How Food Prep Saved Me From Having To Get A Second Job | Money Mind | Japan

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  • Опубліковано 23 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 428

  • @satriaamiluhur622
    @satriaamiluhur622 6 місяців тому +620

    I work in electronic factory and often bring home leftover rice and stews from cafeteria. The cafeteria owner is kind enough to pack all the leftover in several plastic bags and put it on the table for the employees before he closes the shop. Thankfully my wife and daughter are not picky about food. It saves me a lot of money each months. If only more people could do this, we'd end up having less food wastage problem

    • @shabrinaparamacitra8428
      @shabrinaparamacitra8428 6 місяців тому +27

      You're very lucky to be able to save on living costs in that way

    • @calvinwong365
      @calvinwong365 6 місяців тому +10

      We kinda do this at work. We eat the leftovers or veggies that sit. These days in restaurant business and grocery market waste a lot of food. From bones to animal fats, broth. so much natural collagens. Why Chinese restaurants in America can survive. Plastic bags..etc you need to reuse those if clean. Operate your business and lifestyle within the health code/ safety. Be smart and work smart. Especially in food business. If you work like you still in the 1980s. Good luck

    • @raid1010
      @raid1010 5 місяців тому +11

      Problem is, most of those business owners would rather throw the food away than giving it for free?

    • @alice_agogo
      @alice_agogo 5 місяців тому +5

      ​@@raid1010they're avoiding lawsuits

    • @beautifullifebycindy
      @beautifullifebycindy 4 місяці тому +4

      my husband takes home left overs everytime they have events. I love free food!

  • @regalcompendium
    @regalcompendium 6 місяців тому +491

    This will not only benefit his savings, but it will help him be healthier!

    • @baishalideb5565
      @baishalideb5565 4 місяці тому +6

      japan has healthy food at restaurants too .. its not like other places

    • @andromedamessier3176
      @andromedamessier3176 3 місяці тому

      @@baishalideb5565 no it isn’t. Some are still oily. Better to prepare stuff yourself.

    • @baishalideb5565
      @baishalideb5565 3 місяці тому

      @@andromedamessier3176 yes ofcourse some places...but u can find healthier versions..

  • @kokonana4086
    @kokonana4086 6 місяців тому +211

    Actually this is a very SMART MOVE! That's how our great great grandparents stay alive when things got tough. Hats off to this young man!

  • @ct11002000
    @ct11002000 6 місяців тому +98

    My husband and I started doing this so we can spend more time with our son during the work week. We didn’t even think about the financial benefits but it’s cut our grocery bill significantly. We can’t believe we weren’t doing this before.

  • @atlnla4112
    @atlnla4112 6 місяців тому +995

    Interesting to me how people don’t learn from the past. 60 or 70 years ago we just called it eating leftovers. I grew up doing it in the 80’s and have done it most of my life. Cook a big meal then eat it for days until it’s gone. It saves time and money. Now people think it’s a new phenomenon called “food prep”.

    • @yeowchongong5608
      @yeowchongong5608 6 місяців тому +72

      Because these days a lot of experts and concerned aunties spew common wisdom that it is no good to eat leftover food in the fridge. I never understand that 😬

    • @cookingwithfluffytiny4371
      @cookingwithfluffytiny4371 6 місяців тому +8

      People learn to vote the opposite parties to bring inflation down,

    • @ienmIE
      @ienmIE 6 місяців тому +29

      yeahh my family and I do that too, and we also grow our own vegetables so our food costs are quite low every month.

    • @matreen427
      @matreen427 6 місяців тому +36

      you can’t compare the past and today. In the past, there were little knowledge on food safety and no proper freezing of food. I would not eat vegetable leftovers. Knew of some people from that generation who kept such food in the fridge for many days- unfortunately all subcummed to cancer. Even if I were to do “food prep” today, it would always be already portioned vegetables or meat frozen in their original form, and taken out to cook when required

    • @atlnla4112
      @atlnla4112 6 місяців тому +3

      @@yeowchongong5608 that’s incorrect and not scientifically true and, technically what’s the difference?

  • @EnronnSierra
    @EnronnSierra 6 місяців тому +127

    Kenta, its the same here in the US brother. I have been cooking my meals and eating out less for years. Even though I am saving a lot, I do see the price increases when I go to the supermarket. I like pepper steak for instance but I'm only able to have that like every couple months and I have to go to a Japanese supermarket to get the cheapest cut of meat to make it. Its more than inflation, the money is going somewhere and our wages remain stagnant. The rich just keep getting richer and we are supporting these pointless wars abroad.

    • @luisa146
      @luisa146 6 місяців тому +17

      Well said. Same situation in southern Europe. I'm used to cook for myself as my family has always done it, but the prices of food are rising. for example olive oil, which is our cuisine's staple, is getting so expensive that many families can't afford it anymore so they have to use lower quality oils. Our government cuts social services, health and school saying there's not enough money but somehow they always find the money for tax cuts for companies, military expenses and useless construction projects.

    • @susiex6669
      @susiex6669 6 місяців тому

      @@luisa146 Govts do this because we allow it. Time to revolt. Stop buying from corporations that are greedy and taking advantage of us.

