“One Thing” is a column that introduces tips on how to live your life.
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It’s no secret that living in New York City is expensive, especially for college students. When I moved to Brooklyn in June for an internship after studying abroad in the UK over the winter, the biggest reverse culture shock I’ve ever experienced was at the grocery store. $7 for a jar of peanut butter in this economy? I knew I’d be shocked when my mom FaceTimed me before I left the UK to kindly inform me that groceries in the US are expensive and that I should hold off and save more for food. But it still hit me.
Luckily, there’s one food I love that’s about the same price here as it is in other countries with cheap groceries: frozen dumplings. In the US, I buy them at Trader Joe’s for about $4. I eat more than the recommended portion, but one bag is enough for about four dinners. Paired with a tossed salad (about $1-2 per serving), they make the perfect meal: hearty, versatile (the dipping sauce options are truly endless), delicious, and never too expensive.
Are you vegetarian? Trader Joe’s makes meatless dumplings. Want something more filling? Put them in soup. Don’t want to drink that much hot liquid? Trader Joe’s makes mini soup dumplings (this is not an ad). Love frozen pizza but hate leftovers? Dumplings last for months in the freezer and you only need to make as much as you’ll eat. I think dumplings are great even if you’re on a budget, but overall, dumplings keep my food bill under $40 a week.
Susan Matthews
You probably have some great toiletry travel containers hiding in your bathroom.
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Of course, frozen dumplings aren’t my only money saving trick. I rarely eat out, and when I do, I share with friends. I replaced my daily ready-to-eat food and Starbucks iced tea with tea I buy at home (less plastic waste!). My lunch that I take to work every day is a sandwich with fruit, chips, and another protein. For breakfast, I eat the same thing almost every day: yogurt (99 cents a serving at TJ’s!) or a protein shake with cereal. Eating the same meals multiple times also helps me keep costs down. I know what’s cheap at the stores, and my weekly shopping list stays pretty much the same (though I’m obsessed with mozzarella cheese sticks right now). My huge savings on food have allowed me to enjoy other things. In the months since I’ve been in New York, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing a number of Broadway shows.
