🍽️ Harry’s Guide to Gourmet on a Budget: Gluten-Free, Local, and Hilarious 🥦🐟
Who says a 40+ single guy can’t be a budget-friendly home chef? We’re diving into Harry’s weekly meal plan that balances nutrition, taste, and budget—all thanks to Highland Park Market! #ShopLocal
Meet Harry
Harry is in his 40s, single, and between opportunities—meaning he’s doing his best to keep his budget tight while eating well. He works remotely three days a week but commutes into the office twice. His company’s a little old-school about wanting people to show face midweek (hence the Tuesday and Thursday commutes). The other days, Harry’s at home in his slippers, doing the bare minimum while still impressing his boss (and staying cozy).
With an interest in eating clean and avoiding gluten, Harry uses Highland Park Market’s weekly specials to create a delicious, varied menu—keeping his health (and budget) in check.
Weekly Routine Overview:
- Monday: Work from home. Recovering from the weekend and easing into the workweek.
- Tuesday: Commute to the office. Lunch prepped the night before.
- Wednesday: Work from home. Quick and easy meals since meetings keep piling up.
- Thursday: Commute again. Lunch packed to avoid office cafeteria temptations.
- Friday: Work from home. Harry rewards himself with the tastiest options, celebrating the weekend coming up.
🛒 The Ultimate Shopping List with Costs
All these ingredients come from Highland Park Market’s latest flyer. Let’s take Harry shopping! 🛒
Protein:
- Bell & Evans Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: $3.99/lb (3 lbs = $11.97)
- Atlantic Salmon Fillets (Farm Raised): $11.99/lb (2 lbs = $23.98)
- Captain Cut Cod Loins: $14.99/lb (1.5 lbs = $22.49)
- Solid White Albacore Tuna Salad: $8.99/lb (1 lb = $8.99)
Veggies & Fruits:
- Brussels Sprouts: $1.99/lb (2 lbs = $3.98)
- Macoun Apples: $1.99/lb (3 lbs = $5.97)
- Sweet Petite Carrots (12 oz. Bag): $1.99 each
- NatureSweet Cherubs Tomatoes (10.5 oz.): 2/$6
- Bunch Kale: 2/$6
- Loose Yellow Onions: 2 lbs for $3
Dairy & Extras:
- Philadelphia Soft Cream Cheese (7.5-8 oz.): 2/$7
- Sargento Shredded Cheese (5-8 oz.): 2/$5
- Land O Lakes Butter Quarters (16 oz.): $3.99
Snacks & Staples:
- Topo Chico Sabores Sparkling Water (8 Pack): $7.49
- Driscoll’s Blackberries (6 oz.): 3/$10
- Tropicana Orange Juice (46 oz.): 2/$7
Total Cost for the Week: $134.47
Average Cost per Meal: $4.50 – $9.50
📅 Harry’s Gluten-Free Meal Plan – Day by Day 🥑💸
Get ready for the ultimate combination of taste, convenience, and savings.
Monday – Work from Home 💻
Breakfast: Cream Cheese & Blackberry Bliss
- Ingredients: Philadelphia Cream Cheese ($1.75 portion), sliced Macoun Apple ($1.20).
- Cost: $2.95.
- Why Harry Loves It: Starting the week light and fresh. Who needs gluten when apples make perfect, crisp cream cheese vessels?
Lunch: Chicken & Kale Power Bowl 🥗💪
- Ingredients: Bell & Evans Chicken Thighs ($3.99 portion), chopped kale ($1.50), shredded carrots ($0.99), Cherubs Tomatoes ($1.50). Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Cost: $7.98.
- Why Harry Loves It: Packed with protein and greens to power through all those “work-from-home” emails. Plus, the bowl colors make Harry think of spring—bright greens, reds, and orange!
Snack: Cherubs Tomatoes with Shredded Cheese 🧀🍅
- Ingredients: Cherry tomatoes ($1.50), shredded cheese ($1.25).
- Cost: $2.75.
- Why Harry Loves It: Easy finger food. Harry likes to snack while answering Slack messages with “Sounds good to me!”
Dinner: Grilled Salmon with Kale Chips 🐟✨
- Ingredients: Atlantic Salmon Fillet ($5.99 portion), bunch of kale ($1.50). Toss kale in olive oil, bake until crispy.
- Cost: $7.49.
- Why Harry Loves It: Crisp kale chips and perfectly seared salmon make Monday feel like a gourmet event. Harry likes to start the week strong and fancy.
Daily Total: $21.17
Tuesday – Commute to the Office 🚗💼
Lunch (To-Go): Salmon & Kale Wrap 🌯
- Ingredients: Atlantic Salmon Fillet ($5.99 portion), fresh kale leaves ($1.50), cream cheese ($0.50), wrapped in large lettuce leaves.
- Cost: $7.99.
- Why Harry Loves It: A portable, hassle-free meal. He’s avoiding that overpriced, gluten-y cafeteria food and feels smug about it.
Dinner: Quick Chicken Stir-Fry with Carrots and Onions 🍗🥕
- Ingredients: Chicken Thighs ($3.99 portion), Sweet Petite Carrots ($1.00), Loose Yellow Onions ($0.50).
- Cost: $5.49.
