On Food, and the Necessity of Treating Yourself
- hamlinmakayla4
- Feb 24
- 3 min read
Like most people, I’m a sucker for a good meal. Or even better, a carefully placed sweet treat after the post-lunch slump. It’s a good thing I’ve chosen the magical land of Copenhagen, where delicious pastries and hot coffee are abundant.
I came here with the iron-clad idea that I would only eat out once a week, that I’d never buy anything too expensive, etc, etc. I’m sure that others had/have similar aspirations. However, as more of those weeks have passed by, this has become much harder than I thought.
If you live in an LLC like me, or any housing option other than Homestay, then you will receive a grocery card with around 3800 dkk or 600 USD. If you’d like to stretch that for the whole semester, that means approximately 200 dkk a week, or around 40 dollars.
I’ve managed to make this work for the most part (with a couple of dinners and lunches out), but I also must say I am not the most adventurous cook. My breakfasts are oats with yogurt or eggs and toast, my lunches are always sandwiches with apples, and my dinners so far have been some variations of pasta or rice dishes (though I just made soup for the first time!).
If I were making anything more complex, I’d spend a lot more money on food. And the grocery stipend card only works at select grocery stores, like Netto, so you also can’t buy, say, a coffee and cardamom bun at Emmery’swith it. So in this way, it is a bit limiting.
I enjoy having a clear budget; I think it allows me to hold myself accountable and feel like I’m in control of something tangible. And as long as you are making what you’d like to eat, getting the proper nutrition, etc, it’s perfectly reasonable to want to spend your money elsewhere. But don’t underestimate the temptation to eat out either. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to, after their cinnamon-y smell wafts over to me, get churros from the shop right outside of Radusplasen.
So how do I curb these urges? Well, for the most part, I don’t. What I’d like to say to anyone like me, trying to save money, is to do the opposite of what you might want to do: don’t aim to never eat out. It’s only going to make you want to make you eat out more. Instead, make it a little more of a priority than you think. Eat out when you feel that you can, if you are in a special place, or just need a pick-me-up that day. Be mindful of your money, but don't be afraid to treat yourself when you need to.
Now, of course, this comes with disclaimers: I personally found that the amount I initially set aside for eating out wasn’t realistic given food costs in Copenhagen, and though the expectation I had to only eat out once a week was somewhat achievable, it was also unfairly limiting. I would also say that though I have a pretty okay understanding of money and good self-control, I’ve gone a little overboard at times.
I’ve come to believe, though, that a scarcity mindset is exactly what tends to activate those tendencies to go overboard. Now, I only keep a rough budget in my mind, and I’m pretty good at keeping up that way. And if I choose to eat out a little more than normal, then I do that, and make up for it in the following weeks. I’m not telling you to buy a coffee and a pastry, or lunch out every day. That might not be sustainable for you. But also, make choices that make you happy.
Take it from me: you are never not going to eat out. It’s not possible. Here, there’s a coffee shop on every corner, and a good restaurant just a few steps away. Don’t ignore them. Just go. There will come a time when you really, really want to, and you should.
I know you might be worried about spending too much money, especially in a city like this, but please try as much as you can. There are some days when I really want an espresso and Knalsnegle, so I get it. It’s that simple. As I’d like to end on that note, and considering that today is Twin Peaks Day (my favorite show), I’d like to leave you with a small clip of the main character, Special Agent Dale Cooper, sharing a very relevant piece of advice.
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