Food Diary: What a 53-Year-Old Medical Device Sales Rep Eats on $380K in Honolulu, Hawaii | Bon Appétit

Welcome to The Receipt, a series documenting how Bon Appétit readers eat and what they spend doing it. Each food diary follows one anonymous reader’s week of expenses related to groceries, restaurant meals, coffee runs, and every bite in between. In this time of rising food costs, The Receipt reveals how folks—from different cities, with different incomes, on different schedules—are figuring out their food budgets.

In today’s Receipt, we follow a 53-year-old medical device sales rep who makes $380,000 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Keep reading for her receipts.

What are your pronouns? She/her

What is your occupation? I’m a medical device sales rep. It’s a sales job that requires you to have a strong clinical knowledge of surgical procedures. I attend surgeries in operating rooms throughout the day and train doctors and nurses to use my equipment, troubleshoot, and provide guidance on how to get the best possible outcomes for patients. Every day is different and I have some flexibility in my schedule. I like to think of my week as a Tetris game where I fit in different tasks to get the optimal use of my time. The work is rewarding but can be very stressful.

How old are you? 53

What city and state do you live in? Honolulu, Hawaii

What is your annual salary, if you have one? It varies. Last year it was $380,000. Some years, it’s $225,000.

How much is one paycheck, after taxes? It varies. On average, $12,000.

How often are you paid? Monthly

How much money do you have in savings? I have a nice 401(k) and stocks from my company, but I am closer to retirement than the average bear.

What are your approximate fixed monthly expenses beyond food? (i.e., rent, subscriptions, bills)

This list makes me feel like a real adult.

Do you follow a certain diet or have dietary restrictions? Nope, but I try to eat a balanced diet. Everything in moderation, right?

What are the grocery staples you always buy, if any? Milk, eggs, half-and-half, Kerrygold butter, sour cream, bread, cheese, orange juice, fruit, chocolate.

How often in a week do you dine out versus cook at home? I dine out two to three times a week. I like my cooking so I try to do it as often as I can.

How often in a week did you dine out while growing up? At least once a week. We tried new restaurants frequently.

How often in a week did your parents or guardians cook at home? My mom would always cook. I was picky and didn’t appreciate food until I grew up. I remember she would make a peanut butter and Spam sandwich, which I’m considering reviving.

I boil the Quaker oats and top it with pork floss, Japanese shiso pickles, the jammy egg, and a drizzle of memmi sauce.

4:17 a.m. Cat runs across the bed and it wakes me before the sun is up. My first thought is coffee. And then work. I upgraded the beans in our De’Longhi espresso machine over the weekend from Peet’s to a Vergnano 1882 Italian espresso, so I’m excited to try it. (Previously purchased, $39/2.2 lb.)

6 a.m. I finally rouse and head to feed all the mouths in the house. Hubby is up and enjoying his first cup of coffee and makes me an espresso on ice. I don’t take my morning coffee with cream because I read that no-cream coffee doesn’t break the fast. I might as well get the benefit of intermittent fasting (if there is any) and drink my espresso black. I help to make B, my daughter, her breakfast and pack her a lunch of curry, rice, and gyoza, then debate which is most appropriate: a fork, spoon, or chopsticks. I head down to my home office without brushing my teeth or even changing clothes. I hope no one calls me on Teams.

9:10 a.m. I decide on a quick run to Sam’s Club to get some basics. OJ, fruits and veggies, and stuff like mayo, bacon, foil, and pine nuts are on the list. The pine nuts are nearly $20. I also get a nice piece of opah, or moonfish, ($18.98) for dinner. Afterwards, I stop at my mom’s house to pick up sliced watermelon in exchange for some of the butter croissants I bought at Costco last week. ($158.53 total)

10:15 a.m. Morning fasting is done and I enjoy the freshly squeezed OJ ($11.84). It is so sweet, like I put a straw in an orange. It makes me happy and I go back down to my home office.

