The food hunt routine

As we face the dilemma of this flood and the after effects, one of the treats that we can look forward to is eating. Trouble is, it’s eating on a budget.

Neither Mrs. K nor I have prepared a meal at home (that is, in our RV) in the five or so weeks we have been in our present situation. And eating three meals a day mostly out of the house is a challenge. For a time, the Ravenswood Community Group offered, among other support programs, take-out lunch, and dinner generously provided by local restaurants on a regular basis, but that charity has been completed and we must fend for ourselves now.

While I have temporarily parked my A Seat at the Table column, food is still very much on our minds, and I think Mrs. K and I have found some very good options for our daily meals. And by “good,” I mean tasty and cheap.

Breakfast is easy. Either we have cereal and fruit in the RV (our grocery shopping list has been just that recently – milk, fruit, and cereal) or at least three times a week we head out to either First Watch or Metro Diner or McDonald’s for a good protein-filled repast.

Lunches have been more varied and I think we have discovered some good options that fill our need. Arby’s features slider sandwiches – roast beef, ham and cheese, crispy chicken, or Buffalo chicken for around $2 a shot. At the most, we order four at a sitting and have an $8 meal for two. Dairy Queen offers really great burgers, so Mrs. K’s burger with everything plus my bacon cheeseburger combine for a reasonable $12 and change. McDonald’s has been a thrifty provider, and I have discovered their Daily Double burger for just under $4. Subway is close and we can share a $5 footlong and fill up pretty well there.

Dinner has been a combination of trying to find variety and going somewhere where we don’t have to look our best. The place that has risen to the top of our list is the Keystone Sports Review – very nearby at 71^st and Keystone. This is a sports bar with no dress code that serves great food. They have a daily special and their prices for food and drink are pretty good in general.

We have tried dinner at Culver’s, KFC, and Metro, and they have all been good. But, KSR offers the best variety and is well-priced and convenient for us. They have excellent servers and the only problem sometimes is the volume of the music that occasionally plays. If it’s music you like – no problem.

The search for food isn’t exactly on the pre-historic level, but it is a daily hunt, to be sure. Keeping variety and thrift are the goals.