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lundi 4 juillet 2016

How I Eat Like a Foodie Without Going Completely Broke

As much as possible, I strive to eat well-sourced, high-quality, organic food. I've read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma at least three times, as well as a bundle of other food-policy-focused books. I shop primarily at farmers markets, food co-ops, specialty food stores, and my local butcher. And as an animal lover, I care deeply that the animals I consume lived as happy of a life as possible, and were humanely dispatched. (While I don't love the term, I am what most would call a foodie.) I can also guess what you're probably thinking: all of this is well and good, but a bit elitist, no? While there's some nugget of truth to that, to put things in perspective, I am also a 20-something, with a 20-something's budget to match.

So how do I eat this way without going completely broke? Well, for starters, I allocate more of my budget than most towards food; naturally, this means cutting spending less on other things, but I'm OK with that. Yes, I realize everyone's financial situation is different; no, I'm not blithely suggesting that everyone can (or should) follow suit; this is how I live my life, and how I make it work. I also (crucially) employ a handful of shopping strategies that significantly reduce my grocery bill without compromising on quality:

I eat seasonally: While I'm not 100 percent a stickler with this - sometimes a strawberry craving needs to be satisfied, Winter be damned - most of the time I stick to eating what's in season. Generally, this ensures what I'm eating tastes much better and is less expensive.
I brown-bag my lunch: Except on the busiest of weeks, I pack my lunch four days out of five (on the fifth, I treat myself to something special). Buying lunch adds up fast, especially in San Francisco, where most options downtown run about $10-15. I love to cook, so this is an easy lifestyle choice to make, as what I prepare is typically at least as tasty as what I can grab near my office. This also leaves more room in my budget for going out to leisurely dinners, where I can truly enjoy my meal and the company I'm with.
I eat less meat than most Americans: Well-sourced meat is expensive, there's no doubt about that. While I'm not a vegetarian by any means, I eat like a vegetarian at more meals than not. I consume meat or seafood at about four or five meals in a typical week.
I typically stick with less expensive cuts of meat: While I'll sometimes splurge on wild king salmon, sole, or a New York strip steak, most of the time I purchase more affordable cuts like hangar, skirt, flap, or flank steak; whole chickens, chicken thighs, or wings; mussels; pork shoulder; sausages; and short ribs.
Beans and other legumes are a staple of my diet: Not only are these relatively-inexpensive sources of protein, but they're also extremely versatile, and some of my favorite foods. I typically buy dried legumes - I'm a bit obsessed with Rancho Gordo - and cook them gently in a slow cooker. I also keep a couple cans of chickpeas and black beans stocked in my pantry to use in a pinch. (This chickpea soup recipe is a bare pantry savior.)
I'm a big fan of putting an egg on it: When I'm not sure how to turn a pile of grains and vegetables into a well-rounded meal, my answer more often than not is to put an egg on it. (I'm also a big proponent of going the breakfast-for-dinner route, a veggie-packed scramble being my go-to.) Even though I splurge on farmers market eggs, they're still a much more economical source of protein and fat than meat, at less than a dollar an egg.
I skip most convenience foods: This is as much a matter of taste as it is economy. While I have some guilty pleasures, for sure - I'm not giving up Fudgsicles, Peppermint Patties, Cheez-Its, or Annie's macaroni and cheese any time soon - the bulk of my purchases are whole, minimally-processed foods. This means shopping primarily from the outer perimeter of my supermarket, and also extends to buying whole fruits and vegetables and prepping them myself.
Bulk bins are my friend: Most of the grains, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and other pantry staples I purchase come from my market's bulk section. Since I'm not paying for packaging, it's more affordable from the get go; additionally, I only purchase the amount that I need, reducing food waste. To keep things neat and tidy, I store my spoils in pop-top containers and mason jars.
I shop the farmers market as it's about to close: This has nearly as much to do with enjoying leisurely weekend mornings at home as it has to do with budgeting, but it's a great farmers market shopping tip regardless. At the end of the day, the pickings might be a bit more slim, but many farmers are willing to part with their wares at a discounted price.
I make good use of my freezer: Food waste is sad on many levels, particularly when you're trying to stick to a budget. I use my freezer to keep foods like nuts and whole-grain flours fresh longer (the oils oxidize much faster at room temperature). And I also freeze everything from leftover bread to homemade stock to overripe bananas. This way I can use them when I'm ready instead of tossing them out.

lundi 4 juillet 2016