Meet a Reader | Jenni, the Minnesotan dietician
Jenni's food pictures made me feel hungry...for a sandwich in particular! Jenni shares my love for sandwiches, but she eats them in more interesting places than I do:
I'm now inspired to up my sandwich-eating locales. 😉
Here's Jenni:
1. Tell us about yourself.
Hi! I’m Jenni and I am in my late 20s. I work in the mental health field of eating disorder care as a Registered Dietitian, have a small nutritional counseling private practice, and also do some freelance writing for a local newspaper on the side.
I was born and raised in WI, went to undergrad at The University of Wisconsin (go Badgers!), did my master’s at Illinois State, and then moved to Minneapolis/St. Paul for work and have been here for almost 5 years now.
I grew up as the middle child between my brother and my sister, my parents still live in my childhood home, and I am lucky enough to have everyone within about an hour’s drive away.
Family is so, so important to me!
Currently, I live with my partner and his dog in Minneapolis. We love to hike, camp, travel, ski and just spend time outside anyway we can.
Personally, I love to bake and cook, read, run, be crafty, organize things, and obsess about the weather.
2. How long have you been reading The Frugal Girl?
I am not sure how or exactly when I stumbled upon TFG, but it was sometime around the start of the pandemic, so early 2020 I think. Fairly new reader here!
Like most people who read blogs, I enjoy getting to see peeks into others’ ways of life and always enjoy the topic of frugal living! I love Kristen’s open and real style of writing; it feels like catching up with a friend or neighbor.
3. How did you get interested in saving money?
I don’t ever remember not being interested in it or thinking it wasn’t something I needed to prioritize. As a child I had everything I needed and more, but I think I really picked up on my dad’s frugal and money-saving ways and just carried on with those things and thought patterns as I grew up and moved on to being an independent adult.
I still remember my dad taking me to the credit union to open my first Certificate of Deposit when I was in late elementary school or early middle school.
Both of my parents are wise with money and spending, but my dad is more of a saver and practical-thinker, whereas my mom values saving but also has taught me the importance of spending and treating yourself at times too.
4. What is the why behind your money-saving efforts?
I think everyone has enough stressors in life and I don’t want money to be one of those if I can avoid it. I want to live within my means in a way that still allows me to enjoy a full life but not have any worries or anxiety about money and finances.
I want to have a family and be able to enjoy all the experiences I had as a child and again, not be stressed by money.
I also want to be prepared for emergencies and be able to give back to people and causes that are important to me.
I also prefer a more minimalistic and simplistic lifestyle and spending less money often means less stuff, so it’s helpful with that too!
5. What is your best frugal win?
Both are related to education…
1. Being an RA during undergrad – room and board were provided + a stipend. This was right up my alley and allowed me to graduate with two bachelor’s degrees without any debt. I was so ready to be out of the dorms by year four though.
2. Selecting a graduate school and internship program that provided tuition remission as well as a graduate assistantship for the first year. Like many career paths in health care, you are required to complete so many hours of supervised practice – or basically work full-time – without pay.
This can be a significant barrier as typically you’ve just spent tens of thousands getting through school and are ready to start making money, but first need to gain experience by shadowing and essentially “working for free” while also paying tuition to have access to this shadowing and “free work”. It is pretty frustrating if you ask me.
When applying to grad schools and internship programs, the cost and financial incentives were definitely a top consideration for me.
Did I go to my dream school or location (central Illinois)? No.
But did I enjoy my experience, get a good education, meet awesome people, and enter the workforce without any student loans? Yes!
Another big frugal win for me is cooking at home.
I am a big foodie, but the cost of restaurant foods is astronomical to me, especially when I love to bake and cook at home. If we are traveling or there is a new restaurant in town or something to celebrate, I definitely enjoy eating out and experiencing a new food scene and trying things I wouldn’t necessarily make at home.
When we do travel, we usually eat out about one meal per day (plus usually ice cream or a baked good or something like that) and pack a cooler and snack bin for the other meals.
I have worked out a pretty good sandwich-making system from the passenger seat and have learned exactly what to bring for it not to feel like a hassle and still be really tasty and enjoyable!
Since the start of the new year we have taken one 20-hour (Salt Lake City/Bozeman) and one 30-hour (Keys) road trip and have eaten our fair share of sandwiches 😉. We always try to eat them with a good view!
6. What is an embarrassing money mistake you’ve made?
I wouldn’t say I am embarrassed; I just wish I would have opened my Roth IRA sooner. Talking all the nitty gritty details about investments, the stock market, tax strategy, etc. makes me feel anxious and overwhelmed so I can tend to just avoid it, which is not smart, I know!
