Welcome to The Receipt, a series documenting how Bon Appétit readers eat and what they spend doing it. Each food diary follows one anonymous reader’s week of expenses related to groceries, restaurant meals, coffee runs, and every bite in between. In this time of rising food costs, The Receipt reveals how folks—from different cities, with different incomes, on different schedules—are figuring out their food budgets.
In today’s Receipt, a 27-year-old art director eats catered lunches while shooting on set and buys both Erewhon bottle shakes and Taco Bell Crunchwraps. She lives in Los Angeles. Keep reading for her receipts.
The finances
What are your pronouns? She/her/hers
What is your occupation? I’m an art director for a lifestyle brand.
How old are you? 27
What city and state do you live in? Los Angeles, California (Venice, CA)
What is your annual salary, if you have one? $85,000
How much is one paycheck, after taxes? $2,296.96
How often are you paid? (e.g., weekly) Every two weeks
How much money do you have in savings? Nothing, besides my 401(k).
What are your approximate fixed monthly expenses beyond food? (i.e., rent, subscriptions, bills)
- Total: $2,584.95
- Rent: $2,425 (utilities included)
- Subscriptions (annually): $119.97 (Hatch Sleep ($49.99), Squarespace Website ($20.00), Photo Editing Apps (VSCO - $29.99, Unfold - $19.99)
- Subscriptions (monthly): $65.97 (Phone Bill ($59.98), Tezza App ($5.99))
The diet
Do you follow a certain diet or have dietary restrictions? Nope! Just try and eat healthy during the week and let myself splurge a bit on the weekends.
What are the grocery staples you always buy, if any? I’m almost always buying Greek yogurt, granola, eggs, dates, tuna, and crackers. Also, Chomps Turkey Jerky Sticks for grab-and-go snacks.
How often in a week do you dine out versus cook at home? During the week, I usually dine out at least once or twice for lunch or dinner. On the weekends, most of my meals are dining out.
How often in a week did you dine out while growing up? We dined out here and there, but it wasn’t a weekly occurrence. Growing up in a suburb outside of Boston, we didn’t go out to eat much during the winter. In the summer, we dined out a lot more as we spent our time in Cape Cod. So picture lots of lobster and clams. We also loved to go out to a nice dinner for special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries, and we still do to this day.
How often in a week did your parents or guardians cook at home? Most nights, my parents cooked at home. And I was lucky enough for them to make some yummy foods and we all had a pretty similar palate. I am part Italian, so we loved having family pasta nights, and my brother and I would each come up with our own creations. We’re always down to try new recipes. I always loved helping in the kitchen, and to this day, I love cooking and baking.
The expenses
- Week’s total: $218.98
- Restaurants and cafés total: $197.46
- Groceries total: $21.52
- Most-expensive meal or purchase: Lunch at Endless Color, $72.51
- Least-expensive meal or purchase: Tomatoes from Whole Foods, $2.16
- Number of restaurant and café meals: 12
- Number of grocery trips: 1
The diary
10:32 a.m. I have a photoshoot for work. I arrive at the studio and get a vanilla latte from the café near our office, Cafe Ruisseau ($8.75). Do I feel guilty spending $8.75 on a coffee? Sure do. But is it worth it on this cloudy and cold Monday morning? Hell yeah. I am not a huge breakfast person, so I’m fine with just coming into work without grabbing a bite at home.
11:16 a.m. I’m talking to some coworkers about Layla Bagels in Ocean Park since I went yesterday morning for the first time. Naturally, they immediately pick up some bagels and I get a text saying they have an extra half of a loaded salmon lox bagel for me. How can I say no to that?
4:26 p.m. The bagel really held me over. I grab some lentil crisps offered by our office that satisfy my craving for a salty, crunchy snack.
6:20 p.m. Once I get home from work, I’m pretty hungry. I haven’t had a chance to grocery shop, so Goop Kitchen it is. I am obsessed with the food here. It’s a ghost kitchen that is a branch from Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand, Goop, and it offers salads, rotisserie chicken, and sides. This time around, I order the Spring Salmon Bowl ($17.50) for delivery, which hits the spot.
8:20 p.m. This is a judgment-free zone, right? I’m still hungry so I reheat two meatballs from Bay Cities, a deli and market, that are left over in my fridge. And add some grated parm, of course.
7:37 a.m. Like I said, I am not a huge breakfast person, especially when I’m running out the door. But I’m going to be at a photoshoot all day, so I grab a hard-boiled egg (I usually buy Vital Farms Eggs from Whole Foods $9.99) from the fridge to hold me over for a bit.
8:00 a.m. Before I harness up my dog for daycare and head out for the day, I grab a Goop Wellness Nerd Alert Chew (the caffeinated one, previously bought $30/30 pack) to perk me up before my morning coffee. They are Café Au Lait flavored so it hints at a nice cup of coffee.
