To Market To Market...

The grocery store, a place that many people dread. I, however, am not most people. I LOVE grocery shopping (most of the time). It is where your weekly menu really comes together and you get the chance to learn so much about food.

The first step of a successful trip should start at home. Think about what you think you might like to eat that week. Have you had a hankering for something or found a recipe you would like to try. Then open your cupboard. What do you NEED. Are you out of staples, do you need anything special for a specific idea? Then make a list. You will be amazed how much time and money you will save when you go in with a plan. You always want to go to the store with a purpose. Once you have your list, crack open the Sunday paper and/or hop online to one of the many online coupon resources. What stores are having sales on things you need, and find manufacturers coupons for more discounts. You may get lucky and get a double discount! Yes it takes a little time, but it can end up saving you plenty over time. This is also a good time to start thinking about your "want" items. Gotta love a deal on your favorite snacks.

Ok so you have your list, your coupons and a plan for which stores to hit. If you are like me and are fortunate enough to live near several stores, hit up a few! It takes more time, but you can get better prices if you break it up over 2 or 3 places. When you first get to a store, make sure you have a bonus card (most stores have them, and they generally are free. You can often get extra savings and some will offer deals on other items like gas!). If you don't have a bonus card, head to customer service. It only takes a few minutes and it is worth it!

So things to look for at the store. Obviously generic or store brand items are generally going to be cheaper, and often they are just fine products. I will often splurge more on items that are eaten as is, such as olive oil, where you can really taste a difference. But that is pretty common knowledge. A not so obvious tip is to buy in bulk when it makes sense. When cooking for one person, many will shy away from club packs and large sizes. In some cases this is true, buying a perishable you don't use often will just lead to waste. But if it is none perishable or can be frozen and you have the room to store it, stock up when the price is right! For example, for 11 dollars I was able to buy a club pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts that when cut in half, put in baggies and frozen will last me for 22 (!) meals. Thats 50 cents a serving. Can't beat that.

Also always try to avoid products that are pre-processed (i.e. a package of pre-cut veggies for a stir fry) or come in a specialized package, like 100 calorie packs. Sure these things can be useful and can be great in a pinch, but you pay for the luxury. Instead of a 100 cal. pack of nuts, buy the big container and put handfuls in individual baggies, which is roughly the amount you find in one of those packages. Sure it takes a little time, but you will save. I know, I know, I buy boneless skinless chicken breasts when buying split chicken breasts would save me money. I hate handling raw meat, and while I will cut breasts in half for storage, ripping it off the bones just grosses me out and takes to much effort, so I gladly pay for the convenience. It's all about what you are willing to do, there is no "right" way to do things"

Happy Eating!

The Bare Necessities

First things first, check out this article from today's New York Times... http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/weekinreview/02bittman.html . It discusses the ease and benefits of cooking and how three easy recipes can present seemingly endless possibilities. Check it out, see what you think.

On to the soul of this posting, every cooks best friend, their go-to pantry items. Now I consider my pantry to be any item I have on hand 99% of the time, even if it doesn't technically live in the "pantry", but making sure you have your staples available will allow whipping up some dinner at the end of a long day a snap. So what, may you ask, should a pantry have?

Starting with the cupboard, I always have: Olive oil, canola or vegetable oil, cooking spray, kosher salt, pepper, honey, sriracha ( an asian red pepper sauce. Adds a touch of heat without the vinegar-y bite of Franks or Tabasco sauces), vinegar (I like red wine and apple vinegars), instant brown rice (any rice is fine, but I find my selection to be healthy and quick), a loaf of bread, whole wheat pasta, flour, sugar (white and light brown), peanut butter, garlic, red and yellow onions, and bread crumbs.

Moving on to the fridge/freezer: Eggs, milk, butter, a head of lettuce, lemons, salad dressing (I usually go with 2, one home made and one from the store), sliced and shredded cheeses, tortillas, and chicken.

From these basics, you only need a few other ingredients to create a weeks worth of meals. Some of the fresh items will need to be replaced more frequently (milk only lasts so long) but the majority will last you a while, only needing to be replaced every few months (give or take). And of coarse you will want to add your own favorites to your basics list. I also always have a variety of my favorite dried herbs and spices, supplies for baking (just in case the mood strikes), and a variety of my favorite veggies that I can toss in a salad or stir fry. But that's just me. I have a friend that is never short on wheat germ and apples. The boyfriend can't live without Franks Red Hot (which he gets by the gallon jug. Yeah, its a little disgusting). I have another friend who always has Nutella and Easy-Cheese. To each his own, but that's the point. It's all about figuring out what works for you.

So how do you get these staples? That's right the grocery store. Which we will be discussing tomorrow.

Happy Eating!