In these hard economic times it seems that everything costs more, but our food bills have soared beyond recognition. Things are only going to get harder with the effects of global warming causing droughts and floods in equal measure, devastating and destroying crops.
For the record, Americans throw out around 9.6 million tons of food annually and the UK has equally bad statistics, taking into account the smaller population. They dispose of 6.7 million tons – about one third of all food purchased. Astonishing, but we are all even a little bit guilty. Take heart though, as there are ways to cut the cost of our food bills by being thrifty and using everything we buy.
Bulk buying may be a great money saver in the right conditions, but one has to weigh up the benefits of laying out a larger amount of money than planned for a certain item. It will not be cheaper in the long run to pick up those buy-two-get-one-free deals if you had only planned on buying one and the two extra items sit on a shelf for weeks on end without being used, but you will have already spent the money.
Never buy fruit or vegetables that are out of season, as they will have been imported and most probably been in cold storage for some time, leading to tasteless and very expensive merchandise. A good ploy is to buy large quantities of in-season fruit which has to be sold cheaply because of large harvests. Make jams and preserves from them – not only will your own home-made recipes be at least 50% cheaper than those available in supermarkets, but you will have peace of mind knowing that no chemicals have been added and that they are absolutely natural.
You can also cook fruits that are a little past their prime in a small amount of water without any sugar added for a very short time. They will form their own natural syrup as they begin to break down, but beware – they burn easily, so keep an eagle eye on them. Freeze them when cold to enjoy when they are out of season. These preserved fruits and jams last for months, so put some aside in pretty bottles with hand-written labels and give them away as gifts, thereby having presents on hand cost-free, while helping family and friends to cut costs too.
Grate the peels of oranges and lemons before using them, as they add great flavour to lots dishes – from stews to cakes. Roll them on the counter before squeezing them to get out every last drop of juice. Before throwing away any vegetable parts, consider what may be done with them. For instance, vegetable peelings and the hard cores of cauliflowers and cabbages can be boiled together with some onions, a few herbs and salt and pepper to make vegetable stock, which forms the basis of many soups and sauces; and can easily be frozen for future use.
Fish heads and bones, boiled together with some onions, carrots and celery make a fish stock – and the same can be done with beef or lamb bones, and chicken carcases. Gourmet grub from waste! Anything that really cannot be used will still be good for a compost heap.
Chinese stir-fries are a great way of making inexpensive and healthy meals, as using small amounts of a few different vegetables adds up to a large wok full of tasty food; adding small quantities of meat or chicken will give a protein boost. Season your stir fry with some of your orange rind, ginger and soy sauce and serve on rice or noodles for a filling and super-cheap family meal.
What to do with left over egg whites? Meringues, of course; and left over yolks can be made into ice cream with the addition of some cream, sugar and some more of that large quantity of fruit you purchased because it was so cheap.