9:02 a.m. I arrive at the photoshoot, and I desperately need to wake up. I usually just go for the catered boxed coffee, but I am craving a matcha this a.m., so I go to the coffee bar in the lobby of the studio. I tap my card and the machine is down. SCORE—I get a free matcha to get this day going.
11 a.m. By this time, we’re in a good rhythm on set. Our producer has been on point with the snack game, and I grab a Cuties clementine. It’s my fave kind of orange—more of a sour taste to it, not too sweet or mushy.
12:50 p.m. It’s time to break for lunch. Since it’s a big crew, we have catering from Haute Chefs. We’re lucky enough to get some good vegetarian spring rolls, an Asian-inspired salad option, and some quinoa mix with veggies. I also opted for the steak as my protein. It hits the spot as some of the better catering I’ve ever had on set.
3:15 p.m. Did I mention our producer has upped the snacks for us? I spy an unopened bag of Sour Patch Kids, which I haven’t had in years. I cave in and it’s the best decision. I forgot how good they are…
6 p.m. After we wrap the shoot, I head over to pick up my dog from daycare. I rush back home, take her for a quick walk, and then go to my ceramics studio. I found out earlier in the day that we’re gonna do a BBQ as a class, so I don’t have to prepare any dinner at home. I show up to a pretty solid spread of chips, salsa, guacamole, and hummus. I crush a cheeseburger from the BBQ and then get right into throwing some pots.
9:48 a.m. Today is my one day working from home this week, and I have a shit ton of work to do. Before my first meeting at 10 a.m., I make a bowl of Fage Greek yogurt mixed with a handful of Nature’s Path Organic Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter Granola (yogurt, $3.99; granola, $5.99; both previously bought) plus a little spoonful of some homemade elderberry syrup I got from a friend who is a chef. This is what I typically have for breakfast on a morning when I am working from home, and I love it. A little sweet and tangy from the Greek yogurt and a little salty and crunchy from the granola. I never get sick of it. (I also plate it in a ceramic bowl that I made that’s the perfect size for yogurt and granola.)
2:06 p.m. The time is just passing by and I’ve barely looked up from my computer. I’m in the zone but need to break and make a little lunch. I’m kind of a creature of habit so I prepare another one of my go-to meals at home: tuna with crackers. Lately, I’ve been loving Wild Planet Canned Albacore Wild Tuna ($5.99, previously bought) mixed with a little Whole Foods mayo and ground pepper. I added in some Whole Foods olives that I got from the food bar last week and grab a box of the Mary’s Gone Crackers in the Everything flavor ($5.89, previously bought). Super simple lunch, but can’t go wrong.
4 p.m. I have a sweet tooth. It’s nothing tooooo crazy, but...it’s there. I usually always have farmer’s market dates in my fridge, so I grab a previously bought Bautista Family organic date. They taste like candy and melt in your mouth.
6:52 p.m. After a walk with my dog, I’m ready for dinner. I have a previously bought Goop Kitchen ‘Not So Simple’ Salad ($9.95) in my fridge with the nondairy ranch dressing, so I whip that up and reheat some of the leftover steak and quinoa/veggie mix that I took home from yesterday’s shoot. I doctor it up with some Trader Joe’s Crunchy Chili Onion ($4.49) and top it with Banchan’s Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce ($8.99). It isn’t an out-of-this-world meal, but it does the trick for such a busy day.
9:48 p.m. My sweet tooth is starting to kick in. I grab these Effie’s Homemade Oatcakes ($8.49, previously bought) that my step-mom introduced me to and I’m obsessed with. They have the perfect crunch and have this buttery, oaty flavor with a pinch of salt. Effie’s Homemade is from Boston, and I was born and raised there, so the brand has a sweet spot in my heart.
8:05 a.m. Another busy photoshoot day at work, so I run out the door without making coffee or having a bite to eat. I do have an Iced Kollo Green Tea ($5.95, previously bought) sitting in my fridge (which are my fave) so I grab that for a little caffeine boost to get my day going.
8:37 a.m. Catering (Beezoo Catering) has a pretty good selection of fruit, and I grab some pineapple, watermelon, and peach slices, which are delish. I am a stone-fruit lover and especially now that they are in season, that’s what I gravitate toward.
9:15 a.m. The day is already motoring and I have a hunger pang. I grab some breakfast from catering, which consists of some scrambled eggs, a little chorizo, and potato, topped with Cholula hot sauce.
12:52 p.m. Now that the shoot is about halfway done, the crew breaks for lunch. I’ve been vibing with the catering because there are always some good healthy options that still have great flavor. I opt for the blackened rice with yellow curry mahi-mahi and a side of broccoli with sweet potatoes. All in all, it’s a solid lunch.
3 p.m. I’m not really a soda gal unless I’m grabbing a burger and fries, or I have a hangover and need some carbonated sugar water to really revive me. But today I grab a Diet Coke from set, and boy, does that have caffeine. It’s honestly the perfect pick-me-up and feels like a little treat.
