Coping With Layoffs Through Food

As I'm sure a lot of you are out there, I'm on pins and needles given the state of the economy. While I haven't gotten the axe (yet), I've been thinking a lot about this subject if only because so many of my friends have. Apart from diving into savings headfirst and opening a line of home equity credit, I was wondering if there was some other, non-monetary way to cope with a layoff; in particular, to parlay my interest in food into a coping mechanism. And I don't *necessarily* mean mindlessly sipping bourbon and eating mini-Hershey bars in front of the tube; too expensive for starters and, besides, I'm the type of person who loses her appetite when nervous. (There's one upside to getting laid off!)

I was thinking more in terms of refocusing -- maybe baking, maybe reading about a cuisine and delving into some of the most labor intensive dishes.

I read here about someone who parlayed his unemployment into a food/cooking blog.

As this subject might be cathartic (no pun intended) for those out there in that unfortunate position, I thought I'd ask if anyone has any ideas about parlaying their food interest to help "refocus" during a layoff, and what they did to do that. Any suggestions?

Over the past months I have definitely used food to cope with being out of work. Delving into authentic asian recipes, and cooking from my grandmother's recipes seem to work best for me. Nothing beats your comfort food. I have also been diving into Michael Ruhlmans "Charcuterie". Nothing says coping like fresh Bacon!!!

Speaking of this, I have been looking for a recipe that might help me synthesize Katy's Beef Noodle soup. Can anyone help? I cannot wait to visit home again and try out the Katy's in Naperville. On the plus side, I found out that LSC has an outpost in CT! Unfortunately, It's over an hour drive each way and the wife isn't as crazy as I am.

Flip

I've been baking far more than usual. The problem is that when you're unemployed and single -- you eat it all. That's a problem. In general, though, I've been eating less -- getting up later, having one meal instead of breakfast and lunch -- having brunch instead -- a small snack at 4 and then dinner at 7 or 8.

Mostly i've been recipe hunting online. Following far too many food blogs looking for the absolute perfect baking recipe. I've contemplated doing things I wouldn't normal contemplate too far (more complicated things -- I tend to focus on doing simple things well) but I haven't really focused on it because I've been too freaked out with spending money.

I'd like to be independently wealthy -- then I could delve into all the things i want to delve into with unlimited funding to do it. I wouldn't feel guilty about buying 4 lbs of butter then. But since butter is $$$ these days...the guilt remains.

I do definitely like the sleeping in part -- but it would be so much better if I had money.

I find lately that my cooking has been leaning toward one pot wonders that can last a week. Like Chili, stew, soups, etc...I haven't baked as much b/c the price of butter, eggs, flour, etc....I'm trying to skim back.

The problem is that when you're unemployed and single -- you eat it all.

The homeless?

Shaggywillis wrote:The homeless?

You know, shaggywillis, you bring up a good point. I remember the last time I was between jobs, I almost went out of my mind - volunteering turned out to be the most helpful thing I could do, it kept me from turning into a couch potato, I didn't have to spend money to do it, and it was a great way to network. This was in the recession of the nineties, and volunteers were desperately needed - as they are now. Culinary skills are a great asset for many volunteer-driven organizations.

Mhays wrote:

Shaggywillis wrote:The homeless?

You know, shaggywillis, you bring up a good point. I remember the last time I was between jobs, I almost went out of my mind - volunteering turned out to be the most helpful thing I could do, it kept me from turning into a couch potato, I didn't have to spend money to do it, and it was a great way to network. This was in the recession of the nineties, and volunteers were desperately needed - as they are now. Culinary skills are a great asset for many volunteer-driven organizations.

Absolutely. For anyone interested in volunteering their culinary skills--

I run a project every month at what's known as Blue House Diner with the Chicago Women's AIDS Project (CWAP). Basically, a small team of volunteers and I prepare lunch from scratch for a support group run by and for CWAP clients up in Edgewater. I've had a waitlist consistently since December, with volunteers signing up about a month in advance, but I sometimes need last-minute fill-ins, too, if volunteers get sick or otherwise cancel.

For anyone interested, see the calendar on the Chicago Cares web site. Blue House Diner runs on the second and fourth Saturday of every month. I run the second Saturday. You have to register on the Chicago Cares site (very easy--only takes a few minutes) to sign up for a project date. It's a very fun time, and we get volunteers with all sorts of backgrounds, so it is certainly a networking opportunity.

And that is my PSA for the day.

We've been doing two things differently at our house since my husband was laid off in July. (Was an MIS Director fo 20+ years before the company he worked for folded and everyone lost their jobs. If you have any leads, shoot me an e-mail and I'll share them with him.) (Hey, I'm not too proud to beg )

We used to eat out several meals a week. Dinners, weekend lunches etc. Now, all that has come to a screeching halt. The upside has been that my husband, who had never cooked anything before, is learning to cook. One night I came home to a stuffed chicken dish. Sure, the smoke alarm was going off when I walked in the door, but it was a start.

I reserve the newest cookbooks or ones mentioned on LTH from the library. My husband, daugter and I put post-its on the recipes that look good. Then we narrow down our choices and cook them together. It's been a fun joint-venture. I'm very mindful that things could be a lot worse.

