#OutToLunch: A daily brunch could be what one needs as cost of living skyrockets

What the report says

Watchdog Uganda published an opinion piece by Denis Jjuuko arguing that rising living costs in Kampala are forcing households to rethink everyday spending. The article says fuel that once lasted nearly a week for a small car now lasts only a day or two, while groceries, meat and cooking essentials have become noticeably more expensive. It frames the situation as a broad squeeze on urban households rather than a single policy announcement or breaking event.

To illustrate possible coping strategies, the writer suggests practical changes such as combining breakfast and lunch into a daily brunch, sharing rides to work, using electric bicycles or scooters, packing meals from home, reducing food waste, cutting water losses, and switching to more efficient cooking equipment. The piece also points to social habits among younger people in Kampala, where brunches are already popular on weekends, and repurposes them as a budget-saving measure.

The commentary presents these ideas as personal adjustments individuals can make while inflation and transport costs remain high. It also mentions broader background, including food waste estimates from the United Nations Environment Programme and the growing appeal of electric transport, though those references are used as general context rather than as claims about specific local programs. The article’s wider message is that households may need to adopt more disciplined spending habits if the cost-of-living pressure continues.