7. What is one thing you splurge on?
Food, and by that I mean groceries. Since I love to cook and bake, and we eat mostly at home, I feel it is worth it and necessary to spend a little more in this area.
Also, being a dietitian, I really enjoy trying new products, different brands, etc. and I prioritize food quality and variety. I also really love to cook and bake for others and will often drop off baked goods with friends or host others which means spending a little more.
Also, I splurge on outdoor gear like running shoes, tents, and sleeping bags, and some technical clothing like high-quality jackets, shorts, etc.
Since I spend so much time outside it is important to me to be comfortable and well outfitted for doing so! I can stay out there longer then. 😉
8. What is one thing you aren’t remotely tempted to splurge on?
Make-up, hair-care products – I like to keep it simple and rarely wear make-up and get my hair cut about 1x/year. I also find that the cheaper products work just fine for me.
Also, television subscriptions – I am just not much of a TV watcher.
9. If $1000 was dropped in your pocket, what would you do with it?
I’d drop it in the “savings bucket” for a camper or 4WD vehicle – both things we are in the market for.
10. What is something you wish more people knew?
Something I run into a lot as a dietitian is the belief that eating “healthy” is expensive. That absolutely is not true! When I hear that, my first question is “what is ‘healthy’?” as that might mean something different to everyone. I am an all-foods-fit dietitian, but we won’t get into that here, ha… back on track.
What is true is that you have to put in a little effort – you might have to compare some prices, shop at different stores (or decide if the convenience is worth it to you because that is okay too, just something to think about!), define your definition of healthy, and maybe expand what foods that might include.
There are so many new food products out there with flashy packaging and language advertising health and nutrition claims, but these often come with a heftier price tag than maybe some of their less-flashy and novel counterparts who might be just as nutritious!
It is interesting to reflect on your purchasing decisions in the lens of health and nutrition and to think about what you are actually paying for – are you paying for the label or claim or are you paying for the actual nutrition and energy the product will provide you!
Does the product even provide you what it is claiming? There are a lot of terms that go unregulated or terms that seem like they mean something important at first glance, but really don’t!
My favorite example – turkey and chicken that are labeled with the claim “hormone-free”.
Yes, that is true because federal regulation prohibits the use of hormones – that means all turkey and chicken is “hormone-free”, labeled or not!
I could go on, but I will share that one day when I had way too much time on my hands, I did a price comparison of an entire Aldi haul compared to that same haul at Cub, a popular, local full-service grocery store here.
I went around and price-checked every item I had just purchased at Aldi and discovered that if I had shopped at Cub, my bill would have been 48% more than it was at Aldi.
I was having a moment of frustration that week shopping at Aldi, because as you all know they don’t usually carry everything you need, or can be out of things, and I was thinking ‘maybe I should just go to Cub, they have everything on my list’.
But that frustration was definitely worth the savings of 48%!
11. What is your favorite type of The Frugal Girl post and why?
I love the WIS/WWA posts. I love seeing a peek into what others are eating and I think it normalizes for everyone that no one is a perfect eater or follows a perfect menu plan.
I also couldn’t have agreed more with Kristen’s post about the difference between frugal vs. cheap. And think of that post often to check in with myself to make sure I am not being cheap and also to make sure I am not living a sad life just to save money.
12. Do you have any tips for frugal trips or vacations?
We often pick our destination based on visiting friends/family members along the way or at our final stop.
This helps to save on lodging if we can stay with them (we usually can, or at least pitch our tent in their yard) and lets us honor our value of staying connected to and visiting friends and family.
Also if you can travel in your lodging (i.e. camper or van) that can make things super affordable and convenient.
Work remote if you can! And use holidays to your advantage.
I like to be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but we try to take advantage of days off like New Year’s, MLK Day, etc. and plan trips that span over these already given days off to save on PTO.
Pack a cooler and grocery shop along your trip. We always bring a stocked cooler and snacks as we set off, but we also make sure to visit grocery stores along the way to replenish the things we use up so that we can continue to eat meals and snacks “in” rather than always going out or buying gas station snacks.
13. What is the easiest part about being frugal?
I think it is just ingrained in me to consider cost (money, time, resources, etc.) that it doesn’t take too much extra effort and isn’t something that feels like a burden.
The hardest part about being frugal?
If I am being honest, I guess I would say understanding other people's decisions. Sometimes it is hard to be supportive of how others are spending their money or also hard not to want what they might have/be doing/ etc. even though it doesn’t fit without financial goals or align with our values.