    • @universaltalks2844
      @universaltalks2844 3 місяці тому +1

      how much we are busy we make food at home dats how Indian homes run
      now many are changing towards take away culture
      hopefully they see big picture soon
      eat healthy at ur own space is something i would love to do daily.....
      i love to cook for myself n br strong for future days

  • @XC-Z-cv8qw
    @XC-Z-cv8qw 6 місяців тому +258

    This is very true. I also recommend following a very set cooking routine like using instant pots, rice cookers, etc. This will save you so much time. My current routine is as follows:
    1. Buy bulk meat for the week
    2. Use my large instant pot to batch cook the meat
    3. While #2 is going on, use my rice cooker to cook rice
    4. Distribute cooked meat to containers
    5. Cook other vegetables or make stock from the leftover juice from #2
    6. Distribute vegetables to containers
    7. Distribute rice to containers
    Boom done. This works for majority of foods. The cleaning is also very easy with an instant pot since it's high pressure cooking and so doesn't leave any food stuck to the stainless steel pot. Rotating meats keeps your body from getting allergic to one type of meat. Then, since you don't use much oil, it's also very healthy. Not to mention, pressure cooking and steaming is very healthy as well.
    You can cook hot dogs, minced meat, chicken, dimsum, soups, and so on with an instant pot. And all the work only takes at most an hour for a whole week's worth of food.

    • @adamtanpahawa850
      @adamtanpahawa850 6 місяців тому +4

      Good sharing😮

    • @Dreamer10888
      @Dreamer10888 6 місяців тому +5

      Any vegan version to this routine

    • @stevethea5250
      @stevethea5250 6 місяців тому +1

      is this promo for a instantpot i should get ?

    • @sparkdorable
      @sparkdorable 6 місяців тому +2

      ​​@@stevethea5250I use Philips rice cooker. Its come along with mode slow cooker.soup. fast cooking.OH HEAVEN for me N

    • @heuredux
      @heuredux 6 місяців тому

      then put on freezer right? or its okay if not?

  • @ruru-1993
    @ruru-1993 6 місяців тому +211

    Cooking and eating at home should be something obvious. I was born and raised in a east Europe country. My both parents had 2 jobs, we always cooked at home. During my entire life with my parents they ordered only once food. Now I live in West Europe. I cook at home every day, because I learnt that at my parent’s house. My coworkers can’t understand why at work I always have my own food from home, and I don’t want take a way with them. At the office, they complain about take a way food prices, but it’s not enough for them to cook at home. They say that they are tired, they don’t have time. They prefer to bing watching Netflix and scroll tiktok than spend 15mins a day by cooking something simple and healthy. A lot of my coworkers are obese of eating out.

    • @EVL-xj5vc
      @EVL-xj5vc 6 місяців тому +9

      Yeah it’s the will you must have to cut down costs and live healthier.

    • @warrenleezy
      @warrenleezy 6 місяців тому +1

      Dah! Davay!😂😂😂👏👏👏

    • @chrisblue4652
      @chrisblue4652 6 місяців тому +16

      Because we don't know how to cook. And the big part of that is knowing what ingredients to buy, how much to buy, how to make sure we are using them before they expire, and the recipes to utilize the ingredients.
      What takes you 15 minutes to cook takes us 1 hour, and it doesn't taste good and isn't satisfying and generates tons of waste/unused ingredients which ends us costing us more than eating out.

    • @rnmatsuda
      @rnmatsuda 6 місяців тому +9

      Yeah, I guess the coworkers never learned it from their parents but in this age of technology you can learn this skill easily from watching videos on UA-cam, so I guess they don't want to or are lazy, or are scared to fail, or another reason they can't think of.

    • @sepilokfui
      @sepilokfui 6 місяців тому +3

      good for you, not just money, but Wise and life wisely🎉

  • @ivykim1781
    @ivykim1781 6 місяців тому +47

    Yes, by cooking my meals, not only i lower my food expenses, i eat more healthier...
    When i cook in a day , i divide my meal for lunch & dinner as well

  • @iluvsakuraandsyaoran
    @iluvsakuraandsyaoran 6 місяців тому +80

    it is HARD cooking for yourself when you work a full time job and live alone (so have to do all the errands, maintenance, health stuff for yourself). it's really exhausting. especially if you don't have a lot of good recipes to pull from for eating! wishing luck to Kenta, tastier food will come with practice!!

    • @asimskentzos9231
      @asimskentzos9231 5 місяців тому +9

      no it isnt

    • @firejoe283
      @firejoe283 4 місяці тому +5

      It's easy. If you have a partner or kids, it's hard because they might not* want to repeat foods

    • @SemekiIzuio
      @SemekiIzuio 4 місяці тому +5

      No it isnt, you can control what you eat and you spend less because you arent feeding kids who may be picky or may not have enough food to split between the household. It is much better and easier to live alone as it means less responsibility. Thats why many people dont want children and birthrate is on the decline, the economy is really bad to be having children rn. Also you should already be use to taking care of yourself as an adult, what you lived with your parents all your life?

    • @ReinKenobi
      @ReinKenobi 4 місяці тому +4

      dude, students who studied overseas especially in expensive countries like Australia or the UK, cook for themselves all the time

    • @cupcaketwinkle1012
      @cupcaketwinkle1012 4 місяці тому +3

      It definitely is. As someone who lives and works in Japan, when I get home from a day of work, I'm absolutely washed. Wiped. Exhausted. The work day is long and work is taxing so when the evening arrives, you just want to breathe and take a break. But if you have errands to run and a bunch of other mandatory adulting responsibilities, having to cook on top of that can feel dreadful. It's even worse if you have something like chronic ADHD or a health issue and and can barely hold your own life together. What's easy for one person may not be easy for another.

  • @rjackso0831
    @rjackso0831 6 місяців тому +19

    There are a lot of lessons from this video. For me I'll meal prep on the weekend, take care of routine tasks like laundry, and so some self study. It makes the work week easier when all I need to do is put food I prepped in the microwave.

  • @azillabistarilapok2974
    @azillabistarilapok2974 6 місяців тому +14

    True, previously I worked 5 days a week, and I spent 2 offdays to shop for grocery and food preppings. When I have more free time, I will visit my brother in the same city to share the foods with him. Food prepping saved me a lot of time on weekdays, and I spent less money eating out during meal breaks.

