Supermarket Sweep

Problem:
Whole Foods carries such incredible food and drink! And yet their superior products are prohibitively expensive!

This summer I was weekly teaching a 3.5 hour class, and before the class it worked best for me to eat dinner at Whole Foods. (Easiest parking.) So, I set myself a $10 limit and worked at finding as much food as possible for that amount. It was a pleasing game, and I slowly improved as the weeks passed...until I found the taco plate. For six dollars, I got two tacos, rice AND beans. I was stuffed! Yet disappointed, since the game was over.

Or so I figured...until I thought of a new game: How expensive can I make my dinner at Whole Foods? Here are the rules (yes, this is a challenge to all my readers, meaning you, Leighton):

1) The food must be enjoyable. No dinners made out of saffron and truffle shavings.

2) You have to be able to teach for three or so hours after the dinner--meaning, no alcohol.

3) You have to eat the dinner in one sitting.

I thought up this game, and then I hesitated. It seemed wasteful. But I had to celebrate a few things, so I decided to go for it. I had visions of the show "Supermarket Sweep" as I moved around the store, hitting first the seafood bar, and then the sushi bar, and then the chocolate truffle display, the cut fresh fruit cooler, the coffee bar, and the salad bar (I went for the heavy, water-laden vegetables).

Meghan's typical cost for dinner: $3.50
Typical cost for Whole Foods dinner: $9.30
Whole foods dinner challenge: $33.81
Feeling stuffed on food you've dreamed of buying for ten years: Priceless.

So yes, now I have to bring some sandwiches to school, but it's worth it. Sometimes, you just have to feast.