11:45 a.m. Is it lunch or still breakfast? The jammy shoyu eggs I made this weekend are staring at me from their bath of soy sauce and mirin, so I decide to whip up some savory oatmeal. I boil the Quaker Oats and top it with pork floss, Japanese shiso pickles, the jammy egg, and a drizzle of memmi sauce. So satisfying. I can’t resist another glass of OJ.

2:58 p.m. I have the munchies so I eat a small bag of Doritos Cool Ranch chips and an Ito-en iced green tea from the grocery run. ($19.28/box of 30 bags of chips).

4:30 p.m. A quick trip to Safeway next to get a couple more weekly ingredients, which turn out to be all chicken. Chicken breasts, ground chicken, and chicken tenders. The tenders are for B, who at 14 is expanding her palate, but the fish I’m making for dinner would be a hard no for her. ($37.69 total)

5:30 p.m. I make small salads for everyone with romaine and cucumber. The lonely half avocado and verge-of-expiring burrata cheese goes in. I don’t put any cheese in hubby’s salad because he and I differ on the validity of expiration dates. I view them as merely a “suggestion,” and you can guess what he thinks. Next, I decide to sauté some of the baby bok choy ($6.26) in garlic oil with shallots and a splash of soy. Finally, the opah goes in the oven, crusted with a pine nut, pesto, Parmesan, garlic, and mayo. Yours truly made the pesto last week with leftover macadamias and fresh basil from a friend’s garden. The recipe is new to me and sourced from a Google search of “pine nut” and “white fish.” It turns out delicious.

8:15 p.m. It’s almost too late for dessert, but I have a tub of Mrs. Field’s chocolate chunk cookie dough from Sam’s in the fridge, and hubby and B are looking at me expectantly. I scoop out enough for five cookies and bake them for 15 minutes. They flatten and turn into buttery cookie pancakes. ($10.68)

Monday total: $169.21

Since I don’t have to rush off, I take the time to make her rice balls in the shape of little pandas.

5:50 a.m. Hubby makes me iced espresso, my one shut eye opens, it’s pure magic. I make B her lunch. Since I don’t have to rush off, I take the time to make her rice balls in the shape of little pandas. They stand guard over the Safeway chicken tender. I enjoy instilling a little lunch envy from the friends she eats with. I get to work from home again this morning, so I head down to my office without cleaning myself up.

9:45 a.m. I can’t wait any longer, Count Chocula is calling to me. The Count has always been my favorite cereal in the world. It’s become seasonal and only available in the months leading up to Halloween. I pour a bowl and open the milk. Don’t know what possesses me, but I take a whiff. Whoa, it smells a bit sour. Undeterred, I sip it; tastes disgusting, but is not yet to the chunky stage. Odd because the best-by date was just yesterday. Sorely disappointed, I use a splash of hubby’s coconut Silk, and the thick, slightly frothy consistency is completely unexpected and unpalatable. The Count does not like alternative milk. I eat a banana to make up for the cereal fail. ($7.48 from Sam’s)

11:05 a.m. I grab a can of iced green tea and head out to the hospital. ($15.88/24 cans from Sam’s)

4:07 p.m. Back at home, I eat a handful of pita chips with the homemade hummus from the fridge and do some office work. The hummus is topped with Trader Joe’s crunchy chili onion, which is addicting because it’s spicy and salty.

5:30 p.m. Tonight’s dinner is Japanese chicken patties wrapped in nori and pan-fried with a teriyaki glaze, bok choy from last night, and a new pot of rice. I always feel brilliant when I’m able to feed us all the same meal and have leftovers for B’s lunch the next day.

8:17 p.m. Chocolate chunk cookies from the tub again, per B’s request. She asks for them to be “not as raw” as last night. A higher temperature does the trick and they’re perfect tonight, still chewy with a slight taste of caramelized brown sugar. I finish up some work emails and sales quotes.

Tuesday total: $0

The chicken is a bit tough, disappointing. But nothing a dousing of tonkatsu sauce and more panko crispies can’t overcome.

5:35 a.m. Iced espresso, it never gets old. I have to take a 45-minute flight to Hilo on the Big Island this morning to be at a surgery, so I feed the animals, make B’s lunch, and head out the door.