  • @mmsumi668
    @mmsumi668 6 місяців тому +89

    As a Japanese, he should move to country side of Tokyo or Saitama prefecture or Chiba prefecture ( because Meguro is very expensive for living)
    He went to supermarket that not normal price for food.
    Anyway, that’s good idea for making lunch ( and dinner)
    By yourself.
    Good luck all of you 😊❤

    • @___beyondhorizon4664
      @___beyondhorizon4664 6 місяців тому +3

      Expensive? A studio cost less than $500 in Tokyo is expensive? I'm California, even low income apartments cost over $1,600/ month!
      In LA, this same amount might get you a room only with share kitchen!
      It drives me crazy that he doesn't scope out of 🫑 before Cutting it, the seeds are not good for our digestive system. Just wanted Jamie Oliver, he will show you how to de-seed in 2 minutes!

    • @mmsumi668
      @mmsumi668 6 місяців тому

      @@___beyondhorizon4664
      I know. I’m not taking about “rent”
      These vegetables.

    • @mmsumi668
      @mmsumi668 6 місяців тому

      @@___beyondhorizon4664
      $500=¥80000-
      I think not expensive.
      But it’s depends on how much he earn per month:)

    • @kazamiyuujiconnoiseur1118
      @kazamiyuujiconnoiseur1118 6 місяців тому

      ​@@___beyondhorizon4664 True, just remember Jamie Oliver is an embarrassment to all chefs, Uncle Roger would like to have a word with you 🫵.

    • @kape2377
      @kape2377 6 місяців тому

      @@___beyondhorizon4664maybe… just maybe, you have to put it in relation to their salaries too. ;) they might not earn american wages… 😅

  • @intjapan
    @intjapan 6 місяців тому +17

    I live in the countryside, so I always make my own meals. I buy groceries from Gyomu Supa, and buy only discounted meat / vegetables or whatever is cheap that season. My yearly food bill is around 1/5th of my friends' who live in Tokyo. I also try to buy products that have a longer shelf life (i.e. rice, flour, etc) in bulk.

  • @DLG24
    @DLG24 6 місяців тому +17

    As humans we eat daily. So it's best to focus on minimizing this spend.

  • @chrisester2910
    @chrisester2910 6 місяців тому +58

    My mother always said, "Cook once; eat twice!"

    • @tienhungle3265
      @tienhungle3265 4 місяці тому

      Could you elaborate more?😮

    • @CJinMono
      @CJinMono 4 місяці тому +1

      ​@@tienhungle3265 Probably means that for every time someone cooks food, they should make enough so that they can get at least two meals out of it. It emphasizes using time efficiently because it doesn't take much extra time to cook additional food for later when already cooking food for today.

  • @Ypsilion
    @Ypsilion 6 місяців тому +9

    I used to live in the same area as him, went to that same supermarket, and just down the street there is a discount supermarket with white label products. A lot cheaper and the quality isn't bad. To keep costs down, I would suggest him to shop there.
    I feel the inflation here in Tokyo, but I end up going to different supermarkets for different products because praice varies from store to store, and obviously from neighbourhood to neighborhood. Takes a lot longer just to save 500 to 1000 yen, but it's savings at the end of the month.

  • @ILovePlayingZeldaGamesOnSwitch
    @ILovePlayingZeldaGamesOnSwitch 6 місяців тому +51

    For the last part:Just add oyster sauce. It will make a lot of difference. Or even some dashi.

    • @MarztheStoic
      @MarztheStoic 6 місяців тому +1

      This guy knows what he's talkin' about. 👌

    • @JM-ml3ch
      @JM-ml3ch 5 місяців тому +2

      Chili oil

    • @Iworkwithnitwits
      @Iworkwithnitwits 3 місяці тому

      I was thinking soy sauce or chilli garlic sauce to spice things up.

  • @lingth
    @lingth 6 місяців тому +23

    Ppl always say they are too busy to cook. But meals can be prepared easily like Overnight Oats also.. containers of oats and yogurt and fruits can be prepared at night and just bring them out to office for lunch instead of expensive cai fan and meals.

    • @annaviedoux9028
      @annaviedoux9028 6 місяців тому

      Hmm...could you suggest any recipes for this? I live on top of a shop house with other people and there's only 1 kitchen so cooking is hard. Would love to know easy recipes for my meals at the office😢 😢

    • @ruru-1993
      @ruru-1993 6 місяців тому +3

      They are too busy to cook, but they have daily time to watch netflix and scroll tiktok. I’m waiting for the time when people will be too busy to go to the toilet and wearing diapers will be normalized, as people are too busy.

    • @ruru-1993
      @ruru-1993 6 місяців тому +9

      1. take a jar
      2. Put 50 g (pr more of oats)
      3. put a spoon of chia seeds and 1-2 nuts
      4. mix everything
      5. add half of sliced banana and other fruits like 1-2 of spoon of berries
      6. Fill the jar of the yogurt / milk / plant based milk (you choose)
      7. Close the jar
      8. Put it to the fridge for the night.
      Rice cooker recipes:
      1. Put the rice to the rice cooker
      2. Wash it 3 times
      3. add some water
      4. add some meat if you eat (can be minced
      5. add vegetables: onion, garlic, red pepper, muchrooms, etc.
      6. Add soy sauce, sesam oil, ect.
      Turn on the rice cooker. Cook it as you would cook only rice.
      You don’t have to check it. You can use this time to take a shower, clean the flat, etc. The ricecooker will turn off by itself when the dish will be ready.
      Puttings ingredients to the ricecooker takes max 5 minutes. You don’t have to watch the food, so there is no excuse that there is no time for cooking.