The other thing I've gone back to is using food coupons. I've read the posts on LTH about that too. I used to do it when the kids were little and I had more free time because I wasn't working. I've figured that about one hour of clipping/sorting results in about $20+ in savings, so it's worth it for me. I carry my file into the store with my list. Sorry if you are ever behind me in line because it takes longer. I usually give a "I have a bunch of coupons" warning to those behind me.

The other thing I've gone back to is using food coupons.

I fit more in the underemployed category but have also tried using coupons when possible. However, I've found that I somehow spend more money at the grocery store with coupons. I'm not sure why this is - maybe it's because many coupons apply towards buying two items or maybe it's because I don't buy a lot of processed products. Whatever the reason, coupons don't seem to be working for me.

Anyone else notice this happening to them, or am I some strange anomaly?

My layoff has resulted in a new found appreciation of Home Run Inn pizza. Good bang for the buck. And I've markedly increased my consumption of fruit.

Flip wrote: On the plus side, I found out that LSC has an outpost in CT! Unfortunately, It's over an hour drive each way and the wife isn't as crazy as I am. Flip

Flip, there is a silver lining. Your wife may not be as crazy as you are, but some of the rest of us are definitely that crazy, and perhaps even crazier. I'd be up for a trip to LSC-CT but I don't know where it is. Also, I have recently been in touch with a transplanted LTH-er in the Boston area and one in the NY area who are up for some roadtripping to Portuguese New England - a quick drive for you from the coast! Who knows, we might even entice some Chicagoans to join us.

LTH camaraderie is my favorite coping strategy - employed or not.

Josephine wrote:

Flip wrote: On the plus side, I found out that LSC has an outpost in CT! Unfortunately, It's over an hour drive each way and the wife isn't as crazy as I am. Flip

Flip, there is a silver lining. Your wife may not be as crazy as you are, but some of the rest of us are definitely that crazy, and perhaps even crazier. I'd be up for a trip to LSC-CT but I don't know where it is. Also, I have recently been in touch with a transplanted LTH-er in the Boston area and one in the NY area who are up for some roadtripping to Portuguese New England - a quick drive for you from the coast! Who knows, we might even entice some Chicagoans to join us.

LTH camaraderie is my favorite coping strategy - employed or not.

Josephine,

The CT outpost of LSC is east of New Haven in Milford, CT. The exact location can be found on the LSC website. From what I hear on the other board it is in a strip mall, and offers the same menu as the Chicago and Downers Grove locations. Let me know when you would like to go. I'm always up for some good Chinese, which I haven't had since my last visit home.

Flip

I was sent packing two weeks ago.
The pain in my stomach is still there but I'm trying to breathe deeply and move on. I am finding that I am saving quite a bit of money because I am not giving in to my lunchtime sushi obsession. That is a pricey endeavour in the south loop, and I sure don't miss the 1/2 hour lunches wolfed down in front of "Deal or No Deal"!

Flip wrote:

Josephine wrote:

Flip wrote: On the plus side, I found out that LSC has an outpost in CT! Unfortunately, It's over an hour drive each way and the wife isn't as crazy as I am. Flip

Flip, there is a silver lining. Your wife may not be as crazy as you are, but some of the rest of us are definitely that crazy, and perhaps even crazier. I'd be up for a trip to LSC-CT but I don't know where it is. Also, I have recently been in touch with a transplanted LTH-er in the Boston area and one in the NY area who are up for some roadtripping to Portuguese New England - a quick drive for you from the coast! Who knows, we might even entice some Chicagoans to join us.

LTH camaraderie is my favorite coping strategy - employed or not.

Josephine,

The CT outpost of LSC is east of New Haven in Milford, CT. The exact location can be found on the LSC website. From what I hear on the other board it is in a strip mall, and offers the same menu as the Chicago and Downers Grove locations. Let me know when you would like to go. I'm always up for some good Chinese, which I haven't had since my last visit home.

Flip

LTH New England Unite !

Flip, Josephine, and any others lurking out there -- let's break bread sometime. Milford is a bit of a hike, but I could easily make a full day (or two) of other CT explorations in addition to LSC.

Nab

Flip and Nab - How about next weekend? PM me and we can coordinate. Other ideas: Saturday New Haven farmer's market (bimonthly in winter), or New Haven taco trucks early--some have breakfast. Also, there is a Sunday market that I suspect may have something in common with Maxwell St. If you want to do an overall Chinese theme, there is a place in North Haven called Formosa I'm looking to try as well.

And for all you New Englanders looking for something to do while laid off, the FungWah Bus between Chinatowns in Boston, NYC and Philly is about as cheap as Rene G's beloved Megabus, (though he scoffed at FungWah's $8.00 price tag.) I'm just an amateur in these matters, but a less-than-$10 trip from Boston to NYC or NYC to Philly sounds like a good way of coping with a layoff to me. (That and a few dumplings.)

I lost my job on Friday. Since that time, I have made salsa, Mexican hot chocolate brownies with dulce de leche, Ultimate Mashed Potatoes, risotto, and this morning I sent my husband off to work with a stomach full of huevos rancheros. Given that I was in the "underemployed" category prior to my job loss (I worked for a company that only got around to paying my pittance every two months or so), we had grown accustomed to pretending that I wasn't really getting paid for working, since my paycheck was largely theoretical most of the time. So I don't think my husband minds all that much, since nothing has changed except that he's getting fed something other than PB&J