Dine on a Dime

As the stock market continues to plummet, money is getting increasingly tight, meaning that there is less and less room in one's budget for dining out. However, just because the economy is forcing you to eat in more often than you have in previous years, it does not mean that the fun has been taken out of dinner. Shaking your own martini may not be as relaxing as ordering a double from the bar, but with these tricks, tips and techniques you'll be saving money, calories and dry cleaning bills as you create your own restaurant from the comfort of your kitchen.

The restaurant industry has taken a substantial hit according to the National Restaurant Association, which reports that restaurants are seeing the lowest number of diners in 17 years, meaning that more and more people opting to stay in and save up. Since dining out several times a week isn't feasible, it's time to jazz up basic home cooked weekday meals.

Ditch the Diet:
Who cares if low-carb to guaranteed to slim down your waist? In times of economic strife, cutting out inexpensive pasta hardly seems like a wise decision. Instead of limiting your options, shake up your diet staples to make them healthier, cheaper and tastier. Nutritionist Joanna Dolgoff feels that current diet trends are unhealthy, because "it is not natural to severely restrict any one food group. Humans are supposed to eat a broad array of foods." Yippie, bring on the carbs! Whole wheat pastas offer the same comfort food feeling of regular pasta, but their high-fiber content makes better for the body and more filling, which means that you'll eat less and have leftovers for lunch the next day. Asparagus, multi-colored bell peppers, garlic, olive oil and a generous sprinkle of freshly grated cheese are all you need to create a delicious, beautiful and healthy meal at home. The healthy fats from the olive oil are beneficial, as well as the plentiful veggies, which pump up the nutrients when added to the bikini-friendly whole wheat pasta. All these ingredients are totaled up to less than $15 at the local grocery store, perfect for keeping both your tummy and your budget tight.

An Egg a Day Keeps the Bill Collector Away:
Eggs are an excellent ingredient for just about anything. You want to bake, you need eggs. Looking to balance out the fat from the bacon you're craving, add a side of eggs. Eggs add protein without a ton of calories or fat, plus of all the proteins available in the grocery store, eggs are definitely the cheapest. Fry diced potatoes in a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add a few scrambled eggs, some cheese, and ta-da, you have dinner. Use sweet potatoes and fresh vegetables for a dinner that's low in calories and fat, but sky high with flavor. For a super healthy meal, use egg whites, which have no fat and a third of the calories found in eggs. However, be aware that egg whites do not hold in omelettes the same way because there is no binding yolk. Using some eggs and some egg whites is a good way to cut calories but maintain shape and consistency.

Fancify Your Dining Room:
Part of the appeal of dining out, aside from not having to wash dirty dishes, is the restaurant ambiance. Since gourmet ambiance is not worth missing your mortgage payment, create the atmosphere by jazzing up your dinner table. Dim lights and flickering wicks are staples at most eateries, so light a few candles around your kitchen or dining room just before dinner time to create a relaxing mood. The tables in many restaurants are adorned with a single flower in a tiny vase. Cute, but hardly worth allocating the money for tipping your waiter. Since you're already saving a bundle by dining in, purchase a bouquet of your favorite flowers, which will bring beauty and fragrance to your home even after the kitchen has been tidied up. To create a formal feel, bust out the good China and fine linens. Just because you're eating dinner in your slippers it doesn't mean that you can't add a bit of refinement to the evening.

Guys/Girls Night In:
Cold beer and surround sound are requirements for watching the big game, however sitting at the bar for hours upon hours cheering as the players run up and down the end zone is not the most economically friendly activity. Instead of meeting the guys at the local watering hole, take turns hosting a weekly game gathering. Beef sliders, simple enough that even the most culinary challenged could competently create these bites of beef. Toss a few potatoes next to the burgers on the grill and you have an ideal game day meal to go with your frosty brews.

It may be ladies night, and the feeling may be right, but the prices will leave you regretting that hangover. Skip the stilettos, save the forty bucks you would have otherwise spent on three drinks, and invite the girls over for a night in. Let every lovely lady bring a little something with her so that no one person is responsible for feeding the masses, thus no one lady is stuck spending a small fortune. A few pitchers of sangria, either white or red, are perfect for appealing to everyone and saving a few dollars. Mix together your favorite wine, a splash of brandy or peach Schnapps, and a generous helping of fresh fruit for a crowd pleasing cocktail. To really stretch a buck, use a cheaper wine, as the flavors of the liquors and fruit will blend in to camouflage the lower quality bouquet.

Snack Smart:
Just because money is tight, doesn't mean the vending machine should become your new best friend. Candy and cookies and chips, oh my! There go your skinny jeans. If your only choice is top munch on a pre-packaged sugary snack, opt for peanut M&M's, which at least offer some, but not much, protein. Meal replacement bars are packed with protein and fiber, making them a slightly better choice, but the artificial additives and high cost per bar is hardly worth it. Nutritionist Joanna Dolgoff would rather you plan in advance to save both your paycheck and your waistline. She says, "I...do not like the 'meal bar' trend. Many diets include many processed meal bars and snack bars. I would rather my patients eat more natural foods." Jamba Juice or some kind of fruit smoothie/meal replacement beverage may seem like a delightfully delicious snack, especially with chucks of fresh fruit added in, however the hefty price tag attached to these treats will have you reaching for spare change for a bag of Doritos. A sliced apple with a smear of peanut butter offers healthy, low-fat protein and a serving of fruit. An entire bag of apples will run you less than five dollars at the grocery store, as will a jar of peanut butter, so for less than ten bucks you have an abundance of naturally healthy snacks. Rice cakes with a tablespoon of fruit preserves will pump up the fiber in your life, as well as sneak in some more fruit, without deflating your purse.

Stay tuned to Behind the Burner where we give you the latest tips, tricks, and techniques from our kitchen to yours.

— Written by Alexis Popov

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