- Why Harry Loves It: Tuesday is usually exhausting with commuting, and Harry wants something fast but homemade. Throwing chicken, carrots, and onions in a pan with some seasoning = no fuss dinner done in under 20 minutes.
Daily Total: $13.48
Wednesday – Work from Home 🛋️
Breakfast: Quick Scrambled Eggs with Cheese 🍳🧀
- Ingredients: Pantry eggs, Sargento shredded cheese ($2.50).
- Cost: $2.50.
- Why Harry Loves It: Harry can have these scrambled eggs ready in under 5 minutes, leaving him more time to hit snooze one more time.
Lunch: Tuna Salad Stuffed Peppers 🐟🌶️
- Ingredients: Highland Park Tuna Salad ($4.50 portion), bell peppers (already in fridge).
- Cost: $4.50.
- Why Harry Loves It: A no-cook meal for the middle of the week. Stuffing tuna salad into crisp bell peppers makes Harry feel like he’s making something worthy of Instagram. (Spoiler: He posts it and gets 3 likes.)
Snack: Macoun Apple with Cinnamon 🍎✨
- Ingredients: Macoun Apple ($0.75 portion), pantry cinnamon.
- Cost: $0.75.
- Why Harry Loves It: Adding cinnamon makes Harry feel like he’s having apple pie… without all that effort and sugar.
Dinner: Baked Cod with Brussels Sprouts 🐟🥦
- Ingredients: Captain Cut Cod Loin ($7.50 portion), Brussels sprouts ($1.00). Baked with butter and garlic.
- Cost: $8.50.
- Why Harry Loves It: One-pan magic that lets Harry get some R&R while the oven does the work. Plus, he loves the crispy edges on those roasted Brussels sprouts.
Daily Total: $16.25
Thursday – Commute to the Office 🚗🏢
Lunch (To-Go): Cod Loin Salad 🥗🐟
- Ingredients: Captain Cut Cod Loin ($7.50 portion), Olivia’s Salad Blends ($2), shredded carrots ($0.50).
- Cost: $9.50.
- Why Harry Loves It: Another day to one-up his co-workers with a fancy salad that doesn’t cost $18 like the salad bar downstairs. Plus, it’s so fresh it tastes like he picked the veggies himself. (He didn’t, but no one has to know.)
Dinner: Chicken Thighs with Roasted Onions & Kale 🍗🧅
- Ingredients: Chicken Thighs ($3.99 portion), Loose Yellow Onions ($0.50), bunch of kale ($1.50).
- Cost: $5.99.
- Why Harry Loves It: Roasting everything in one go makes Harry happy, and kale + chicken + onions always hit the spot.
Daily Total: $15.49
Friday – Work from Home 🏡🎉
Breakfast: Berry OJ Smoothie 🍓🥤
- Ingredients: Driscoll’s Blackberries ($1.67 portion), Tropicana OJ ($1.00), ice cubes.
- Cost: $2.67.
- Why Harry Loves It: It’s a Friday smoothie party in his kitchen! Harry’s trying to channel tropical vibes and pretend it’s the weekend already. He puts on Jimmy Buffett in the background and sips away.
Lunch: Baked Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts 🍗🥦
- Ingredients: Bell & Evans Chicken Thighs ($2), Brussels sprouts ($1.00).
- Cost: $3.00.
- Why Harry Loves It: Easy and filling. Harry likes that he doesn’t need a lot of ingredients to make something that tastes amazing. Plus, it makes him feel accomplished cooking while still in sweatpants.
Snack: Topo Chico Sparkling Water with Blackberries 💦🫐
- Ingredients: Topo Chico ($0.94), blackberries ($1.67).
- Cost: $2.61.
- Why Harry Loves It: It’s refreshing, and after a week of working from home, Harry likes to pretend he’s at a happy hour (minus the cocktails). Blackberries give it a hint of sweetness.
Dinner: Chicken & Veggie Bake 🥕🍗
- Ingredients: Chicken Thighs ($2), sweet petite carrots ($1.00), loose yellow onions ($0.50).
- Cost: $3.50.
- Why Harry Loves It: Harry loves ending the week on a comfort note—roasting chicken and veggies in one pan means he’s ready for movie night in no time.
Daily Total: $11.78
🏆 Why This Plan Works for Harry
- Weekly Variety: Each day’s meals have unique flavors, which means Harry won’t get bored halfway through the week.
- Efficient Meal Prep: Harry’s lunches and dinners are straightforward, with overlapping ingredients like chicken and kale, making shopping simpler and reducing waste.
- Gluten-Free Focus: Everything is naturally gluten-free, using fresh veggies and lean proteins that keep Harry full and feeling good.
- Budget-Friendly: Most of Harry’s meals stay well below the average $10 takeout, making this both cost-effective and gourmet.
Get everything you need from Highland Park Market’s weekly flyer and shop local for quality and savings. Supporting our community never tasted so good! 🍽️💚
Thank You, Farmington Storage! 📦✨
Don’t forget about our amazing sponsor, Farmington Storage, located at 155 Scott Swamp Road. They keep all of Harry’s bulk buys and that kayak he’s determined to use one day. Call them at 860-777-4001 for all your storage needs!
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Jack Beckett
“Writing on caffeine fumes and Farmington pride since 2003. For all my musings—fueled by way too much coffee—click here.”
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