Customization is the key
I love the Trader Joes.
Cheap mega-food-mart style shopping with just enough hipster edge so I don’t lose my street cred.
Maybe.
One of the tricks to finer dining on a thin dime is to customize those insta-meals to prevent pre-packaged burnout.
For example, if you buy a pre-built cornmeal crust pizza, after baking (or nuking as the case may be), grind on some fresh black pepper, sprinkle on some kosher salt, drizzle on a touch of olive oil, then add a little fresh chopped basil.
It’s like the real thing. Only cheaper, faster, and cheaper (did I mention cheaper?)