6:52 a.m. I’m through TSA and reward myself with a Starbucks iced flat white with an extra shot. ($0, paid by work)

11:18 a.m. My work is done at the OR and I’m headed back to the airport. Two Ladies Kitchen is open and there’s a parking stall right in front. They have the most magical mochi-wrapped fresh strawberries. I didn’t have the foresight to preorder them and they’re out, so I grab other varieties from the counter. ($27 for three trays; one tray is a gift)

5:20 p.m. It’s been a busy day and I’m thinking about a glass of wine. I give in and open Les Jamelles Pinot Noir ($15.99, previously purchased). A trip to Fujioka’s Wine Times last week netted me some French bottles and Japanese beer. The wine proprietor told me this is a “good-value bottle.” It’s a screw top, which I secretly prefer but won’t admit to. There are too many things that could go wrong with a corkscrew. But drinks are to be served in a nice glass regardless of whether they are “good-value” or high-end.

5:30 p.m. It’s time to start dinner, so wine glass in hand, I make Magic Crispy Chicken, a recipe from a stained, torn-out page of a 2019 Bon Appétit issue. Plus, a spinach salad and reheated rice. The panko fried in good Spanish olive oil is heavenly and I taste test a heaping spoonful.

6:45 p.m. We eat the chicken cutlets and notice the chicken is a bit tough, disappointing. But nothing a dousing of tonkatsu sauce and more panko crispies can’t overcome. The mochi from Hilo makes a nice little dessert.

Wednesday total: $27

The caramel sinks to the bottom and I suck it up with a straw like a vacuum.

6 a.m. Espresso over ice, with love by hubby. I cobble together a lunch of chicken and rice for B and head down to my office to get some computer work done before I head out.

8:55 a.m. Hubby has some extra spoonfuls of oatmeal for me, so I pop a jammy egg on them and call it brunch. I quickly head out the door.

12:55 p.m. The hospital is next to a mall, so before the next surgery, I stop in to get a treat. A Starbucks iced caramel macchiato with extra caramel is my reward for getting through a busy morning with a good attitude. The caramel sinks to the bottom and I suck it up with a straw like a vacuum; I feel a bit guilty, but I still get every last bit. I contemplate Hot Dog on a Stick but the caramel guilt saves me from myself. I don’t eat a real lunch most days. ($0, free due to Starbucks points)

6:15 p.m. After a parent meeting at B’s school for her extracurricular activity, it’s too late to cook and we collectively decide on Izakaya Matsuri for dinner. It’s a neighborhood gem with great service and authentic flavors. We each choose a specialty sushi roll and complement it with agedashi tofu, karaage chicken, ume-cucumber salad, and a chilled Dassai 45 sake for the adults to share. ($126.54 total, plus $25.31 tip)

Thursday total: $151.85

The flavors are over the top when dipped in Kewpie deep-roasted sesame dressing and yuzu ponzu sauce.

6 a.m. Espresso over ice. Thank you, hubby! Make B’s lunch and then out the door by 6:55 to the operating room.

8:15 a.m. I have an hour’s break in my schedule, so I stop at Times Supermarket to get a few things for the next couple days: arabiki sausage, Ewa sweet corn on the cob, ground sirloin, shabu-shabu veggie kit, onion, celery, tofu, broccoli, short rib, Okinawan potato. Times has great meats, local produce, and a huge Asian food selection. ($87.54 total)

9 a.m. At home, I unload groceries and quickly enjoy a banana and OJ, and then decide to top it all off with a proper bowl of Count Chocula with new milk. Redemption tastes delicious. I head right back out to the hospital.

3:10 p.m. In the OR, we talk about restaurants, recipes, travel, TV series we’re bingeing, and the crazy crap our kids do. It’s fun and lighthearted. The next surgery is delayed an hour, so my work partner and I hang out at Starbucks. Seasonal apple croissant is on the menu, so I have to try that with my iced flat white. ($0, paid by work)

5 p.m. At home, it’s wine o’clock. Hubby and I finish the open bottle of Pinot and decompress on the couch. I top it off with a Maui Dragon Fruit Hard Seltzer, which goes down too fast and easy.