    • @annaviedoux9028
      @annaviedoux9028 6 місяців тому

      @@ruru-1993 I got questions.
      1. For recipe 1, can I use a plastic container instead of a jar?
      2. For recipe 2, is it okay to mix raw meats with the raw rice? Will it cook properly?

    • @Wonwonssi
      @Wonwonssi 6 місяців тому +1

      Oats, yoghurt, fruit for lunch? Where I came from, we call them 'snacks'. Not 'meal'. Rice is mandatory😂

  • @bleachedkon
    @bleachedkon 6 місяців тому +27

    Lol, I felt his last comment. I tried the whole making multiple meals in advance on the weekend thing to help me save on time but storing in the fridge, the food starts to taste worse day by day and some things are just not edible, and in the freezer, some foods just don't defrost well and become mush/soggy when heated up. In the end, I just skip breakfast and try to make an extra large portion that will last for 2 -3 meals so at least I'm not spending the whole evening every day after work cooking.

    • @laurenjhjh
      @laurenjhjh 6 місяців тому +6

      Yeah you definitely need to figure out exactly which ingredients/meals can be refrigerated and even frozen for 5 days. Tbh there are tons of things that do last 5 days.

    • @luisa146
      @luisa146 6 місяців тому +6

      Yes! I've never understood how to meal prep for a whole week without the food going bad. For instance rice keeps in the fridge only up to 4 days. I don't trust eating anything that was cooked more than 4 days before. Adding to that I only have a small freezer above the fridge and I don't have a microwave so I can't easily reheat frozen foods. I do often cook more than one portion so I have leftovers to reheat the following day, but I can't do a full fledged weekly meal prep.

    • @mae88b.16
      @mae88b.16 6 місяців тому +3

      What i do is i heat them in a pan instead of microwave. I add a bit of olive oil. Food is fresh cooked again

    • @bleachedkon
      @bleachedkon 6 місяців тому +2

      @@mae88b.16 Thank you. That's a good tip for refrigerated food when I'm at home! Unfortunately I don't have a stove at work so I need some ideas for frozen meals that taste good when heated in the microwave too. I think I'm also impatient. Lol, I tried reheating some rice I put in the freezer in a pan today and I was getting so annoyed because it was taking forever

    • @mae88b.16
      @mae88b.16 6 місяців тому +2

      @@bleachedkon frozen rice i put a bit of water it won’t take time to cook. I take the food out of the freezer during the night and cook them in the morning. My meal prepped is good for 1 week.

  • @kimbok5971
    @kimbok5971 4 місяці тому +5

    Not only is making your own meals a great way to save money but shopping at grocery outlets is another way to save. I save a couple thousand dollars a year by buying most of my food, cleaning supplies, etc. at grocery outlets. We are fortunate to have several in central PA but the best ones are run by the Amish. When I shop at the regular grocery stores, I purchase the generic brands whenever possible. Most of the time, they are the name brands that are packaged under a generic label. And I rarely throw out food. I love to cook one time and eat it for several days. I don't understand people that dislike leftovers.

  • @VanGoWanderlust
    @VanGoWanderlust 6 місяців тому +12

    Smart. 8 hours of work a month he saves at least $133 a month, or $16.60 an hour or more. And it’s healthier too.

  • @rufuufeb
    @rufuufeb 6 місяців тому +37

    He can still save more, maybe around 10-20%, by buying from discount supermarket or local shops.

    • @mmsumi668
      @mmsumi668 6 місяців тому +6

      Yes I agreed with you.
      One onion 🧅 ¥110?
      That’s insane.
      I know that supermarket.
      It’s not fancy supermarket.
      He should more carefully consider what he buys .

    • @susiex6669
      @susiex6669 6 місяців тому

      Or end of day clearance. I shop late in the evening/early night to buy discounted bread here in Canada. Always 50% off. I put it all in the freezer.

    • @angellover02171
      @angellover02171 6 місяців тому

      He can save more money by living on the street

  • @royalpitamamma
    @royalpitamamma 6 місяців тому +3

    Very proud of this young man. This is something we have done most of lives with take away being only once a week on payday as a treat when we were doing very well.

  • @PCDisciple
    @PCDisciple 6 місяців тому +29

    There is only room for growth 🙌🏻 great mindset

  • @ThePearlsofGray
    @ThePearlsofGray 4 місяці тому +1

    He is a very disciplined young man. Does what he has to do to alleviate the problem. The meal he made looks good and is easy.

  • @CattleFarmer667
    @CattleFarmer667 6 місяців тому +28

    Eating outside in SG cost about USD3 a meal. Cooking wont save much money. If want to save money, skip breakfast and ask for extra rice for lunch and dinner.

    • @adamcairos6206
      @adamcairos6206 6 місяців тому +7

      I would try to take a short nap during lunch hour, or just fill my hunger with plain water, you will have a bigger appetite for dinner, just make sure to not take dinner too late bcs it will affect your morning appetite the next day
      As someone who have been living alone, cooking actually cost more for me compared to tapau outside

    • @jefri4176
      @jefri4176 6 місяців тому +3

      How can cooking cost more? Buy from market,not supermarket.

    • @ditsygirl5409
      @ditsygirl5409 6 місяців тому +1

      lol.. skipping breakfast means intermittent fasting! 🤣

    • @starshine9836
      @starshine9836 6 місяців тому +2

      Cooking
      Rice one portion $0.40
      Veg $0.80
      Chicken breast $1.5
      Condiments $0.30
      S$3 = USD$2.20
      About 1/4 saving. From $800 to $600 a month, it can be quite significant

    • @daisylai2991
      @daisylai2991 6 місяців тому +1

      Go where to find a portion of rice for $0.40? It usu cost $0.50 to $0.80 at FC.