7:23 p.m. I get home, go for a walk with my dog before sunset, and settle in for the night. When I have busy shoot weeks like this week, I am usually eating leftovers as we always have extra food from catering and I don’t like it to go to waste. I reheat some steak, broccoli, and rice with the same toppings as last night—a little Trader Joe’s Crunchy Chili Onion and Banchan’s Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce.
9:30 a.m. Finally! It’s Friday. I’m on set for work for the full day, so I pop over where Beezoo Catering is set up and grab an egg and cheese breakfast sandwich. It isn’t fancy, which is the type of breakfast sammy I love. Kinda reminds me of the ones I make when I go camping…
1:01 p.m. We break for lunch and I make a catered plate of a mini tomato and goat cheese tartelette, roasted fennel and caramelized green beans, a piece of chicken francese, and a single crispy eggplant cutlet. The tartelette is my fave out of everything. It was the perfect summer bite with the fresh tomatoes and cheese. A little tangy but the dough was still buttery and salty.
4 p.m. It’s Diet Coke time! Pretty much the only time I’ll have a DC is when I’m on set, because it gives me a pretty strong caffeine boost.
6:11 p.m. After we wrap the photoshoot, I head over to meet some friends for live music at Penmar Golf Course. I bring a bottle of Jumbo Time Wines Sparkling Wine, which I ordered from its site ($30), and a friend gets me a barbacoa taco from the food stand at Penmar. It’s a lovely way to close out the week with some good friends and good music.
9:29 p.m. After the live music, a group of us decide to go see the new Spider-Man. It’s not really my cup of tea, but I’m in it for the movie theater snacks. I obvi get popcorn, M&M’s, and a Coca-Cola ($10 total), because I am notorious for falling asleep during movies…and I still doze off.
11 a.m. I am having a slow weekend morning and need to go to the store to get some items before the weekend really starts. I walk over to Whole Foods to grab some staples like dish soap, toothpaste, and dog treats, but I also need to get some sourdough ($6.49), Greek yogurt ($4.49), heirloom tomatoes ($2.16) and fresh white peaches ($2.39), and granola ($5.99). The food from this trip comes out to a total of $21.52.
11:20 a.m. I wasn’t planning on buying a matcha this morning, but my dog drags me into Groundwork Coffee on Rose Ave. I’m kinda a go-big-or-go-home type of lady so I opt for a 24-ounce iced matcha with some almond milk and a little honey ($10.20 total), and it is damn good.
11:48 a.m. Back home, I make a quick, simple breakfast (a.k.a. my go-to) of Fage Greek yogurt and Nature's Path granola with a drizzle of elderberry syrup.
2:49 p.m. I just finished a hike with some friends in Topanga Canyon and we’re craving burgers. We stop at the pizza place Endless Color for a bite to eat and share a six-inch cast-iron mushroom Gruyère pizza ($12) along with a burrata prosciutto pizza ($14). We also get a large market vegetable salad ($15) and I get a single cheeseburger ($15), one of my faves in LA. The total comes out to $72.51 with tax and tip.
4:14 p.m. We walk around, do a little shopping, and stop into Canyon Gourmet for a little soft-serve. I get a classic small swirl in a cup for $5.
9:15 p.m. Many people have a weakness when it comes to fast food. Well, mine is Taco Bell. A friend brings up in a group chat how good it sounds and it doesn’t take much convincing for all of us. We hop in the car and drive straight to the drive-through. I get a Crunchwrap (classic) and a Doritos Cheesy Gordita Crunch. Tell me that isn’t a strong order?! ($13.50 total)
11:07 a.m. I got some fresh sourdough at Whole Foods the other morning, so I toast a slice up with some Kerrygold butter, fresh heirloom tomato slices, and top with some EVOO, a fried egg, and Maldon salt flakes. It’s the perfect easy Sunday morning breakfast.
12:33 p.m. I am still pretty full from breakfast, but I walk to Erewhon to catch up with some friends there. I’m indecisive, so we split two of the bottle shakes. A Bohemian Rhapsody Smoothie ($15), which is tart and fruity, and the Morning Fix Almond Milk Shake ($15), which I haven’t had before. It tastes like a date shake with cold brew in it. Both delicious and overpriced. :) Plus, Erewhon cancels out any Taco Bell, right?
5:27 p.m. After a slow day of seeing friends and doing errands, I have a quick predinner snack of Mary’s Organic Crackers (Everything flavor) and some hummus.
6:56 p.m. It’s an “everything that’s left in the fridge” type of dinner, so I’m making some tubettini pasta ($8) that I got from Bay Cities a couple weeks ago and throw in some leftover broccoli, chicken, and Rao’s Alfredo sauce that needs to be eaten. Topped with Parm and Maldon salt, of course. After a week of not cooking, it feels good to get back in my groove.
9:03 p.m. I make some mint tea with a spoonful of Calm Magnesium ($21.99) to wind down and get ready for bed.