Hello Y’all! I hope you are doing well in your cozy corner of the world. Happy belated Valentines Day folks, which also happened to be Ash Wednesday. One of the fun traditions is having King Cake and finding the little Baby Jesus in a piece of cake where whoever finds the tiny toy gets to buy the cake next year. Any excuse to have a little more sugar in our lives is always a good thing…in my opinion.

Its already February and the race to the months end is on. In the last two years, depending on where you reside, there’s being a shortage of items and longer wait times on certain products. This, as I have heard has been worldwide but more felt in the western hemisphere. To add to this, we have slowly seen a descent into inflation here where the prices of items have literally doubled and in some cases tripled. When I look at the ongoing scarcity combined with rising costs of goods and services without much of a significant increase in pay, people from all strata of society are beginning to feel the pinch. There’s slowly a pull back because of a lot of uncertainty in the financial market but also government spending to the extent that I’ve dusted up all my cookbooks and decided to be more serious about incorporating a better way of meal planning but also carrying that through every sphere of daily living.

As simple as this may read, its seldom done. We had Snow-Megeddon in North Texas two years ago and people….and I mean with exotic cars and luxury lifestyles were in line for meal handouts because they lost their jobs, probably didn’t meal prep at home and never saw the need to stock up on groceries. It was a rude awakening on what could happen if the system collapses.

Create a list of what you like and find innovative and affordable options.

• Salads – Instead of buying a single serve, why not opt for a pack of greens and condiments that give you several serves and are cheaper.
• Granola – Instead of buying a pack that has a few serves and is pricy, make your own. There is a plethora of granola recipes online. I can share a few of mine if requested.
• Cold pressed juices – These are vitamin bombs that boost your immune system. For those who love buying these refreshing 16oz drinks at your neighborhood grocery store, why not invest in a cold press juicer and make a batch that lasts you a week. All you need are the ingredients.
• Baked confectionaries – This is great especially when you are being mindful of calories. Having baked goods at home reduces the urge to impulse buy baked treats that are pricey when out and about.
• Bulk Meal Prepping – One thing I love to do is make big pots of stews and sauces that could be served with a plethora of food options like rice, quinoa, potatoes, pasta etc. This will cut down on eating out and reserve it for special occasions or when absolutely needed.

Folks, there is worldwide uncertainty about the economic state of things. For the 95 percent of the populace who don’t really have a say in big governmental decisions, we are often the ones being reactive or like Texans love to say ‘Are left holding the bag’ after the damage has been done. We are being more conservative nowadays and trying to be smarter with money. I do hope this post has helped someone think about what’s going on in the world around us but also set ourselves up to not be reactive but proactive. Until I come your way again…feel free to share creative ways you have incorporated into your routines with me and others. Please like, comment and follow for more from

Periwinkle Starr