  • @ramenomirice2767
    @ramenomirice2767 6 місяців тому +39

    Why does he have such great skin 😭😭😭

    • @vane8062
      @vane8062 6 місяців тому +10

      Its the vegetables + Asian genes 😂

    • @Mintimiruku6369
      @Mintimiruku6369 6 місяців тому +6

      Men in Japan use skincare and they have hot bath everyday (which is great for detoxing and blood circulation)

    • @susiex6669
      @susiex6669 6 місяців тому

      ​@@vane8062Asian dont raisin. 😉

  • @g.abzilla7665
    @g.abzilla7665 6 місяців тому +8

    I do intermittent fasting for health benefits. Unsurprisingly, I saved money too.

  • @dadasimplelife2096
    @dadasimplelife2096 6 місяців тому +5

    This is what my grandmother from both sides and my mother do also when I and my siblings are still younger.they cook a food that last for 2 days and we eat just enough for meal ,and until now I adapts these culture of my family as working here in other countries i prepare extra food during my day off and it last for 3 days and it saves me time and money too.❤plus it’s healthier food than buying food outside

  • @chorchamroeun
    @chorchamroeun 6 місяців тому +7

    I would spend close to $40, just myself, a day in the US if I eat out. That equals to $280 a week. I spend just about $180 a week for grocery for a family of 3.

  • @okaerimichi
    @okaerimichi 6 місяців тому +5

    I started doing something similar to this (making batches for lunches and dinners for the week ahead on Sundays) around November last year and apart from being able to save more, it's also much healthier (my cholesterol levels went down).

  • @LyningSHubo
    @LyningSHubo 6 місяців тому +9

    Im from Singapore where canteen and food prices are okay. But i also meal prep due to health. Caifan are super oily, yellow vegetables and long queue. the oily air and warm environment make me break out in sweat and acne

  • @KuranYuuki88
    @KuranYuuki88 6 місяців тому +16

    Everything is going up but not wages. Wages just cant keep up.

  • @biinthecity
    @biinthecity 4 місяці тому +1

    i feel him... for the previous years, we tend to buy ready-to-eat foods because we are working full-time as well as do household chores.. we started meal prepping this year, invested in a good microwave oven and washing machine (so the time we saved not doing the laundry manually can be dedicated to food prepping).. so every saturday, we set aside several hours to go to the wet market (because they're far cheaper) and then prepare food for the entire week.. we also skimp out on some ingredients because a lot of them are also going up..

  • @berniecelee5062
    @berniecelee5062 4 місяці тому +2

    My son bought three subway sandwiches for lunch for 3 people …$42 , includes 13 % taxes 😮😮😮😮
    I said you should have allowed me to cook lunches for you …he didn’t want to burden me with more work. I said I just have to add more protein and veggies to last nights dinner and cook more rice . It’s Not that much more effort for me. And for extra stuff would have cost me $10 more and three more meals could be made . $42 is a lot more than $10… so he agreed that I can cook for him and his friends who are helping him paint a house. He cooks all the time and eat left overs for lunch. So he knows the Health and Financial benefits.
    His whole life he saw me cook extra for left over lunches. He says it’s only way to save money. Eating out was only allowed when it was a birthday or celebration. That is how my grandparents and parents lived and I tried teaching it to my adult kids who finally during the pandemic adopted this lifestyle. And they have not revert back to going out to eat.
    Kudos to this young man for adopting a better lifestyle !

  • @potatopertato
    @potatopertato 6 місяців тому +10

    Can't believe that as their population is shrinking together with the wages. Won't this make younger peope struggle more in life and stay away from marriage due to the commitments it has 😢 married women there also not treated well in work because them being pregnant is seen as a liability

  • @jimw8615
    @jimw8615 6 місяців тому +16

    Actually, it’s healthier. Though cost saving is

  • @Iamthenextmultimillionaire4400
    @Iamthenextmultimillionaire4400 6 місяців тому +10

    So much better eating your own cooked meals. It’s healthier and more cost effective.

  • @TheoWasHere2
    @TheoWasHere2 5 місяців тому +1

    This is how I do it for myself and my cockatiels/budgies too. Bird food prices also had a rise in cost for some reason, pellets cost up to 20 Euro (not even a kg) and seeds (the bird version of mcdonals) also gone up to much. So now I cook for myself and my birds the same stuff (vegetables with a bit of rice).
    Not only do I spend like 20 Euro a week on food now, but my birds weights have gone into a healthy ranges too. Even one of my zebra finches, who was bone skinny for years no matter what I did, now has a healthy weight and some body mass.

  • @kyungshim6483
    @kyungshim6483 6 місяців тому +2

    Meal prepping leads to huge savings if you have a large family or if you eat like a professional bodybuilder. If you live alone, the saving may not be that much. But if you have the time, can take advantage of bulk buying and enjoy cooking then all the better.

  • @m_ylane
    @m_ylane 6 місяців тому +2

    Cooking at home and packing lunch for work is not only cheaper but also healthier and helps you grow up as a person with new knowledge about how to make tastier, cheaper and nutritious meals!

  • @fusiapink5593
    @fusiapink5593 4 місяці тому +1

    I try to achieve not going out …. Each time I go out, I spend money . I also bring lunch to office 2-3 times per week. Also healthier since I can control the salt, sugar and oil I put in.

  • @dearonanderson
    @dearonanderson 6 місяців тому +71

    I know he has to max out the budget however the way he prepared his capsicum, oh man.

