Coastal Cooking Online

Worried about food prices? I admit… I’m a serious “foodie”. Those of us who love great food and delectable wines may believe there’s an inherent cost to tempting our pampered palates, yet this truly isn’t the case. Another personal confession? I cook enough to feed a small army on most nights. It’s how I learned to cook, and it has been a struggle for quite some time. Having one son in college now, and another in high school, I rarely have leftovers enough to serve a second dinner. What I know to be true is the day is quickly coming when I’ll have to scale back on the number of portions I prepare every day (or night), and I’m frugal enough to appreciate getting the most bang for my bucks.

 A few quick tips will help you not only reduce your grocery bill while still eating very well AND (if you’re in a similar phase of life) transition from family meals to recipes for one or two…

• Freezer bags are your best friend~I’m serious here, as my local grocery store manager is excellent with getting me deep discount specials; buy meats and other items in bulk and freeze them immediately for future use.
• Buy the freshest ingredients possible at the lowest possible prices~these items can be stored if it’s not possible to use them immediately (see above and below).
• Save by purchasing wine in bulk~I regularly buy wines by the case, and it’s a tremendous savings to do so. As an aside? Bulk up your “gift stash” with bottles of wine and/or homemade goodies from the wines for last-minute, lower cost, special treats.
• Along the same lines, join a wine club for deep discounts on cases of last years’ wines; purchased twice per year (on average) it’s both affordable and a great savings.
• Plant a garden~I’m currently growing a number of herbs and vegetables for the freshest possible ingredients in culinary splurges. My local grocery manager (at Spencer’s Fresh Markets), regularly orders fresh herbs and lettuces that I can quickly tuck into my kitchen garden bed at two pony packs for $5. I get enough fresh ingredients to enjoy and share at far less than grocery store (or farmer’s market) prices.
• Stock up on reduced priced staples~canned goods, oatmeal, whole grains, nuts, meats and other storable items qualify here. I can make my own whole oat flour from quick cooking oats (on sale) for a fraction of the price simply because I can grind them myself.
• Have the necessary tools~see above: a food processor, blender, etc. are worth far more than their price tag when you consider the overall, weekly savings in your grocery bill.
• Learn to can~it isn’t that tough! By taking advantage of special pricing on in-season goods (and reduced price wines), you can spend one afternoon preparing enough home canned goods to last for several months or more. It’s a lot of bang for the buck, with very little extra effort.
• Bake your own bread from a sourdough starter~this tip has saved me quite a chunk of change. Nothing in the world is easier or more convenient than sourdough bread (see the blog with recipe), as the dough rises all day while you’re at work.
• Entertain at home~not only can you easily prepare gourmet-quality meals with scarce effort, but by employing the above tips, you can save quite a bit over restaurant prices when you cook and entertain at home. You’ll also save on gasoline costs by hosting a casual home dinner party!
• Give yourself permission to make mistakes~YES, this saves money overall. In the words of Gandhi, “Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote the freedom to err.” We all learn from our culinary mistakes, and we take those lessons into the next steps along the path of eating well on less.

Be sure to watch this blog for recipes using FRESH ingredients and CENTRAL COAST wines. Together we’ll eat (and drink) well on LE$$!