Also, sometimes it is hard when other core values outweigh financial values and to make sure to listen and recognize that. Example: yes, maybe that trip was expensive and not planned but it allowed you to connect with friends and celebrate a new marriage which is more important than saving money.
14. Is there anything unique about frugal living in your area?
Nothing too out of the box – your typical active “Buy Nothing Groups”, public libraries, state parks and rec areas, lots of water access (land of 10,000 lakes and the mighty Mississippi) and free-to-low cost outside activities.
This is also not specific to our area, but we live in a duplex that my partner owns, and he also has some other rental properties. We talk a lot about minimizing the cost of housing and have been able to do that by living in one of his buildings which is providing us a home, but also generating some income too.
We are toying with the idea of renting out our unit and taking a few months to a year to travel, that way we wouldn’t have a housing payment/cost at that time. We shall see what the future brings!
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Jenni, first off, your pictures are so beautiful! I loved them all; I think you should start a blog. Or an Instagram. Or something!
I love the way you guys travel; I love sandwiches so so much, and I would be happy to eat them anywhere. Any on-the-go sandwich-making tips for us?
Your bagels look so delicious. What recipe did you use?
"I think everyone has enough stressors in life and I don’t want money to be one of those if I can avoid it."
I love it! Great point.
@Rose, I had just copied that line out myself, and I couldn't agree more. Kudos to Jenni for being so wise so young.
@A. Marie, @Rose, Thank you both for your feedback 🙂 and to everyone for reading! I am eager to read and respond to the rest of the comments - read through a few on my lunch break right now, but will have the time to really read and respond later this evening!
@Kristen + Everyone; Okay I am back after a busy day of work!
Answering Kristen's questions up here so they don't get lost in the shuffle of replies and comments down below 🙂
1. I would love to start a blog and actually have a webpage all set up for one on my website...just got to find the time and take the plunge! I did have a blog back during undergrad...hard not cringe at some of the writing and photos, but hey we are all works in progress! I do have an active instagram account which I used a lot more for nutrition-focused content until I began to burn out a bit on that and now am just sharing snaps of life (@jenniwolf_rd)
2. A few travel sandwich tips for all those asking:
- Invest in a good cooler; no way would I fork out for a Yeti, but I bought an RTIC on black friday a couple years ago and it keeps all our refrigerated goods and ice cold for a couple of days. Like some readers below mentions - we take refreezable ice blocks if we have a means to refreeze them, otherwise we get ice from hotels or freeze gallon jugs of drinking water which serve as ice for us until they melt and then they are our drinking water
- I bought a smaller size storage tote that houses all our "dry good" snacks and sandwich supplies. This rides in the front with us where it is easy to access; when it is time to make a sandwich, I take the cover off and use it as a tray to prep sandwiches from the passenger seat. I also pack a small cutting board and sharp pairing knife
- If we stay in hotels, I often grab the free disposable cups in the room that are intended for coffee/water and a couple of plates from the free breakfast area. We use them as "snack" cups while on the road - easier to eat out of and helps to be mindful of portions; if we are camping, I just pack a reusable bowl/cup/plate. Much easier to eat while driving if you have some basic ware!
- Greens don't travel well, cucumbers do. Use these for the "greens" on your sandwich". Slicing cheese is hard to do driving down the road, and an extra step, so spend the few pennies more to get pre-sliced.
-Buy local sandwich ingredients and be okay with restocking every few days. I love getting a local loaf of bread or local, deli meat. Would I buy $10/lb deli meat at home, probably not, but on the road yes, because a pre-made sandwich would cost way more than that!
- Include sides; I love nostalgic sides for a road trip and fresh fruit/veg! I always chop up and prep fruit/veg for travel; store with a paper towel to keep the moisture off the produce and helps it to last longer!
- Make it fun; I always am on the search for the next "best" sandwich spot. You could also do other superlatives like "coldest sandwich spot", "ugliest sandwich spot", etc. ha!
3. Bagel recipe; I am the worst "recipe sharer" because I hardly ever follow a recipe verbatim - I tend to mix and match. I think(?) this is the one I used as my guide - I know I did 3 c whole wheat bread flour and 1 c white bread flour, and I soaked my raisins in advance to make them extra juicy 🙂
https://www.stephiecooks.com/cinnamon-raisin-bagels/
Okay, stopping now - gosh I can ramble!
I’m not sure why exactly, but I think this is my favorite meet the reader to date!
