San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec




San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

$10 a day keeps starvation away

For a college student on a budget, eating out for every meal can break the bank. Many students go without that luxury, opting to fill themselves by packing a lunch or cooking at home.

However, because most students are fresh from mom’s cooking care, they don’t know broiling from basting.

But for the inexperienced chef, dining out on the town doesn’t have to be too costly.

In the style of Rachael Ray’s “$40 a Day” segment on her television show, I propose a $10 limit for the day. The TV show is on the Food Network and features Ray as the host who scouts out a city for each show and finds a way to eat gourmet on a pauper’s budget.

Eating gourmet is tricky to accomplish on $10, but flavorful and filling food is not sacrificed with my plan. There are plenty of inexpensive restaurants in San Diego, making it possible to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack while keeping your expenses in tact.

Breakfast

IKEA is a popular store to peruse for affordable assemble-yourself furniture. It’s also the first stop on the $10-a-day eating spree. The Swedish store’s restaurant offers a 99 cent breakfast that will fill you up while barely tapping into your budget.

A piping hot plate of eggs, bacon, sausage and Swedish pancakes is a meal cheaper than what you could cook it for. Although IKEA’s chefs aren’t culinary wizards, the price can’t be argued with.

“We always get a lot of phone calls about the breakfast,” said Rhea Fink, a customer service representative. “About 60 to 100 people come in to eat it during the week and more on the weekends.”

Lunch

Sandwiches are a standard for lunch. The Lunch Bag Deli, located on Pacific Highway, assembles hefty hoagies for $3.40 each. Two customer favorites are ham, turkey and cheese and roast beef, ham and turkey. The meat is held together by a choice of breads varying from sourdough to pumpernickel, French roll to wheat.

A healthier option is the chef salad for $3.25, brimming with ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, lettuce and tomato. Owner Nancy Hughes said she should be eating the salads, but she loves the sandwiches.

“They’re a good size,” Hughes said. “A third of a pound for a regular sandwich and for 50 cents more, they are a half-pound.”

Subway also serves up a “sandwich of the day” every day. Tuna, meatball and chicken breast sandwiches make up some of the selections. The best part is they only cost $2.99 for a 6-inch.

Dinner

While it’s pricier than the rest of the day, San Diego Chicken Pie Shop dishes up a grand spread that’s worth the money. A meal of chicken pie, mashed potatoes, vegetables, a roll and dessert is only $5. The pie is warm, flaky and delicious.

If chicken pie doesn’t get your taste buds salivating, Mexican food is always an economical pick. Almost any taquer

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San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
$10 a day keeps starvation away