My muse at work... her identity will remain concealed. (Photo courtesy of Christina D'Antoni)

My muse was simply one of my close friends till a couple of weeks ago. One Wednesday afternoon, I stopped by my friend’s apartment to find her on the floor straddling a pot of ramen. She sat hunched over, eating straight from the pot. There were no silverware or plates involved, just her and the ramen. After a long pause, we both broke into laughter. In that instance, I found my muse…eating instant noodles no less.

This blog is for that college student (who will remain nameless) and any other college student that has ever eaten instant ramen noodles…or Cup Noodles, Easy Mac or even a single condiment sandwich. Now that I’ve addressed the entire campus, including myself, I’d like to ask something of you: STEP AWAY FROM THE RAMEN.

I’m not asking you to sever your relationship with instant food, but maybe take a little break. I’m here to show you the deliciously affordable city you live in. One where you can walk a few blocks to King Street for almost any type of food you’re craving.  One ranked #2 on Time + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards last year. And one where you can sample the finest low country cuisine this region has to offer.

I realize we’re all on a budget or allowance, or terrified by pending student loans. But why let that get in the way of your Charleston experience? I’ll show you how to dine dirt cheap and dine nicely for as little as possible. And if you must, I’ll even share recipes to kick those noodles up a notch.

Who am I? I’m a New Orleanian, Italian, and have no athletic abilities. If that’s not the equation for foodie, I don’t know what is. My name is Christina D’Antoni, and I’m the Frugal Foodie.

Already a CHAS foodie? E-mail me at dantonicg@g.cofc.edu to suggest featured restaurants, recipes, and ideas!

*The views in this article represent the opinion of the author, and not those of CisternYard News.