Food and Money

We all eat. Most of us, in one way or another, pay for our food. Some of us pay more than others, and the Economic Research Service as part of the United States Department of Agriculture tries to figure out what is going on with food prices. Here are a few interesting things they’ve found out (data is focused on the US):

• Food prices have gone up a little over 2% in the last year.

• Since 2006, only medical costs have risen faster than food prices. Food prices have risen faster than education prices (which really surprised me).

• The percent of total household budget assigned to food has been flat for a while. In 1900, nearly 18% of the budget was spent on food. By the year 2000, it was around 10%.

• Percentage of household income spent on food away from home has actually increased since 1900 (3%) to now (nearly 5%).

• 31 cents of each food dollar is spent on “food services”, i.e. eating out.

Check out the information here.

Eggs with Chickpeas, Spinach, and Tomato

This was a dish that I was skeptical of, even while I was making it. The flavors really come together though. It is a great brunch or lunch dish.

No meat!

The chickpeas and sauce.

The spinach wilts pretty quickly.

Adding the eggs like this reminds me of the Eggs in Purgatory dish I make.

The eggs cook in the hot juice.

Delectable!

Eggs with Chickpeas, Spinach, and Tomato

Prep Time: | Cook Time: 29 Minutes | Servings: 4 (serving size: 1 egg and about 1/3 cup chickpea mixture) | Difficulty: Ingredients:1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil3 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots (about 1)1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemaryDash of crushed red pepper1 garlic clove, thinly sliced1/2 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, undrained2 cups fresh baby spinach1/4 teaspoon kosher salt1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper4 large eggs2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)Directions:1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots, rosemary, red pepper, and garlic; cook 2 minutes or until shallots are tender, stirring constantly. Add marinara and chickpeas; bring to a simmer. Stir in spinach, salt, and black pepper. Break eggs evenly over marinara mixture. Simmer gently for 15 minutes (do not stir) or until egg whites are almost set. Cover, and cook for 1 minute or until egg whites are set (yolks should still be runny). Sprinkle with cheese.Nutritional Info: Calories: 259Fat: 13.6gSaturated fat: 3.1gMonounsaturated fat: 6.8gPolyunsaturated fat: 1.5gProtein: 12.3gCarbohydrate: 20.8gFiber: 4.1gCholesterol: 185mgIron: 2.8mgSodium: 543mgCalcium: 104mgSource: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/eggs-chickpeas-spinach-tomato-50400000125432/