    • @adamcairos6206
      @adamcairos6206 6 місяців тому +16

      😂😂😂 i feel you, but props to him, he will improve along the way

    • @Dreamer10888
      @Dreamer10888 6 місяців тому +2

      How else r u supposed to do it

    • @yanyuet
      @yanyuet 6 місяців тому

      Yeah the way he cut it too

    • @stevethea5250
      @stevethea5250 6 місяців тому +8

      @@Dreamer10888 normally i see people remove the core of the capsicum

    • @Dreamer10888
      @Dreamer10888 6 місяців тому +1

      @@stevethea5250oh yea for sure lol. Didn’t notice that part

  • @lcwpg
    @lcwpg 6 місяців тому +5

    we become lazy because of easy fast foods and these days using our phone food is even delivered to our doorsteps
    cook yourself even simple meal can be delicious and healthy and stop buying expensive coffees make your won save you even more money

  • @Thomastorr
    @Thomastorr 4 місяці тому

    Taiwanese cooking is mainly vegetables, bean curd, etc. seasoned with meat. I can make a tofu dish with leek and ground pork and it makes a ton of food. I also cook shrimp (from Costco) and broccoli. It's frozen shrimp and it's a large bag. With one bag, I can make 4-5 shrimp and broccoli dishes. The bag only costs $12.

  • @Officialkiddleon
    @Officialkiddleon 6 місяців тому +24

    I think Japan has so much contradiction. Used to be the second richest highest GDP country not too long ago but ever since the Japanese economic stagnation, the yen has depreciated, salary has not kept up with inflation... And it seems like the country is going downhill.

    • @hailyrizzo5428
      @hailyrizzo5428 6 місяців тому +1

      a good example of how a society of smart and hard working people can 'fail'.

    • @jin_asap
      @jin_asap 6 місяців тому +8

      @@hailyrizzo5428 They had to obey their master US, who impose restrictions on their manufacturing and exports, just as through the Plaza Accord. And they've been printing tons of money to buy up US bonds, creating even more inflation.

    • @stevethea5250
      @stevethea5250 6 місяців тому +4

      low birth and high working hours . its very backwards in these aspects

    • @l_ifeefi_l1998
      @l_ifeefi_l1998 6 місяців тому +7

      I think this phenomena is happening across the world. Rising inflation, stagnant salary raise, and overpopulation...

    • @jin_asap
      @jin_asap 6 місяців тому

      @@l_ifeefi_l1998 Inflation yes, because US is printing tons of money to service their debts. There's no overpopulation. In fact, the world is at risk of a collapsing population

  • @sepilokfui
    @sepilokfui 6 місяців тому +3

    as I aged now 50, I ate out less, not because I do not have the money, but to be more healthy, with the money I can buy the best ingredients and cook nutritious meal. moreover, I can control the amount of sugar, salt and msg that I can consume. I cook using olive oil, well if you know Spanish they will tell you those said dont cook with olive oil is nonsense, buy the fresh salad and even for beef, we can get good one and cook delicious one.

  • @swicheroo1
    @swicheroo1 6 місяців тому +1

    I am a man but raised by my Mom to be a scratch cook. I do enjoy eating out. But I literally paid for my last month-long vacation in Vietnam by cooking all my meals for 2 months. I stayed in five star hotels for 1/3 of my stay. And all of this was subsidized by simply not eating out. FWIW: An economical meal for two in my Western City is 60 bucks.

  • @Walker983
    @Walker983 6 місяців тому +1

    Simplicity and Energy . . . Please and Thank You : The Magic Words . . . 😺😺😺

  • @Kyumilli
    @Kyumilli 4 місяці тому +1

    Isnt it like this anywhere in the world? If you cook and prepare your meals at home, it is always going to be the most economical way.

  • @atlanticalilly
    @atlanticalilly 3 місяці тому

    Everyone should know how to cook for themselves. It's a literal life saver.

  • @Tandibee123
    @Tandibee123 3 місяці тому

    ...and with that I have paused the video so that i can put my large pot of rice and tray of baked chicken into the fridge....that will be the base for our meals for the rest of the week 🙌🏾🙌🏾

  • @Jianfa88Tsai
    @Jianfa88Tsai 6 місяців тому +7

    Budgeting is important.

  • @Munchmores
    @Munchmores 4 місяці тому +1

    Kento is building important home management skills. 👍🏻 Bro can watch more UA-cam cooking shows which has helped me cook better. 😂

  • @skynsidhawaii
    @skynsidhawaii 6 місяців тому +3

    You got no money cause you live in Meguro, bro. Move to Kamata you can live decent or two stations over in Kawasaki and be ballin with 2DK for the same price. Shop at Hamamasa or Gyomu super and 100 yen lawsons

  • @idalinawin
    @idalinawin 5 місяців тому

    I used to like going out for dinner... but for lunch I like to have it prepared. No need to worry about what are the options, it saves me a lot of time and money AND I know exactly what I am eating. 😀

  • @advaith365
    @advaith365 4 місяці тому +1

    Home cooked meals in a longer run always will be good both on pocket and health

  • @liberalerkapitalist465
    @liberalerkapitalist465 6 місяців тому +2

    its important to invest the left over money from savings so it can start working for you and upgrade your future life

  • @myvintagestore6720
    @myvintagestore6720 6 місяців тому +4

    Food prep or bento or whatever you called... Important is can save more money as inflation is getting higher year by year.

  • @ICON-11-
    @ICON-11- 3 місяці тому

    I'm so proud of you brother, definitely inspire me to want to do the same and change my lifestyle for the better

  • @snowday2100
    @snowday2100 6 місяців тому +1

    the skill of preparing simple, healthy and economical dishes a thing of the past at least in many places. asides the usa consumer throws away 1/3 of the food actually purchased.

