This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Lindsay Daneen. Find her on Instagram at @_lindsay_daneen. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Times have been hard lately. I’m not referring to how challenging everything is mentally and physically, although that’s true also. This time I’m referring to how difficult things are financially. As some salaries go up steadily and most stay stagnant, the prices of everything around us go up faster than we can keep up. The cost of housing increases, gasoline prices fluctuate while staying on an upward trend, and it feels like costs $100 every time I leave the house for anything besides work. This is especially true when it comes to food. It’s not just the eggs either, even though I’m still traumatized by the $13 eggs I recently spotted in a Manhattan grocery store. Overall, the price of food is significantly higher than it was pre-pandemic. So, over the years people have resorted to recession meals. What is a recession meal, exactly? You’ll learn all about it here.
Ingredients
A recession meal is a fiscally responsible meal that allows individuals to spend as little food as possible on hearty meals. These meals focus on using specific ingredients that are known to be filling yet kind to your pockets. These ingredients typically consist of rice, beans, pasta, potatoes, bread, and canned goods. They also have extended shelf life which allows you to purchase them in bulk and keep them for long periods. There’s also a lot of variety. Have you ever paid attention to how extensive the canned goods and pasta aisles are? All these items have another thing in common. Not only are they easy to prepare but they are high in calories, carbs, and fiber (if you choose wisely). Therefore, one serving can contribute significantly to one’s overall calorie intake requirements and keep you fuller for longer. It’s a win-win for everyone’s wallets and stomachs.
Health
As mentioned earlier, recession meals focus heavily on high-calorie and high-carb ingredients. Pasta, rice, and beans are at the forefront. And despite canned vegetables being helpful we can’t negate that canned veggies are not the preferred way of getting your leafy green nutrients. Although they are better than no vegetables at all, they are inferior to their fresh counterparts. You can count on consuming higher amounts of sodium, preservatives, sugars, and other chemicals associated with the lining of many cans. These are all things to consider when choosing this diet. I don’t want you to be caught off guard if the number on the scale looks a tad bit different after implementing this way of living. To offset some of these concerns try to opt for low-sodium cans, rinse the excess syrups off canned contents when possible, and try to mix in fresh ingredients as often as you can.
Soups & Stews
Now here’s the part you’ve been waiting for… the recipes! If you’re a soup or stew person, recession meals will be right up your alley. Like any hearty soup meal, you should start with a carb. Rice is perfect. A base broth of any kind is recommended as well. You can use bone broth, vegetables, chicken, or even beef. Decide on the meat. Chicken breast is great if you want your meat to be leaner and lower in calories. Turkey is a good option too. Beef and pork are great in moderation as well. Now consider the veggies you’d like to include in your big warm bowl of affordable grub and that’s pretty much all there is to it! Don’t forget your seasonings and garnishes. You’d be surprised how much personality they can add to your meal too. There are so many options! And you can mix and match!
Pasta Dishes
Pasta is super easy as well. And if you are someone who appreciates variety, pasta is one of the most versatile things you can buy. I say this because there are so many types of pasta that I can’t even keep count. From spaghetti noodles and fettuccine to penne and macaroni, your head can start spinning. This is before you even consider whether you want whole wheat, white, flavored, vegetable, or chickpeas. Now for the cause. You can keep it as basic as possible and add butter to your noodles. You can buy any pasta sauce. Or you can go the authentic route and chop up tomatoes, garlic, and basil and take it right to Italy with your dish. Don’t forget to garnish with your favorite cheese, I recommend parmesan. But this is your dish. So, choose whatever you want. I promise you’ll be full afterward.
Casseroles
I feel that casseroles get a bad rap. Just like any dish, you can make it your own. And depending on who makes it, it may not be the best. But if you add the right ingredients, casseroles can be delicious! Meat, cheese, and noodles are a combination that never fails. And they feed entire families! If that doesn’t scream recession-proof, I don’t know what does. Try a hamburger casserole, a taco, or a meatball combo. Cut them into even squares and take them to work, Thanksgiving, or heat them for a midnight snack. Although a casserole might be a little heavy for a midnight snack, I’m not judging! It’s your recession meal to eat whenever you please.
Community
This post is about saving money and making sure you fare well in this questionable economy. With the cost of eggs and produce skyrocketing, it’s hard to find financial balance when curating meals. What is a recession meal? Well, let’s look at it from another angle. At the very least these meals are here to make life easier with quicker and more assessable options. During difficult times, there is an opportunity to come together. That could mean sharing recipes, swapping ingredients, or sharing tips and tricks to stay on the recession mal diet track. So take this opportunity to embrace something new. Recession meals may sound scary since recessions are never good. But they have been tried and true ever since The Great Depression. We got through this many times before and we will do it again! We’ll just add some Zillennial flare to it this time around.
Do you think you could live on a recession meal diet? Comment below!
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