How does your budget-cooking life change when you get together with someone new?

My first adult relationship was with a cohabiting Kinda-unpleasant boyfriend for about 2 years. He was the type that wanted to go to fast food every day, rush to the store to buy full-priced items, and buy a lot of 100% meat products. We were in a very bad financial situation. We split up, and when I was able to start dating again I met the right person. He is very supportive of my budget cooking. I made small changes here and there just by default. I replaced his bottled hot sauce with my homemade version. He began to like my homemade chili and started asking for the recipe. He is smart and he knows that money is important. He doesn’t mind that he only sees me in a t-shirt and jeans at home. He doesn’t have any preconceived notions of masculinity. He’s taken an interest in my cooking and we’re actually cooking together. We like to make homemade pasta with a blended sauce, stir-fries, and the occasional cheap but flavorful meat dish. My budget is more organized now. I’m making less trips to the store, and less food and money is being wasted. I’m more discerning about the brands I buy. I’m making myself more ambitious meals that I just didn’t have time or money for before. I make a lot of smart buys now like buying cheaper cuts of meat and bones for broth, or buying imperfect produce from the discount bin at Aldi. I’m making more of my own condiments. I only buy oil for cooking. And I’m using my old homemade/ cheaper meals as a springboard to make more expensive but flavor rich meals. We made homemade Alfredo that was blended with bone broth instead of heavy cream, and it was so good. I’m getting more of the nutrients I need. I can leave some money on the table without the worry of cashing out all my money every month. And things in general are better. How about you?

How does your budget-cooking life change when you get together with someone new?

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