I’d also like some tips on sandwich making on the road! We always take a bag of premade ones but those aren’t great day 2
This post also really gives me hope for the future, since you’re only in your 20s. You’ve got it together for sure!
Kristen is right- start a blog and you’d have a built-in base here!
@Vallie D, Between her full time job, her private practice, her freelance writing, her family and friends and travel, it sounds like she has more than enough to do. ;-}
@Vallie D, Thanks for the kind words <3
And, sandwich tip - storing premade sandwiches in a container or plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel helps to keep the bread from drying out!
Nice to meet you, Jenni. It looks like we are planning a similar vacation this summer. We just booked our last spot to stay; a house for our large family that has a kitchen is a must!
I'll pass the RA tip on to my son who is in college-- in Minnesota 🙂
@Jody S., Have a fantastic vacation! When are you going? Have you been before? I love the Michigan shoreline. And yes, I love cooking in an air bnb!
@Jenni, we're going at the earlier part of summer. The last time we went is only a blur; we had a just-turned 1-year-old (the college boy), and I was about 8 months pregnant with boy #2. We were on our way back from a wedding in Wisconsin and decided to take the scenic route. This time around, I want to see the shipwreck museum, but we're planning on finding pretty rocks too.
Hi Jenni! You can't leave me hanging like that: What's actually in all those sandwiches that you've perfected for travel? 🙂
@kristin @ going country, Yes! I need a guest post on travel sandwiches. We’ve tons of 20+ hour roadtrips, so I’m always here for ideas to up my passenger seat sandwich game.
Saaaame!!
Yes, Jenni! (And others!). Another vote for travel sandwich ideas!
@Kaethe, @EmilyU., @Walnut, @kristin@going country - my "travel sandwiches" aren't anything special - sometimes it's just a good ol' classic PB and banana or PB&J, but we find variety and having toppings is key! One can only eat so many plain turkey/cheddar sandwiches. We like to have a couple different options of cheese, veg toppings, bread/bagels and have "travel" condiments that we refill.
Last year we actually did a sub sandwich "taste-test" and rated subs at all the national "chains" like Jimmy Johns, Subway, Jersey Mike's, Potbelly, etc. which gave us some good ideas too. Of course, I got very into it and even made a spreadsheet chart with different characteristics to judge and comment on 🙂
Jenni,
What a great interview to wake up to. I'm glad you found Kristen's blog. Your zest for life comes through in your writing. I love the balance that you have built into your life. Your financially minded education decisions should be a great guide to others.
We handle meals on the road similar to the way you do, usually one meal out a day with food packed/bought for the other meals. It is both healthier and cheaper. We just returned from a trip to visit relatives and we asked one of them to refreeze our ice blocks while we used the hotel room refrigerator.
@K D, yes when we travel to friends and relatives we always ask to have them refreeze our ice blocks. When not with friends and relatives we use ice in bags from hotels until can refreeze our blocks again.
Your sandwich pictures remind me of a trip I took in Canada, driving from Edmonton to Prince Rupert, then down Vancouver Island. Lots and lots of beautiful scenery, lots and lots of driving. We soon feel into the habit of stopping somewhere beautiful for sandwiches for lunch, buying the makings every few days. I didn't think to take photos each time, though.
@WilliamB, Ha! I think most people don't! I get a kick out of it though. Sounds like a beautiful road trip - one I'd def like to take someday!
Hi, Jenni, nice to meet you.
I love your brilliant idea of sandwiches at ... (name the spot). That's a fun concept.
I grew up in a family that packed food for trips. As a kid, we would ride across Missouri in the summer to visit relatives and my dad always stopped at some fruit stand in the summer to buy the highly touted "Missouri melons" - all kinds, especially watermelon, none of which ever disappointed us. We'd eat some there and take the rest to our destination. It was the highlight of a long, hot trip in an un-air-conditioned car. I really enjoyed your fruit stand visit picture from Florida.
You are soooo right - we have enough to stress about without adding finances to it. That statement is very wise!
Agreed - now I'm hungry too! Definitely picking up some pears; you've reminded me that it's been a while. And I'm happy to see another paper map-user - I just really appreciate having the big picture visual, at least for the first stage of trip planning!
@Suz, Yes! Pear are amazing. Ours are similar to a Bartlett, but my favorite variety is the Bosc. Love slicing them and adding them to salads or grilled cheese. Agreed! I am very much a paper/hard-copy person. Probably one of few millennials that doesn't have everything "electronified".
Your dog is so cute!
