Food Network's Sandra Lee Becomes New York's First Girlfriend

She's New York's new First Lady, or maybe we should say First Girlfriend.

44-year-old Food Network star Sandra Lee has been dating governor-elect Andrew Cuomo for five years. She stood close to Cuomo during his victory speech last night.  

Sandra Lee comes from humble beginnings. Her parents were teenagers when Sandra was born. Her mother got pregnant with her at age 15.

When she was a toddler, Sandra says her mother dropped her off at her grandmother's house and disappeared for years.

Sandra was 11 when her mother finally came back. She says her mother wasn't up to running the household, so she basically took over, stocking the kitchen and learning how to cook on a tight budget.

Those skills would one day land Sandra her own show on the Food Network, Sandra's Money Saving Meals.

Not long ago, INSIDE EDITION went behind the scenes as she taped her show and got some of her best money-saving tips

Sandra said, "The thing you should always have in your diet is pasta. Dried pasta [is] very inexpensive. You get a lot of food for very little amount of money."

And she says those little savings can add up to a lot of money in your pocket.

"When you hear you're saving 70 cents, 50 cents, or a $1.29, in the moment, it sounds like very little; when you add it up, it adds up to a lot," said Sandra.

Looks like New York is going to have one very glamorous but frugal First Girlfriend, and maybe, some day, First Lady.