You say that, but then I see you spending twice what I spend on meals.

Today I'm having oatmeal for breakfast with protein powder and peanut
butter mixed in.  I bet it costs less than an apple pastry.

I'm having left-over brown rice and chicken stir fry for lunch: I buy
brown basmati rice, frozen stir-fry veggies and bulk frozen chicken
breasts.  I pay a lot more than $3.99 but I get a whole lot more meals
out of it than you do!

I don't know what dinner is yet, but a salad out of greens (I buy and
wash) with some cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, grated carrots and maybe
some feta cheese and grilled chicken sounds good.  Or I could empty a
can of tuna on the salad.  I spray it with a little bit of toasted
sesame oil instead of using salad dressing.

Salad bars are expensive - you can get the same ingredients for less if
you prepare your own salad.  Pastry is both expensive and empty
calories.  But the biggest surprise is what a poor value breakfast
cereal is.  Expensive, not filling, and empty calories.  You could do
much better.  How about a half of an english muffin (whole wheat if you
can find it) with peanut butter spread on it?

I confess that my favorite breakfast these days isn't low-cost: I buy
100% whole wheat bagesl, toast half and put light cream cheese on it
along with some smoked norwegian salmon.  Yum.  But the lox is expensive
and the bagels aren't cheap, either.  An important point is the portion
control here: I eat 1/2 a bagel, not a whole one.  I put half the bag in
the freezer when we get home from the store so the bagels won't go stale.

Peanut butter, tuna fish, skim-milk cottage cheese, yogurt (on sale) and
chicken thighs are all really good ways to get some nutritious protein
into you.  Oh, and hard-boiled eggs, don't forget those!  None of these
things are very expensive, especially when you consider how much you're
spending on empty calories.

Good luck!

Dally