Upon my arrival, I had many culinary options on my mind that I wanted to try when I came to America. I was able to try one or two dishes from chains that were on my bucket list. But the sheer price of these dishes was extravagant in comparison to my home country. I knew that eating out was a luxury that had to be planned occasionally. Now I was lucky to have learned a couple of recipes from my mom, but initially I had no idea where to even get these groceries from. After speaking to a few people, I found Trader Joe’s, Star Market and the local Harbor Point Food Mart. These grocery chains sell almost any product that you’d need to prepare a fresh, home-cooked meal. I, too, on the other hand, prefer the American and Italian cuisine more than any other. Even back in India, I was hooked on burgers, pizzas, lasagna and many more dishes of that sort. This prevented many obstacles for me, as the food we make and get in America is already tailored to my taste. So, step one was to procure the ingredients and try cooking instead of eating out. But there was a problem. I had cooked a total of maybe 5-6 times in my entire life, counting out the times I casually asked to help out around the kitchen. 
I learned how to make dishes such as a Caesar salad—which is healthy and very delicious—home-cooked bread pizzas and even actual pizzas whenever I had the time. Now, the coveted burger looks easy to assemble, but the temperature at which the meat inside is cooked can either make or break the entire dish. The first couple of times it tasted like I was eating raw meat, as I had no idea how to cook it. But after several YouTube videos and a couple of patties going to waste, I was able to figure out the correct temperature at which it needs to be cooked to give it that smoky flavor, and shortly after, I was making turkey burgers at home all by myself. 
Now we can take a look at the numbers. Ah, what a world we live in. Numbers are involved in the food we eat as well. Just to put things into perspective, on my first grocery shopping trip I spent a total of $42 which lasted me a week—give or take a day—and by a week, I mean all three meals of the day. But during that shopping trip, I had not eaten anything, as the commute was a long one and required me to leave early. I ended up eating lunch right across the street from the grocery store at a famous fast-food chain where a burger, fries and shake cost me $17.50. You heard that right. One meal cost me almost half the amount that I spent for the entirety of next week. This hammered home the logic that cooking a delicious meal at home is just the more practical thing to do. Not to discourage anyone from eating out, but this way you know exactly what goes into your food while you keep your bucks intact. Eating healthy keeps your mind sharp while your body is free of trans fats. Health inevitably transforms into wealth.