Food Prices Are Too Damn High!

The Rent is Too Damn High Party started around 2005 as a single-issue political party in NYC.  Party founder Jimmy McMillan has run for mayor twice with a goal of reducing the rent.  I certainly don’t have any ambitions to run for any political position, but when it comes to rent, I can easily get behind the messaging of The Rent is Too Damn High Party!

But why stop at rent?  Groceries are too damn expensive, parking is too damn limited, food costs too damn much, and gym prices are also Too Damn High!  I get it, businesses and people need to make money, and since the rent is too damn high, people need to make more money just to make ends meet.  However, when being a full-time dirtbag is too expensive, there really is a problem.  A problem I am here to help with.

I wish I could send out reading stipends to all our readers, but we are in the same boat as everyone else in terms of scraping to get by!  That being said, I have a way to save money while living high on the hog!  It’s a long-tested process of making your own food.  I know it may sound like I am being facetious, but there are several staples that can be curated from home at a fraction of the cost!  If you put together enough of these staples, it can make an impact. Making your own food has been a money saving enterprise that has worked for millennia, and there is no reason it can’t work for us!

I went through some of my most expensive weekly grocery products to see if I could make them myself, and if in turn, the time put in would allow me to save money.  And so, while there are no stipends to be had, I can help you save some $$$ too. That is, if you are willing to do a little extra work, and also preferably have a diet that is exactly like mine.  If you have a vastly different diet, fear not, I’m sure you can either switch your diet to mine or take the theme I am advising here and apply it to your own life (whichever is easier).

The most common staples in my diet include hummus, pickles, veggie sausage, yogurt, granola bars, and peanut butter.  

One of the best protein packed delicious dirtbag commodities is hummus. I would spend about $3.99/week on hummus (10oz), that adds up to $207.48 per year.  A can of chickpeas is $0.86 for 15oz, that is already 50% more food for ¼ of the cost.  Of course, there are a few more costs, tahini, lemon, olive oil, and spices are needed for a good hummus.  Those ingredients are usually on hand, and so if we include them into the price of the hummus, it may drive the cost up to $2.00 per batch.  Still half the cost of store bought pre-made hummus.  That’s over $100 of savings/year for just one staple.  Toss in staple after staple and your bank account will start to feel some relief.

With that, I’m not just here to help my dirtbag brethren with ideas, I’m here to provide you with recipes too.  Before we get into the recipe, let me just say, THIS IS THE RESISITENCE!  Politics are out of control, corporate greed is out of control, I’m not waiting for some self-assigned “leader” to look out for the dirtbags, the renters, the leasers, and those living paycheck to paycheck, I know $200 isn’t much but it’s better than nothing, it’s something we have control over, and I’m not giving it back!

Carrot’s Dirtbag Hummus:

• 1/4-cup lemon juice
• 1/4-cup tahini 
• Mix the shit out of it!!! (Super important)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt, depending on taste
• 1/2-teaspoon ground cumin
• Mix the shit out of it!!! 
• One 15-ounce can chickpeas/garbanzo beans (drained)
• Add 1/2 can then mix, then other half and mix
• 1/8-cup water or 3 Ice Cubes
• Mix it
• Top with olive oil as desired 
• Dash of ground paprika if you feel
• Add any add-ins or spices to suit your tastes!

I’ll be adding some recipes throughout the year, please feel free to share or link your favorite money saving recipes as well.  If you decide to join the recipe resistance movement, let us know and we’ll make sure to share your links as well!