Used to blow $20 a week on lunch at the office, then I started cooking a big pot of beans on Sunday
Back when I worked at a bank branch in Columbus, I was spending about $10 a day on lunch, which added up to $50 a week, and it was killing me. I tried bringing sandwiches but got bored of them by Wednesday every single time. Then a coworker named Dara mentioned she makes a pot of pinto beans with onions and a ham hock on Sunday and eats it all week over rice. I figured it would be sad, but I tried it. The beans cost me $1.29 for a bag, the ham hock was $2.50, and a five pound bag of rice was $3. So less than $7 total for five days of lunches. I'd add hot sauce and sometimes a fried egg if I was feeling fancy. It has been about six months now and I still do it most weeks, though I switch between black beans and pintos so I don't get sick of it. Anyone got a cheap way to make beans taste different without buying a bunch of new spices?