Simple Luxury- Breakfast

Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese

One of my favorite breakfasts is Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese on a Bagel. The cost of smoked salmon, cream cheese on a bagel at a restaurant or coffee shop ranges from $10.99- $12.99. This price point makes breakfast very expensive. However, I can create the flavors and experience at home for much less.

Unfortunately, due to health reasons, it is not recommended for me to eat Bagels, so I have substituted Wasa Crisps for the Bagel. When you simply put the ingredients together at home it will save you between $7.00 and $9.00. If you wait for a sale on the smoked salmon, you can save a dollar more.

Here is the per breakfast cost analysis:

Non-Sale Week:

Wasa Crisp: $0.18 (per crisp) x 2 = $0.26

Cream Cheese: $27.5 (ounce) x 2 = $0.55

Smoked Salmon: $10.40 (4 ounce)/4= $2.62

Cost Per Breakfast serving: $3.43

Sale Week:

Wasa Crisp: $0.18 (per crisp) x 2 = $0.26

Cream Cheese: $27.5 (ounce) x 2 = $0.55

Smoked Salmon: $7.99 (4 ounce)/4= $2.00

Cost Per Breakfast serving: $2.81

Options:

If you are keeping the bagel, then add $0.06 to each breakfast option.
Sometimes you can pick up the Wasa Crisps and/or cream cheese on sale too. This will lower your cost by a little.

Although this simple pleasure isn’t practical to enjoy daily, it is a small luxury I truly look forward to. I save it for those moments when a good sale makes it especially affordable, and then each morning I ease into my day by savoring the smoked salmon dish with seasonal fruit and a delicious cup of coffee. This quiet ritual adds a touch of elegance that lifts my whole day.

What budget friendly ways have you found to add simple luxury and pleasure into your life?

Comments

Menu Planning: #245

NOTE- 1- Click on the picture and get a link to a post sharing the recipe. 2- Although all prices were correct at the time of the blog postings, the current cost of preparation of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and/or location. March USDA Thrifty Food Plan ccording to this plan our family would have a budget of $186.20 per week. Given our health concerns, we struggle to maintain this budget, but I am going to try to make this happen. Cost Saving Tip of the Week: Check your sale flyers for loss leaders. Each week grocery stores advertise specific products at a great price to get you in the store. Recently, I have noticed a very specific time frame for getting these deals. Good luck and happy hunting. Here is what we did this week to make our week easier: Refrigerator Clean Out Pre-cut all vegetables for the week Pulled older items to the front for easier consumption C...

Menu Planning: #250

NOTE- 1- Click on the picture and get a link to a post sharing the recipe. 2- Although all prices were correct at the time of the blog postings, the current cost of preparation of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and/or location. March USDA Thrifty Food Plan According to this plan our family would have a budget of $186.20 per week. Given our health concerns, we struggle to maintain this budget, but I am going to try to make this happen. Cost Saving Tip of the Week: When I purchase fruit for the week, it helps to calculate the cost per serving vs. the cost in general. For example, this week a whole watermelon was on sale for $3.99 each. When it is cut up, the watermelon will yield at least 20 servings which will place the cost per serving at $0.20. Here is what we did this week to make our week easier: Breakfast Options: Hard Boiled Eggs Yogurt Homemade Breakfast ba...

Menu Plan #322

NOTE- 1- Click on the picture and get a link to a post sharing the recipe. 2- Although all prices were correct at the time of the blog postings, the current cost of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and/or location. Published September 2025: USDA Thrifty Food Plan According to this plan, our family has a weekly budget of $190.50. Since October has 5 weeks, our monthly budget is $952.50. We elevate our dining experiences by including fresh fruits, vegetables, and higher-quality meats. Since our family has specific dietary needs, we limit our consumption of highly processed food. Grocery Shopping Tip: Rethink lunchmeat. The deli will provide you with thin-sliced meat or presliced deli meat, but you will pay a premium per pound. ($6.49 to $15.00 per pound) However, if you buy a ½ boneless ham (unsliced or presliced), the price point will drop to between ...

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