My Modern Frugal Kitchen

Most people see grocery budgets as a highly variable component of their household budget and one that is the first to be cut when times are tough.  I find this a bit puzzling given that in Mazlow’s hierarchy of needs, food (nourishment) has to come in first.  In particular, I am concerned when see a lot of people eating foods that are processed, full of chemicals and additives, and low on the whole foods, nutrient scale because they provide a large amount of calories or have discount coupons.  When I go to a department store or airport or drive past the neighborhood high school, I am alarmed at the obesity epidemic that is affecting people at a younger and younger age, and I am convinced that the nature of our food and the way we eat has a large impact on this.

My priority is to prepare healthy, nourishing foods that are delicious.  I’ve tried eating the equivalent of tree bark and styrofoam (tasteless albeit possibly healthy foods) and found that sorely lacking, and my view is that if foods aren’t tasty, they aren’t eaten, and instead takeout pizza is ordered, well that defeats the whole purpose, and certainly isn’t frugal.  I’ve also found that a number of healthy eating practices coincide with frugal eating as well.  These are some observations from my modern frugal kitchen:

–I menu plan, but instead of creating a menu based on meat, or on what processed foods or meats are on sale for the week, I base my menus on seasonal vegetables and fruits, taking advantage of the lower cost of foods in season.  Many of my dinners have 2-3 different kinds of vegetables incorporated.  Also, I try to serve fresh fruit (without added sweetener) as dessert most days of the week.

–I take advantage of low cost ingredients that are naturally full of great vitamins and phytonutrients such as cheaper vegetables like cabbage, frozen fruit, and dried beans.

–Although I am an omnivore, I serve vegetarian and vegan meals a couple of times.  In recent years, my meals have shifted to almost meatless meals, where a small amount of meat serves as a flavor enhancer.  Examples are red beans and rice, mapo tofu, and Mexican chicken soup.

–I try to incorporate healthy foods in new and innovative ways, emphasizing flavors and textures. Two examples are salmon chili that takes advantage of frozen wild salmon and apple ginger coleslaw a whole new take on cabbage.

–I use herbs and spices with bold tastes, and adapt ethnic recipes from places like Thailand, Mexico, and Cajun cuisine. Fresh ginger, cilantro, and basil and canned chipotle chiles appear often.

–I adapt recipes to substitute exotic expensive ingredients or expensive kitchen gadgets, and work on enhancing the taste until I am satisfied the recipe can be served to guests.

–I try to keep a well-stocked pantry for emergency pantry meals, to lessen the temptation to go out even if I’m missing some key ingredients for a dish or I’m pressed for time.

With these practices, I find that the grocery budget has room for an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, select organic fruits when in season (like strawberries), and grass-fed beef and chickens raised without hormones and antibiotics. Most of all, although the food I serve is generally considered healthy, I’ve never had anyone complain about something tasting like bark or styrofoam.

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see more frugal ideas at the Festival of Frugality