a school-age child as a single parent on the pension, paying rent, electricity, car running costs and not being able to work. Geez the only thing that has changed is house expenses and child costs. My car running costs are a lot more and medical expenses health insurance are there too - I am managing this all on newstart. And people say to me "why cant you get a home?"... well!
Anyway, I have always been a healthy cook. I eat fresh when I can. The only tin food I would have would be baked beans, tuna, soups and usually tomatoes for spaghetti. I have travelled a lot and learnt how to cook on open fire places and bbqs and butane burners. Butane is great - it is quick and cheap. You can cook vegies on it and they stay hot in the pot while you cook your meat next or use a bbq. Meanwhile all these meals have been prepared on a bbq hotplate.
I usually cook my vegies in foil with a little bit of water and sprinkle of garlic salt. Because I cant keep butter I use canola margarine as it keeps and it is not too bad. It evaporates on the bbq but leaves enough residue to moisten enough for the food not to stick. I miss butter badly though. I have never used margarine before in my life. I would only use butter for mashed potatoes and love frying steak in it nice flavour and baking cakes or biscuits for my child.
Lately I have been cooking my vegies directly on the hotplate they get slightly burnt and I like the flavour like a roast. I have always liked slightly burnt carrots in a roast anyway.
People have said to me please don't burn your vegies, it causes stomach cancer but I figure I am not over the top with it and I have sucked my coal dust into my system than I have eaten burnt vegies.
I posted my dinner photos on my twitter account simply because I was bored to start off with and thought one day after I started my homeless account - hey why not put on my dinners so people can see how I eat? Never thinking I was going to get the reaction I did with people going 'wow' or 'your kidding - all for that cost, amazing'.
Not really that amazing, it's easy.
Quite simply, when I have the money, I eat fresh-cooked food and I am healthy and happy because of it.
Hi Kath,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your stories, I have very much enjoyed them and will continue to do so. I hope those people who are rude or dismissive of your situation do read your blog quietly and take at least a tiny piece away for them to think about next time they hear a story of homelessness and hardship or see your tweets.
I honestly cannot understand why people such as our Prime Monster would say in all honestly that homelessness is a choice? He has more impact as our PM and therefore is far more culpable.
I think the answer is quite easy to homelessness and the ability to help people living in circumstances not of their choosing or as a consequence of learned behaviour or deeply troubled upbringing. The answer is to have a heart and humanity toward fellow citizens. Unfortunately we do not see much of that spoken about or discussed in the wider media or community and for that, the blame lays squarely at our governments. And whilst feeling extremely disgruntled and very ashamed of our morally inept current government, homelessness has not been addressed by either political party in Áustralia.
It annoys me when politicians and corporation executives have a night in a sleeping bag supporting mental illness and homelessness and expect the rest of us to believe they are now in a stronger, wiser position of empathy. It's a load of bulls**t and like many so many of these self promotional opportunites, they leave a bad taste in my mouth. It's promoting "themselves", nothing more.
Many exclusive private secondary colleges follow this example and again, I believe it is self serving to that particular school community. Am I too cynical?
Anyway Kath wanted to drop you a line. I follow you on twitter and I now have read your blog and am grateful to you and glad I did.
By the way, your meals look wholesome and healthy. What about cooking courses for young families and very tight budgets? Perhaps through Community Services, Benevolent Society or other community minded agencies across our nation.
Take care, all the best and stay safe.
Linda x
Take care