7:20 p.m. Some comfort food is on the menu and the Zojirushi tabletop cooker comes out. The hot pot shabu-shabu consists of Napa cabbage, bok choy, glass noodles, shimeji mushrooms, sausage and thin-sliced marbled beef swimming in a rich tsuyu. The flavors are over the top when dipped in Kewpie deep-roasted sesame dressing and yuzu ponzu sauce.

Friday total: $87.54

I’m excited about this unexpected date night.

5:45 a.m. The cats don’t care that it’s the weekend. Espresso over ice and morning hug from hubby. I have volunteer work to do this weekend for a nonprofit fundraiser, so I head out at 8:30, no breakfast.

10:45 a.m. I’m the cashier at the nonprofit fundraiser event for six hours. Hubby drops by with an iced coffee and croissant sandwich from Brug Bakery. He does a little shopping at the fundraiser. ($4.95 for mocha latte and $2.95 for croissant, paid by him)

5:15 p.m. We share bottles of Kyoto White Yuzu Ale and a Japanese Weizen from Fujioka’s Wine Times bought last week. Both are fruity and crisp. B goes to a friend’s to sleep over. I’m excited about this unexpected date night. We get a reservation at Doraku Sushi for 7:30.

7:30 p.m. I have a Bertrand Pinot Noir and sip hubby’s pineapple-forward bourbon “Tokyo Sour.” We enjoy salmon carpaccio, Inaka sweet corn, crispy brussels sprouts, steak and shishito skewers, and black peppered ahi roll. The bill is quite reasonable for the quality. Plus, we have great service. Service can really elevate a meal or kill it. ($96.34 total, plus $18.20 tip)

Saturday total: $122.44

Life is great. Cheese makes it better.

5:45 a.m. Espresso over ice by my favorite barista. We are up early, partially because the televised NFL games start very early in Hawaii due to the time difference, but mostly because of the cats.

7:15 a.m. Definitely breaking the fast early today. B is still at her friend’s and I am craving a legit Sunday breakfast before going to my volunteer shift at 9:30. I make my version of an egg-bacon-cheese McMuffin with a generous squeeze of mayo and a few leaves of spinach. Hash brown potato crowns go in the air fryer and come out perfectly crisp. I give them a shake of Old Bay seasoning and dip them in ketchup with cracked pepper. Grown-up tots. It all goes down quickly with the last of the OJ.

2:15 p.m. I finish my volunteer shift at the fundraiser and stop at Safeway for pappardelle noodles. I’ve been hinting at Bolognese this weekend and realized I’m missing the noodles. I consider cutting up lasagna noodles to save myself the trip, but Safeway is close and the stop barely takes two minutes. ($3 total)

Because I haven’t eaten since this morning, thoughts of french fries and hot fudge easily cloud my judgment and I detour to McDonald’s. I get a cheeseburger, fries, and a hot fudge sundae, plus a McFlurry for B. She’ll be happy; feels like I haven’t seen her all weekend. ($10.44 total)

2:35 p.m. At home, I devour the McDonald’s, and this fuels me to start the endeavor that is Bolognese. I may not eat lunch often, but sometimes I eat two dinners. Football is still on the TV and hubby has vacuumed and washed the sheets.

3:15 p.m. The recipe I use is BA’s Best Bolognese, also from 2019. I use regular bacon instead of pancetta and don’t have nutmeg so a dash of allspice goes in. A cup of Simi chardonnay goes into the mirepoix and a glass of it goes into me. Two hours into the slow simmer, I throw together some popovers from a recipe I found last night in a magazine. I shortcut making the ghee in the microwave. Worth it! They are surprisingly easy, so buttery and the crisp crust is heavenly. We inhale those as an appetizer while the Bolognese is in its final stretch. A simple green salad rounds out the meal. I heavily dose my pasta with grated Parmesan. Life is great. Cheese makes it better.

Sunday total: $13.44