What is your verdict between airport lounge food and food that you pay for yourself?

I am in NZ it is difficult unless you are a very frequent flier or that you purchase full price economy or premium economy and up. With our national carrier to get gold star alliance status we need 9x economy 11,000 miles, 11,000 (is the return or 5,550 miles one way). 9x Auckland or Sydney to Singapore roughly. Or maybe 4x paid for in premium economy. There is Asiana which gets star gold easier with 2 return trips per year (evaluated each 2yr) instead. I have the ability to travel at my own time so I can travel on $500US equiv. fares and not $1,100US fares. Thing is though $500US fares cannot accrue points or status points with a different airline even a partner airline.

1. Deliberately paying $1100 instead of $500 (same seat, same class, etc) just to get the status points. Do this at least 2x a year.
2. Paying for priority pass at maybe the $200-250US mark which I think is the amount of usage that I might need. Companions are extra.
3. Save my money and sit in the main airport and spend my money there.


Cheers.