My Struggles with Hunger, Expenses, and the Decision to Cook My Own Meals
Hello everyone!
I hope you all are doing well, staying safe, and enjoying good health under Almighty Allah’s protection. Today, I am back to share another honest chapter from my daily life.
In my previous post, I shared how I decided to stop relying on heavy hotel meals, bought flour, spent an hour making my own bread, and paired it with a simple dish. At that time, I wasn’t sure how the next day’s breakfast or meals would work out. I figured I would take it one step at a time and see how the day unfolded. Now that another day has passed, I want to walk you through what actually happened, the choices I had to make, and how hunger once again forced me to rethink my daily routine.
A Hungry Start and a Flawed Plan
Shortly after publishing my last blog post, I started feeling hungry again. I had to decide whether to cook something myself or just buy food from a local eatery.
My long-term plan was to gradually start cooking my own meals so I could eat better quality food while keeping my daily expenses under control. However, I ran into an immediate problem: some of my essential cooking utensils were still with a friend. I didn't have everything I needed on hand.
I thought to myself, "Let me just manage for a day or two somehow. Next time, I’ll bring all my cooking items back and keep them right here with me so I don't face this issue again."
Since I work at a flour mill (Atta Chakki), I spend my whole day grinding wheat for customers. Right next to the shop, there is an empty room. It struck me that if I set up my cooking gear in that room, life would become so much easier. I could manage the mill during the day, and when it’s time to eat, I could easily roll out some dough and cook right there without leaving my workplace.
Getting flour isn't an issue for me since I work at the mill itself. All I would need to buy from outside would be fresh vegetables or ingredients for the curry. It sounded like a solid, practical plan—but for yesterday, I was stuck without my gear and needed something to eat immediately.
The Breakfast Budget Shift
Realizing I couldn't cook without my utensils, and knowing that traveling back and forth to another spot would waste too much time, I decided to walk over to a nearby hotel for breakfast.
My initial thought was that a quick breakfast would cost around 100 rupees. When I got there, I bought four nans (at 20 rupees each, total 80 rupees) and a portion of chana curry for 40 rupees. The total came to 120 rupees.
It solved the immediate problem—I was full and able to get back to my duties quickly. But as I sat back at the shop, the math kept running through my head. Spending 120 rupees just for breakfast, with lunch and dinner still ahead, meant daily food costs could easily shoot up by the end of the month. This realization made me even more determined to get my cooking setup sorted as soon as possible.
A Slow Day at Work and Rising Hunger
Work at the mill yesterday was fairly light. My boss came by, and we spent some time chatting. Later, I walked to the local mosque for afternoon prayers and returned to the shop. With very few customers coming in, I spent most of the day sitting around waiting.
Even though work wasn't physically exhausting, a different problem was building up. By late afternoon (around Asr time), the four nans I ate in the morning had completely digested, and severe hunger hit me.
Gradually, the hunger turned into sharp stomach discomfort. I wanted to step out and grab something to eat, but my boss was still at the shop, and leaving the mill unattended wasn't an option. My plan was to wait until he left for home, grab some flour, go to my friend's place, buy some vegetables, and cook dinner there before returning to sleep at the shop for the night.
However, evening approached, and my boss stayed longer than usual. The growing pain in my stomach was making me restless. Seeing my discomfort, my boss finally asked, "Aren't you going to get dinner from the hotel?"
When I told him I was planning to, he offered to walk out with me toward the main road where he could catch his bus home, while I could pick up food from the eateries near the bus terminal.
Sharing Dinner and Facing Severe Stomach Pain
When I reached the hotel near the terminal, I decided to call a friend to see if he wanted to join me for dinner. He mentioned he was starving as well, so we decided to share a meal.
He suggested buying 10 rotis (15 rupees each, totaling 150 rupees) and a 150-rupee portion of curry. At the counter, I picked Aloo Gobhi (potato and cauliflower) from the available options.
With 10 fresh rotis and curry packed, I started walking back to the shop. But by now, the stomach pain was intense. I found myself pressing my hand against my stomach as I walked as fast as I could. Every step felt like a struggle, but I pushed through.
On my way back, my cousin called to say he was coming over and asked me to wait for him. By the time I reached the shop, it was already time for Maghrib prayer. Despite the pain and intense hunger, I wanted to perform my prayers first.
I drank a glass of cold water to soothe my stomach, turned on the submersible pump, and performed Wudu (ablution) by the roadside. After drinking a bit more water, I went inside, spread the prayer mat near the charpai, and prayed Maghrib.
Right after I finished praying and packed away the mat, my friend arrived. I quickly transferred the curry into my bowl, pulled out the rotis, and started eating. Being so hungry, I ate quite fast, and gradually, as my stomach settled, the discomfort faded away.
A Quick Note on Health: While my pain was caused by long hours of fasting on an empty stomach, severe or recurring stomach pain shouldn't be ignored. If you experience persistent pain, it is always wise to seek medical advice rather than brushing it off as simple hunger.
My Strategy for the Coming Days
Reflecting on yesterday’s events taught me a valuable lesson: managing daily life isn't just about controlling expenses—it's also about managing time and health. Letting myself go hungry for hours because of poor planning ended up affecting my well-being.
Here is the plan I’ve set for the next few days to get things on track:
- Friday (Today/Tomorrow): I will manage today with hotel breakfast, finish my work, and head home in the evening for my weekly day off on Friday.
- Saturday: I will return from home on Saturday morning with breakfast already done and dinner packed from home. This will save me from rushing to a hotel on Saturday night.
- Sunday Onward: I will bring all my cooking utensils back to the shop and officially set up my kitchen in the adjacent room.
Since I have free access to wheat flour at the mill, making dough and baking bread myself will be straightforward. I will only need to buy fresh vegetables or simple curry ingredients daily.
This middle-ground approach—cooking simple meals at work when I have time and prepping ahead on off days—will help me save money, eat better food, and avoid severe hunger during long work hours.
Over to You!
Living alone and managing work while trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle is a continuous learning process. I share these everyday experiences not because I have all the answers, but to share real, relatable life lessons as I learn them.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions:
- If you were in my position—working all day at a mill with a spare room available—would you prefer cooking your own meals or buying food from outside to save time?
- Do you have any quick meal prep tips for someone balancing work and solo cooking?
Please drop your thoughts and comments below. Your feedback and encouragement truly keep me going.
Until next time, take good care of yourselves.
Fi Amanillah (May Allah protect you)!
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