  • @endurence2005
    @endurence2005 4 місяці тому +1

    Meal prepping isn’t new maybe in Japan but not here in usa

  • @rahuliyer7456
    @rahuliyer7456 6 місяців тому +1

    My life and I live in Arizona USA. We do an Americanized version of this for our weekday lunches. We both work corporate. We have been doing an Americanized version of this for the last 10 years. This is our way to rein in costs and live without debt. We all should adopt a version of this.
    This is similar to a Mumbai India thing called the dubba wallah. Except there is no wallah...just the dubba. The worker schleps the dubba to work.

  • @O-Demi
    @O-Demi 6 місяців тому +1

    I also know that I can't afford only eating out. The other reason I cook for myself is that I am sensitive to many foods that are usually put in store-bought or cafeteria lunch meals (like bell peppers, for example, they're almost everywhere).
    P.S. Ha-ha, the last comment is really on point! It took me a few years of practice to be satisfied with my own cooking!

  • @mh8704
    @mh8704 6 місяців тому +3

    A good cookbook might help make his meals tastier. I cook everyday but have to have a cookbook. I envy people who can cook delicious meals just from memory. He’s got the right idea though!

    • @zensoundsarah9209
      @zensoundsarah9209 6 місяців тому

      agreed. I can cook a few dishes but i've been searching up recipes more often it's pretty hard to set up a meal plan. Was thinking of buying a planner book for what I want my regular meals to be, hopefully it'll also be recession proof.

    • @susiex6669
      @susiex6669 6 місяців тому

      Or just get a good cooking app on your phone like Tasty here in N. America.

  • @manasajagiri7496
    @manasajagiri7496 4 місяці тому +3

    The problem with this big batch food prep is that you get bored after a day or two. So I don’t do it anymore like I used to do in college.

  • @mae88b.16
    @mae88b.16 6 місяців тому

    Ive been doing this for quite a
    While now because I don’t have time to cook everyday so i meal prep life is much easier and i save lots of money for eating out. I meal prep a chef style meal so I don’t need to eat out.

  • @alexa2411051
    @alexa2411051 6 місяців тому +4

    He is doing great, keep it up!

  • @suzmaca650
    @suzmaca650 6 місяців тому +1

    My cooking isn’t great either but it’s kept me alive lol

  • @animaticToshiue
    @animaticToshiue 5 місяців тому

    I hope he has a UA-cam channel to show his cooking. It's gonna be another stream of income for him while helping spread information to others.

  • @jon6309
    @jon6309 5 місяців тому

    I live in Honolulu and those prices are not so bad at all! I am about his age and the interest and dividends on my savings as of now could easily pay for the living expenses in Japan without having a job or cooking my own meals but immigration is tough and it would be hard for me to get residency in Japan since I wouldn’t be working and just living off passive income.

  • @jeffreysetapak
    @jeffreysetapak 6 місяців тому +2

    No money just buy at Seiyu lah, still want to buy things at such a higher end supermarket.

  • @DM-ot2gw
    @DM-ot2gw 5 місяців тому

    Fully understandable that people from an Asian country are frustrated that they cannot afford to buy food outside, which is very traditional in countries like China and Japan - but there are many more countries where people almost always bring homemade food to work - so there is no shame in that. The prices in Japan for ready-to-go meals are quite high even for a foreign salary now.

  • @littlewinter9326
    @littlewinter9326 4 місяці тому

    I've been cooking my lunchbox after finish work everyday and it feels great than eating out everyday.

  • @newchangeunlisted_viewer5594
    @newchangeunlisted_viewer5594 3 місяці тому

    Cooking your own food is a remedy to a lot of issues
    Both financial and health wise
    After a couple years i have a few things that I can cook well enough for myself
    If you're scared to waste money or food just be careful
    Can't make an omelete without breaking a few eggs

  • @asahel980
    @asahel980 6 місяців тому +2

    preparing your food and he's storing it for days? thats risky for health and food in fridge for 3 days depending on the food wont be good in taste.
    go shop for food at least 3 x a week , cook your meal everyday, buy fresh vegetable and it will last longer and add leafy greens on that diet.
    since he is alone ditch the fridge and that grocery store isnt a cheap place , wet markets are cheaper and you can get discount sometimes if you are a regular customer.

    • @madridring699
      @madridring699 6 місяців тому +5

      He is using the freezer.

    • @asahel980
      @asahel980 6 місяців тому

      @@madridring699 Im guessing youre not knowledgeable in freezing food , some food are not good in texture(like gooey) and taste after freezing them and also they lose some of its nutrients when frozen.

    • @ItsMe-zg1mc
      @ItsMe-zg1mc 6 місяців тому

      This is focusing on cutting budget and we don't know how "healthy" his former diet/eating habits were. And i don't know where you are from but buying frozen foods is very popular in US/Aust. And he has one unfrozen meal a day so no that bad I guess.

    • @asahel980
      @asahel980 6 місяців тому

      @@ItsMe-zg1mc its a home cooked food then frozen, not frozen food which is designed (preservatives) to last for a month even years when in freezer.
      Try freezing a cooked rice and putting on a microwave or whatver you do to warm it up , I assure you wont like it.

    • @ItsMe-zg1mc
      @ItsMe-zg1mc 6 місяців тому +1

      @@asahel980 i do microwave frozen rice pretty often and that's fine though you may not like it. And again, this piece is about how someone tries to live on the budget, not how you have great nutritious meals each day. Shopping at Wet markets is a good idea but not available where he lives (I live in Tokyo,) all eplaced by a super market like the one he shops and it's one of inexpensive supermarket chains. Some wet markets are in north/east parts of the city and it'd take at least half an hour from his area so it won't be that practical. Great suggestion though. And thanks for your great information on frozen foods👍

  • @FAC321
    @FAC321 6 місяців тому +5

    So at 32 years of age he realised that he would save money by cooking meals rather than buying take out food ? Wow ,he really is the modern day Archimedes.

