Foodie on a budget

Nix143

Ok guys, I love slow cooker recipes as much as the next person and made a gorgeous chicken stew this week in mine..............

But

I'm addicted to Nigella and Jamie and the like and used to spend load of money on exotic ingredients and was in my element jiggering about in my kitchen for hours at a weekend.

Last night, pushed for time, I stuck 2 frozens pittas in the toaster, then sliced vine ripened tomato, a whole mozarella, loads of basil and mayo with green pesto in it, shoved that lot in the pittas and made a truly gorgeous quick snack - yum! But oh the guilt, a buffalo mozarella for sandwiches! It had to be used but still..................

So what I need to know is this
- foodies, any tips on economising
- what's the ONE extravagant ingredient or treat you just can't resist, no matter how tight things are?

ancasta_2

With me being an ex chef i love trying exotc thing and adore mozzerella and tomato salads and handmade guacamole etc. Im just lucky Mr.Ancasta doesnt like too much of the stuff i buy so i only have to make enough for one.. i suppose its cutting costs.

I like to make my own "extravagant food" such as pesto, guacamole/salsa ,mayonaise etc so i know exactly whats going into it, i still get to cook and it saves money in the long run.

Curry_Queen

Parmigiano Reggiano!!! ... I can't survive without a lump of this in my fridge and use it on all sorts from pasta dishes and risottos to tomato-based dishes and soups

I'm a bit of a foodie too and madly in love with James Martin (as if that wasn't already obvious LOL!) :rotfl:

Smiley_Mum

Starbucks do a panini bread with a pesto, olive, tomato, basil and mozarella filling. I make it at home and it's great. I like having mozarella cheese available, but couldn't do without ciabatta bread and olives.

foreverskint

Curry_Queen wrote:

Parmigiano Reggiano!!! ... I can't survive without a lump of this in my fridge and use it on all sorts from pasta dishes and risottos to tomato-based dishes and soups

I'm a bit of a foodie too and madly in love with James Martin (as if that wasn't already obvious LOL!) :rotfl:

Me too can't live without it.

good coffee for my cafetierre

Queenie

Nix143 wrote:

.......

So what I need to know is this
- foodies, any tips on economising?

Economising: First and foremost .... have a PLAN!
(That way, you'll be able to prejudge those occasions you're likely to be tight for time and won't need to resort to impromptu expensive tasty, yummy, scrummy, melt in the mouth, drool-inducing, tastebud titivators as you've just decribed .. now my tums rumbling!)

You need a menu plan so that you can balance out the use of "exotic" and core ingredients on your shopping list.

Know your shops! Not all things are equal so keep a price book and compare until you find the best place to buy at the best prices.

Eke things out - that mozarella for example would have stretched a tad further with some grated cheaper cheddar mixed in and you may not even have noticed the taste difference.

Ooooh, I wish I'd been round yours last night for supper!

Magentasue

I wouldn't say I was a foodie but I do have a problem with buying the Value/Smartprice ranges. Some things are fine - butter, baked beans, fizzy water come to mind. Supermarket brands are no problem for most things, in fact the only branded stuff I buy is washing detergent for whites.

But ... I don't like:

• instant coffee
• tea bags
• sliced bread
• long life fruit juice
• margarine
• any drinks that have to be diluted with water
• mild cheddar (has to be medium or mature, prefer Cheshire and have to have parmesan)
• frozen or tinned veg (frozen peas and tinned canneloni (sp?) beans are only exceptions)
• dried or frozen herbs (except oregano)
• cheap or soft scoop ice cream (except mint choc chip)

I feel I should cut my food bills but these things make it a struggle. Some of things I'm doing to help are:

• Tea and coffee are essentials for me and it has to be strong ground coffee and a mix of Earl Grey and Assam tea leaves. So no compromises there.
• Have started making bread at weekends - we all prefer Asda's though
• Less fruit juice, more Smart Price fizzy water
• Smart price butter
• Cheapest mature cheddar for cooking
• Grow all my own herbs and increasing veg
• Ice cream is a rare treat

If I had to, I could give up my luxuries - in my poorest days I did it so I could do it again. But the kids are different - they would struggle. When they stay at friends' houses they love it when there's a choice of Cheerios or Frosties for breakfast but wait 'til they get home if it's Smartprice cereals and sliced bread for toast with margarine!

elona

Could you make your own fruit sorbet?

furrypig

Smiley_Mum wrote:

Starbucks do a panini bread with a pesto, olive, tomato, basil and mozarella filling. I make it at home and it's great. I like having mozarella cheese available, but couldn't do without ciabatta bread and olives.

this sounds really scrummy!

Do you have the recipe would love to give it a go

thank you smiley mum!

furrypig

Magentasue wrote:

I wouldn't say I was a foodie but I do have a problem with buying the Value/Smartprice ranges. Some things are fine - butter, baked beans, fizzy water come to mind. Supermarket brands are no problem for most things

I really agree with you I am happy buying non branded products all the time really but sometimes struggle with value products.

I never ever used to buy any then a friend had some of those value mini swiss roll things for her kids (about 27p a pack) and my kids loved them.
Since using this site I have tried several value products (instead of my usual organic!) so have saved money but some things my hubby said not to buy again (OJ for example). I think the cheaper products are definitely fine as part of a stew/soup/curry dish where they are all mixed in. But still prefer non value beans for beans on toast or organic carrots for carrot sticks etc. Use value butter all the time and have just bought value flour and salt to try.

Curry_Queen

Smiley_Mum wrote:

Starbucks do a panini bread with a pesto, olive, tomato, basil and mozarella filling. I make it at home and it's great. I like having mozarella cheese available, but couldn't do without ciabatta bread and olives.

Tesco do a "pizza" mozarella (comes in a block) which works out cheaper than the regular bag type and although it's not really suitable for salads (has a slightly rubbery texture) it's great melted in sandwiches, pizzas etc.

Have you tried making your own ciabatta? I've been meaning to have a go myself but never seem to get organised enough to prepare the starter the day before :rolleyes:

You can keep the olives though ... hate them ... yuk!!!!