I love the line about 'all foods fit'. My go-to advice to people is always 'all things in moderation', so not too far off.
@Denise, The trick may be how you define "food"!
@Denise, In my household the outlook is "there are no forbidden foods." My niblings tell me that schools often teach green light, yellow light, and red light foods to help them learn what's appropriate.
@WilliamB, Yes, you are right that the "stoplight" approach is a common teaching method used. It is not my favorite, however because I still think it can create/lead to some morality judgements around food (i.e. green foods are "better" or "good"). It is hard to have a neutral viewpoint around food/eating in our society and culture. There is so, so much nuance and individuality!
What a delightful post to devour while eating breakfast (leftover mashed potatoes with various protein toppings). I love that you are planning a trip to the mitten state. Hope you will enjoy my neck of the woods - Traverse City.
I especially resonate with your wonderment at some people's choices. It is especially hard to watch loved ones struggling because of their financial choices. Thanks so much for sharing.
@Nancy, Thanks for reading, Nancy! I have been to Traverse City twice and am so very much looking forward to our return trip this summer 🙂
Nice to meet you Jenni! Your sandwich game is certainly strong! We pack snacks and sandwiches for road trips but usually just eat them on the road. I love your concept of stopping someplace nice to enjoy the meal instead.
Your dog is adorable. I understand the dog destroying their toys isn't frugal, but I guess it's better than them destroying something else. Our dog does at least still play with the stuffed toys after her "kills" them and get the stuffing and squeaker out.
Jenni, as a parent of a teen, I was so intrigued that your dad took you to get a CD at the credit union. I never thought of that! Was it his money given to you or money you had saved? I'd like to do this with our daughter.
@Angel, It was birthday, holiday, and babysitting money I had saved over the years. My grandmother did gift each grandchild some money in addition to what I had saved so this may have prompted the CD too - I cannot quite recall. We did not get an allowance growing up, but our parents would buy us what we needed (i.e. new soccer cleats, new clothes, birthday presents for friends, etc.)
Wow! I had so many thoughts and questions as I read your interview!
When you do your freelance writing, do you write about nutrition or do you have a wide-range of topics or something else entirely?
I am so impressed by your pear haul! I confess that not planting fruit trees 5-7 years ago is something I have to forgive myself for over and over. I have to remind myself that you can't do everything at once and I was doing good just to get the garden in, taken care of, and everything harvested and used while giving birth to babies 2 of those summers and taking care of my tiny humans. But man, I would love to have fruit trees. (I just texted my husband that a fruit tree would make a good Mother's Day gift - ha!)
Can I ask where you're planning to visit on your Michigan road trip this summer? I love the numerous beautiful locations of our state, so I'm excited for you!!
I love that you've taken so many sandwich pictures in gorgeous places! 🙂
Thanks for the tip on hormone-free chicken!
Your idea to tent in people's backyards is genius. It's not something I've thought of doing before, but it's great to consider - especially being a family of five. My kids would think it was fun, too.
Thanks for sharing with us, Jenni!
@Ruth T,
Pork is also hormone free too.
@Ruth T, what's the phrase...the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now. I was feeling the same as you so a few months ago I went and bought a dwarf meyer lemon tree and just re-potted it this weekend. It's flowering like crazy (so fragrant!) so I'm hoping we'll get fruit in the next year or so. So maybe the reality is it's never too late! Great idea to send to your husband.
I’d love to hear more about your soup recipes! Your hobbies of crafting, organizing, and being in nature are mine too. And I love the Twin Cities, as I went to school there (Bethel, def. Not a frugal choice). The health & beauty in the MN community is a plus! Very inspirational reader post, and welcome to the FG community as a newer reader:)
@Rachel R., Hi Rachel! I went to school across the lake from you--Northwestern. I agree, the Twin Cities have a lot of beauty.
Hi Jenni! Fellow Twin Cities reader! I did the same thing you did when you compared Aldi to Cub and I was shocked at Cub's prices too. I also love to cook at home (we do cooking together date nights) and sometimes my menus can get to be a little elaborate so I have to store hop. My typical grocery trip starts at Aldi, then Target, then Lund's or Kowalski's if I need a specialty item.
Have you signed up for any of the CSA programs? If so, what do you do with the overabundance of veggies each week. Last year we got 24 jalapenos in one week and I was still trying to use up the ones from the week before!
@Geneva,
What we like to do with jalapeños is to stuff with cream cheese, then wrap with bacon and freeze. You can pull them out and cook them in the oven and it's a great little appetizer or game day/ party snack.
