With the first firework heralding the start of Independence celebrations, smoke clouds from grills multiply like mushrooms after rain. We were few against many, they wanted to destroy us and we won – come on, let’s eat. However, meeting friends around food can be very costly. How can you enjoy Independence Day without overspending?
Who eats what
Building a menu and a list
Before shopping, make a list of celebrants: how many children, how many adults, how many vegetarians.
Children are usually satiated by the pita-hummus course.
The number of vegetarians in each group is increasing from year to year. Vegetarians have no shortage of alternatives that can be cooked on the barbecue and do not contain meat. Check carefully who has changed their dietary habits.
Ideas for recipes for vegetarians can be found here:
Vegan BBQ
15 Vegan BBQ Recipes That Non-Vegans Will Love
One thing is for sure: neither children, vegetarians, nor meat eaters can eat pita-hummus, salads, side dishes, and a large variety of meat/vegetarian substitutes.
What is the portion size for an adult, and what portion will satisfy a child?
The usual calculation for an adult is 350 grams of protein (meat or vegetarian substitute), and a child will be satisfied by 150 grams of protein.
Regarding the amount of pita needed: 1.5 pitas for adults and half a pita for children will satisfy most eaters.
Big purchases are bought cheaply
When making a large purchase, the price difference between different supermarkets can amount to hundreds of shekels. Therefore, even if you don’t usually compare prices, on Independence Day you can save quite a bit of money if you do so. Therefore, after you have calculated the quantities you need and put together a shopping list, review the various deals in the supermarket chains, check where the prices are cheaper, and purchase there. Consider splitting the purchase at two supermarket chains, if the deals are worth it.
Check that any significant discount is not dependent on the total purchase value. If you have to buy products for 500 NIS that you don’t need at all, you won’t save anything even if you get a discount of 10 NIS for a product you buy especially for Independence Day.
Did you buy more than you need for Independence Day? Freeze what you don’t need.
Shared expenses
Once you’ve agreed on a place, determine what each participant will bring. No need for 5 kilos of hummus. One person will bring the hummus, another the water, the third the pita. Think about how expenses can be divided so that everyone spends an amount that reflects their number of guests.
Reduce quantities
A good way to save money and reduce the common feeling of “eating too much” is to reduce portion sizes. After hummus and pita, hunger levels are not high. You can divide what you put on the grill into smaller portions. For example, the adult patties can be divided into “minis”, i.e. 3 servings, so that everyone will receive from each variety available without overloading their stomach or wallet, and without wasting anything. Don’t worry, no one will go hungry.
The sides that take up space (in the abdomen)
Adding sides and toppings such as potatoes, corn on the cobs, and skewers of vegetables, or pasta will reduce the amount of meat or vegetarian protein you will need to buy.
