My friend K, asks
"Do you have suggestions/comments for people like me with many mouths to feed on a small budget? Obviously, anything we can grow in our own yard is awesome but any tips you may have on where to shop or how to stretch a particular item (like using the chicken carcass) would be very helpful."
This is a very good question and I think most of us want to try and stretch our dollar and our food to its maximum potential. I am not a food storage or economics expert, so I have found some other resources to help us, along with what works for Iz and I, and some tips that just make sense.
First of all, if you want to try and incorporate more fresh produce, eggs, meat etc. from the farmer's market, that is great! You also don't have to break your budget doing so. Start small and see how it goes. For example, make it a goal to go to a farmer's market and budget to buy one thing. Whatever looks fresh and yummy to you, buy it and take it home. It will be fun to come up with a recipe for your item and you'll have invested minimum dollars and time in the process.
If you are past this point and know you want to incorporate the farmer's market into your grocery budget for the week, month (however you budget) you can go about this a few ways. Here is a blog post that shows one approach to budgeting for the farmer's market. There are some really good ideas that I agree with in this blog post. To summarize:
- Make a list
- Prioritize what is important to you. Are you willing to spend a little more on eggs or certain produce at the market that you can budget into your grocery list?; what can you simply not give up that you buy at the store? (whether it be a time saver that you would rip your hair out if you didn't have, or if you have a picky eater, for example)
- Eat less meat
- Find some fast/easy recipes that you can make ahead and freeze or put in the fridge. (see below to get started)
- Try to grow your own herbs. This doesn't have to be fancy. You can start herbs from seed rather easily and for about the price of a one use "fresh" herb in the grocery store. Pick which ones you will likely use the most. I recommend basil, parsley, oregano, chives, and thyme as staples.
- Don't waste. This can be hard! Just do your best. If your greens look wilt-y, just give them a quick saute in garlic and olive oil; if your tomatoes are a little overripe, cook them into a sauce. Also, save all of your vegetable trimmings in a freezer bag, keep them in the freezer until you have enough to make a stock. If you are a gardener, I would recommend setting up a compost bin or pile of you don't already have one.
They mention going early or late. This is good since it won't be as crowded. Early is good because you get a better selection. Late is better because some farmers, rather than throw out unsold produce, or take it home with them where it may not last until the next week, might be willing to give you a two for one price, or even just give you some produce. I was talking to Isaac's cousin who's husband has a small farm in Michigan. She said that she will just give people extra tomatoes because she doesn't want to take them home and they couldn't possibly eat the leftovers before they go bad. This will be on a farmer by farmer basis, but if you develop a relationship with someone, it wouldn't hurt to ask.
If you are even more gung-ho about the farmer's market, I would suggest trying out a CSA. These are weekly baskets of produce that the farmer sets aside for you. You pay a fee in the winter (we pay ours in February) and then start picking up your basket at the designated time and place. You really get more for your money in this case. Our CSA, for a full share of produce (which you will start seeing when we start picking up this weekend) adds up to approximately $30.00 a week. If you buy a lot of produce "a la carte" at the farmer's market, you may save money by joining the CSA. The upfront fee can be large, so if you want to try it for a season, I suggest asking an interested friend or family member to share the cost with you. We did this for the first two years we participated in a CSA and it worked out rather well. You just need to have someone available to pick it up each week.
Local Harvest is a great website to learn more about CSAs in your area.
This post is getting rather long, and I will talk more about this in the future. But allow me to list some cookbooks and website that you can check out at the library or on your computer to get you started.
Time for Dinner: Strategies, Inspirations, and Recipes for Family Meals Every Night of the Week
This has some really nice time saving ideas for make ahead staples.
Everyday Food: great food fast from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living
I own this book and use it regularly. There are minimal ingredients, easy prep and cooking. It is organized by season which is nice.
Joy of Cooking
I cannot live without this book. It is a handy reference for any type of recipe you will need in the kitchen.
Cook and Freeze: 150 Delicious Dishes to Serve Now and Later
Vegetable Harvest: vegetables at the center of the plate
I also love this book. It goes through vegetables by season. Simple but unique preparation.
Websites:
Food & Wine: Healthy Farmer's Market Recipes
Sunset Magazine: More Ways to Love produce from the farmer's market
Food Gawker: Just type in any ingredient and you will get a list of blog posts with beautiful ideas
Epicurious.com
What are your favorite websites or cook books?
No comments:
Post a Comment