Pickled jalapeno are good too!
@Geneva, my mom chops up jalapenos in a mini food processor and then freezes them in ice cubes. She then throws them into her cooking as needed. I'll bet you could even do the same and thaw them out for pico de gallo.
@CrunchyCake,
This is something I hadn't thought of. I might have to try this this summer.
Agree with Kristen - your photos & writing are fantastic, and I'd definitely read, if you had a blog. Also, those are my favorite snack in one of the pics - TJ's peanut butter pretzels. 🙂
Thanks for sharing with us!
We just got back from a week in the Keys - it was absolutely heavenly!
Hello! Fellow "all-foods-fit" dietitian here too!
Love all the road/ camping trips you go on. We haven't gone camping in ages and you've inspired me to look into planning a trip this summer.
I'd also be interested in the whole wheat bagel recipe. I haven't perfected baking with whole wheat yet as what we have tried usually comes out much denser than white bread flour does. A goal this year is to try to improve that skill though.
@Jaime, I've recently starting using vital wheat gluten with my whole wheat baking and it does help lighten up the end product. I'm still experimenting with using it--I have added 1-2 tablespoons per bread batch (assuming you will get 2 loaves out of a batch).
I went through a weight loss class which was led by a registered dietitician several years ago and I appreciated her all-foods-fit approach. I found it freeing to not be limited in my choices.
@Kris,
I think I have seen vital wheat gluten on the King Arthur site before. Glad to know that it works. I think I will order some and give it a try.
That's great that you found a dietitian that used that method and that it was helpful to you. It is so freeing to not be fretting over "good" foods or "bad" foods and listening to your body and eating foods that you like to eat and make you feel good.
@Jaime,
Yay for another Registered Dietitian! I forgot to mention in my comment, I am of the "all foods fit" mindset as well. I've been practicing for almost 36 years!
@Jaime, I hope it works for you. I couldn't find vital wheat gluten locally and had to purchase it online.
I think that when I'm told I "can't" do something, the first thing I want to do is to do the forbidden thing, and that includes my choices of what I will eat. I have found it much more helpful to base my eating on healthier choices with the occasional "sometimes" food items. That probably says something about me. 🙂
@Jaime, Check out King Arthur Flour's Whole Grain Baking cookbook. They really understand whole grain baking and it shows. They develop each recipe from scratch rather than trying to adapt white flour recipes.
@WilliamB,
Thank you for the cookbook recommendation. I love to bake and want to learn more about baking with whole grains!
@Liz B.,
That's great! I'm a career changer so it's only been about 5 years for me.
@Kris,
That's how it is for a lot of people. When you restrict something then that's all you want and there is a greater chance of overdoing it than if you gave yourself permission to eat it in the first place.
I operate from a place of adding things (more fruits, vegetables, fiber, etc.) than taking away.
Nodding so hard. I'm always thinking, "What could I eat that will add something good-for-me to this meal?" Way more fun than restrictions!
https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/eat-more-of-the-good-foods/
@WilliamB,
Thank you for this! I didn't know it existed. I'll definitely check it out.
Nice to meet you Jenni! I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend the LAKE SUPERIOR CIRCLE TOUR!
@Stephanie, ME TOO! We did that trip last summer in late June/early July as a camping trip. Amazing. We only had about 8 days and we could have easily taken a month. Did you get your "official certificate"?! I grew up spending a lot of summer time on Lake Superior's south shore in WI, and have been to the UP a fair amount, so it was especially cool to see the Canada shoreline of the big lake! We are doing the Lake Michigan Circle Tour this summer 🙂 Love Traverse City and that whole shoreline so excited to explore more there!
Jenni, this was a great interview on so many levels. Your pup is adorable. Your financial advice is smart. But I’m all about the food and healthy eating in general, especially from an expert.
Please, would you share how you prepare that delicious-looking veggie soup brimming with carrots and celery? What is the broth, specifically? Soup is my favorite food, followed by sandwiches, so I’m glad many asked you for your tips on those.
@Erika JS, I was wondering about that soup too!
Jenni, your post is so chock-full of wonderful I'm not sure where to begin. Your words are wise, uplifting and thought-provoking. Your pictures are mouth-watering. Your life is inspirational. And hallelujah to the why behind your money-saving efforts! And another hallelujah to your important work in the field of mental health and eating disorders.
My dog also does not understand that destroying toys is not frugal. Just yesterday I firmly but lovingly told her "just because you've disemboweled your bunny doesn't necessarily mean you're getting a new one." A few minutes later, she watched me write "bunny" on my shopping list.