    • @pinkcrayon1382
      @pinkcrayon1382 6 місяців тому

      Give him a break. At least he realized it. I have a 35 year old and a 33 year old I am still trying to teach this skill to. I guess that is the downfall of being a good and generous traditional mother, as well as a good cook. My family just naturally congregates at my place about dinner time! 😂

  • @ainzooalgown7589
    @ainzooalgown7589 6 місяців тому +6

    the Plaza Accord seems to be working as the US planned even after 40 years

    • @jin_asap
      @jin_asap 6 місяців тому +6

      That's what they do. Step on others to remain on top. Why the japanese keep tolerating this is sometimes incomprehensible.

  • @sakurabahfan
    @sakurabahfan 6 місяців тому +1

    Called meal prepping or home making, crazy how they treat this like an alien ritual or something…

    • @pinkcrayon1382
      @pinkcrayon1382 6 місяців тому

      It actually is for so many. I am pleased to see younger people finally learning. My own mother mockedme for buying 25lb bags of sugar and flour, saying she probably didn't use 10lb of sugar per year. Oh, she did, just from takeout and processed foods are raised us all on. She never cooked from scratch. Never. She is 78 years old now. I have cooked from scratch for years and years simply to survive and feed my family. Now I have stepped up my game to optimize health with less additives. Fresh fruits and veg, wild caught salmon, cage free organic eggs, homemade european artisan breads, and almost all treats are from scratch.

  • @cee_el
    @cee_el 4 місяці тому

    That’s crazy in Tokyo. The same supermarket he went to, LIFE, for an onion, it costs less than 70 yen for an onion

  • @bonniegaither3994
    @bonniegaither3994 3 місяці тому

    It’s strange most people don’t have shopping carts. They just use the little red baskets. That’s unheard of here in the US. We have big, huge shopping carts. 🙄🥴

  • @kenny10100
    @kenny10100 6 місяців тому

    A relatively healthy bento from a convenience store in Tokyo being less than $4 is cheaper than meal prepping grocery store food in the US lmao. But I suppose wages could be very different there as well

  • @JessicaThompson-b8w
    @JessicaThompson-b8w 4 місяці тому

    Hes still going to a very expensive looking supermarket, theres many old, discount and small shops that will sell food at a fraction of the cost. I hope he can save a lot of money that he gets to enjoy, at least a little bit

  • @jurgenrudiger
    @jurgenrudiger 6 місяців тому +3

    He reinvented the wheel

  • @Travelific
    @Travelific 6 місяців тому +1

    Why do i feel the price of food and accomodation he mentioned is cheap. I"m from Malaysia

  • @avernvrey7422
    @avernvrey7422 5 місяців тому

    Remove the seeds and white portion from the peppers. It's just bitter.

  • @vincentortega4284
    @vincentortega4284 3 місяці тому

    I have been cooking,and preparing my meals for years. My mom did this years ago. Leftovers

  • @einsomniumkm
    @einsomniumkm 6 місяців тому +1

    looks so good and healthy man!

  • @MarztheStoic
    @MarztheStoic 6 місяців тому

    Now that I think about it those are American prices. they're getting pretty close to what we're paying for our food now.

  • @owl6218
    @owl6218 2 місяці тому

    after the ukraine war started, food market is on fire. we mostly only eat lentils, they have all doubled in cost ever since the war and lockdown. almost everything has doubled

  • @Ubel_hope
    @Ubel_hope 6 місяців тому +2

    I definitely need to learn some recipes from him :(((

  • @graceangelettehart6101
    @graceangelettehart6101 3 місяці тому

    It would taste better if he took the seeds out of the peppers. Also try different flavoring, like using salt and pepper or adding miso or flavoring with soy sauce.

  • @michaelcarr2466
    @michaelcarr2466 6 місяців тому

    Though this is great, it's sad to need to worry so much to save $129 per month. Salaries in Japan and many other places aren't so high.

  • @endurence2005
    @endurence2005 4 місяці тому

    Meal prepping isn’t new maybe in Japan but not here in USA

  • @amydecker6207
    @amydecker6207 6 місяців тому +1

    How is cooking meals at home such a novelty that they need to run a news special on it???

  • @ll1000
    @ll1000 6 місяців тому +3

    I live alone in Brazil and do exactly the same thing: I make a huge meal that yields somewhere around 8 or 10 dishes, freeze them, and then defrost them throughout the week as needed. Do I like cooking? Hell no! But I get to learn how to cook, save money, and appreciate my own food. I also like to alternate between days of eating frozen food and fresh food (either takeout or homemade).

  • @advaith365
    @advaith365 4 місяці тому

    Don’t they have farmer’s markets. They are generally cheap and the produce is good from them. Only thing being the vegetables does not look appealing

  • @Doggiedogedog
    @Doggiedogedog 6 місяців тому +1

    It would make sense for him to get a Costco membership. Those medium supermarkets in the city are the worst value

    • @madridring699
      @madridring699 6 місяців тому +1

      Costco sells in bulk so probably too much for a single family household.

    • @susiex6669
      @susiex6669 6 місяців тому

      I find Costco here in Canada overpriced and its ridiculous to pay membership to shop in a store. Youre better off following the sale cycles of your local grocery store and buying in bulk on sale items.

  • @Meerkat17
    @Meerkat17 5 місяців тому

    I think it's interesting that more ppl aren't living like this. Is it laziness, lack of energy (health issues or body not being fit), or lack of cooking knowledge? Maybe a little bit of everything? 🤔