A good friend of mine (no less than the driver of the Canny Bus) has written me many times saying that our recipes look wonderful but who can afford them? She’s not alone. Most folks don’t cook. They don’t have the time, the energy, and, they think, the money.

Talk about cash. What about fast foods, "convenience" foods, and "prepared" foods? We all know that fast food is not cheap. A lot of times it isn’t even fast. Most folks buy their drive-thru junk on their way to their by-pass operation. Now, don’t get me wrong, occasionally, junk is a treat. More often it’s a down payment on future funeral plans. Convenience can mean just about anything short of digesting the food for you (although it some times looks like that).

More sinister, however, is the growing trend of "prepared" foods at the market. Sure, I want to eat something that’s been sitting in a steam table for three days. Pass. About the only affordable already made food for you is Jack in the Box two for .99 cents tacos. For three or four dollars (not counting the Pepsi) one can just about overdose. No family is getting out of that drive-thru lane for less than a ten spot. For my family you have to at least break a twenty. As you’ll soon learn, for the far less money, the same time, and less hassle, you could be having the meal of a lifetime. Remember:

• The more "prepared" or "convenient a food is, the more cost per serving. When they actually have to even heat the food up for you, it’s terribly expensive. The mark-up on supermarket prepared salads (a classic "convenience" food) rivals that of the best cannabis. "Frozen entrees" are another wallet buster.
• The only way "prepared" food can possibly be affordable is to either cut down on portions or, more likely, use inferior ingredients. Just what are "cheese products" anyway?
• "Prepared" foods are simply military rations in camouflage packaging.
• Fast, prepared, or convenient, you are paying top dollar for food lacking in nutrition, taste, and health.

Smart shopping and home cooking translates directly into tasty meals filled with nutrition that are fun to make. It also translates over time into big time cash savings. How much cash? Check out this typical comparison. Time of fast food was 30 minutes, same as home cooking. Nutrition didn’t even compare. Taste? Well you decide. Cash? Keep it in your pocket and leave the car in the driveway!

That’s a savings of $11 for just one meal. Say you’re cheap at Carl’s and leave the cookies out. There’s still a savings of $6. Do this every day and you end up with nearly $2,000 a year in extra cash just for substituting home cooking for "convenience" one meal a day.

These savings don’t even begin to count how much is saved from the co-pay on your CAT scan, ECG, and blood tests.

Have you tried "Green Peril" or "Green Garlic Toasted"? These and many more recipes are all on our AAMC website: http://www.letfreedomgrow.com

Future articles will have tips on shopping, portion control, and other ways to save even more cash. Most of the recipes are relatively easy. They all have been taste tested and are guaranteed tasty.