@MB in MN, Fur baby for the win! 🙂
Hi Jenni, nice to meet you. You spoke about 2 of my favourite things, nutrition and money saving. You said "are you paying for the label or claim or are you paying for the actual nutrition and energy the product will provide you!". This is the challenge when I go grocery shopping, I find many items are all about the marketing, and as you said, many claims on the labels are not regulated (here in Canada as well).
I loved your story about your dad taking you to the Credit Union; it reminded me of when my father said to me I should start investing in the stock market; I was 23 and I remember crying as I thought I had left it too late to start investing. Turns out that 23 was an okay age to start investing, even with a small amount.
@Linda in Canada,
In the early 80’s, after graduating from high school, my mom convinced me to put my savings in a CD. Back then, the interest rate was 15%!! Two and a half years later, when it had reach maturity, it had grown quite a bit. It wasn’t nearly as much fun to save when I was only earning 2% on my account. I now understand that the higher interest rate came with a cost. Live and learn..
When traveling we always stop and make sandwiches for lunch. One time at a park in Jasper, Canada we pulled into a parking lot to make our sandwiches.
The parking lot was empty but another older couple, like ourselves, pulled right next to us opened up their truck and proceeded to make sandwiches. We started talking and trading driving tips.
@karen, Driving through Canada to the East Coast, we stopped at a pull out to eat lunch. Our gardening season had just ended and I had two beer box flats of tomatoes in various stages of ripening in the back of the truck; I could not stand to just let them rot and figured we could eat tomato sandwiches across Canada. Another couple pulled up and we started chatting and ended up trading some of my tomatoes for some slices of cake that the wife had made for their road trip! We were telling a friend about it and she said she would not eat food from a stranger in case they had put poison in it to kill other travelers. That is what happens when you watch too many movies about serial killers---you suspect a white haired quite elderly Canadian couple of wanting to kill and then have to dispose of the carcass of two well-upholstered Americans.
@Lindsey, Ha!
Loved your post, Jenni! Such beautiful sandwiches and views and pictures of sandwiches and views 🙂 Your post is very timely as we're getting ready for annual trip to Yosemite. My husband always wants to default to getting pizza in the village and eating out but it's really not that great. So even if I buy an "expensive" loaf of fancy bread at the market before we leave and make sandwiches along the way and during our stay, it will STILL cost less than getting one mediocre (or worse) sandwich there. I can apply this to all the meals to save money and eat healthier and better. I'm very interested in nutrition so I loved seeing your meals - that veggie soup looks so healthful and delicious!
Great read - thank you for sharing!
Just dropping in to say hello to a fellow Redbird! I'm older than you but I did my undergrad at Illinois State. I agree that it probably isn't on anyone's list of dream schools or dream locations. But it's a great school with a lot to offer, and reasonably close to some larger cities!
@Andrea, Go Reggie! 🙂
So many great things that you shared, Jenni. Since I'm a Michigander, I'm curious about where you are going in Michigan.
I think that dieticians don't receive the recognition they deserve. I wish that more people would run their eating habits through the lens of a dietician instead of relying on trying the latest trend. You have so much knowledge to offer!
I enjoyed your sandwich pictures. My family also likes to find stunning locations to eat lunches while vacationing. You would be fun to hang out with. Thanks for sharing!
love, love, love your post. the pictures are AWESOME. a great book to read so you won't be nervous about investing is rich dad poor dad. not sure who wrote it. if you reinvest dividends it can build up pretty fast. i used to see a lot of folks carrying coach bags. they were part of sara lee when i invested in them. they gave shareholders nice discounts on their products. they don't do that anymore and they are no longer part of sara lee
for me investing is the best form of gambling in the world. i teach my 12 yr old and 14 yr old to never buy lottery tickets buy stock instead. thank you so much for posting. i am sorry the medical field is so unreasonable to those who want to enter it and i am so glad you persevered. best oof luck to you and your partner.
Fantastic post!! Love the adventurous spirit you have conveyed. As with the others, I’d love sandwich suggestions. We pack lots of food when we travel too. Also I saw a batch of snack mix in one photo. Will you share your receipt for that?
Jenni,
Hello from a fellow Registered Dietitian! I really enjoyed getting to "know" you. Though I'm old enough to be your (cough cough) mother, I agree completely about the misconception that "eating healthy" is expensive. I work in an acute care hospital, and I hear that all. the. time. Great job getting through school and your internship with no student loans; I remember getting paid $1.44/hour (that's what our monthly stipend worked out to) when I did my internship back in the Stone Ages. I think I had $50 left in my savings account by the time I was done.
Also, one of my sisters lives in St. Paul - the "Frogtown" area of town, so they are within walking distance of many Thai and Vietnamese restaurants. You live in a truly gorgeous area of this country!
I enjoyed this meet the reader! It is admirable that you finished grad school without debt.
Your Golden Retriever is beautiful! My dear pup doesn’t understand that it’s not frugal to destroy her toys either. I have been know to restuff a toy and sew it close again. I also look for and wash safe stuffed toys at thrift stores.
Great tip on hormone-free chicken. Do you have others?
@Bee, We have pretty much given up on buying stuffies for our destructive Pound Hound, unless we see them for 50 cents at Good Will. We bought some denim while it was on sale and some cotton stuffing and make our own squares of dog toys. We made different shapes and the dog seems to think they are different animals that need to be gutted. I keep repairing them, and each time the "animal" gets smaller and smaller because parts of the material are too shredded to salvage.
@Lindsey, I've thought about making my own as well... but never thought about using denim - what a great idea! I repair store-bought stuffies as much as I can, but they only live for so long. The joy that my dog gets out of them is worth it though.
Ahhh, pear trees. My granna had fruit trees. I would grab a basket and a horse and ride out to pick a bunch. She made the most delicious preserves she called pear honey, yum on hot breakfast biscuits.
Thanks for the great laugh at seeing your sandwiches visiting all those lovely spots! You seem to have fashioned a wonderful life for yourself so thanks for sharing it.
Oh my gosh, Jenni, I love your sandwich photos! I'm a huge fan of sandwiches, too. We took a National Parks road trip in July, 2020 and ate sandwiches every day for lunch. It saved so much money and we were able to avoid eating in restaurants during the pandemic. I think I sold my boyfriend on the idea of car picnics. He was hesitant at first, but loved all the money that was saved.
@Jenni, it was fun to read your interview. You express yourself clearly, have good things to say, and take good photos too. Here are the standouts to me:
1. "pearsauce" - I've made it plenty of times myself but never actually said the word.
2. Everyone does have enough stressors in life without making money into one. Sure, stuff happens, but doing without a few luxuries in order to have an emergency fund is one way to alleviate some of that stress.
3. I love paper maps!
4. Finding a way to get degrees without debt is very wise.
5. I've often wondered what people mean when they say they eat "healthy". Chances are everyone has a different definition.
6. Thanks for the tip about hormones in meat. (Reminds me of seeing "gluten free" on foods that never have contained gluten.)
7. Thanks for the reminder about Kristen's "frugal versus cheap" post. Such practical wisdom.
8. Like most Meet-A-Readers, you have no interest in fancy jewelry or make-up. This is a reoccurring theme here.
9. I fully agree with the difficulty of understanding other people's financial decisions. It is so hard to hear other people complain about lack of money when they have fancy fingernails, eat out regularly, drive cars with payments, have a gardener, keep up-to-date on their phones and televisions, and shop as a recreational activity.
Thanks for sharing your life with this crowd at Frugalville!
Hi Jenni, you're about the same age as my oldest and I'm really impressed with you and enjoyed reading your answers.
Is that fruit stand "Robert is Here"? We stop there whenever we go down that way.
The sandwiches and soup look delicious.
Jenni, what gorgeous food! I love the panorama o'sandwiches.
Dear Jenni,
I think you’r you’d love SpiritandGuts on IG. She and her husband have a camper van and travel with their two kids under 4. They moved from San Fran to New Zealand.
Rixa Freeze on Facebook and Blogspot has 4 kids and lives in France half the year with her 4 kids (started when their oldest was about 8). They’ve renovated 4 apartments in Old Nice.
Kids don’t ruin your traveling adventures.
I had my 1st at 27 and she traveled all over Europe with us for the 1st two years of her life.
Another friend traveled the world for 9 months with an 18 month old. They stayed a month most places.
Enjoy!
Good bread makes a big difference in how satisfying a sandwich can be.
When I make egg salad sandwiches, there needs to be chips. It reminds me of road trips with my mother. When we would go to NJ, she had a specific place she liked to stop for our lunch, which was peaceful and relaxing.
Jenni
I just wanted to thank you for what you do. As a mother of now grown adult daughter with an eating disorder I appreciate you. There is not enough not doctors, nurses and therapist that help treat ED especially at the younger ages. My daughter was 10 just turned 11 when we figured out she was withholding. Thank you