Food Fight- save money, waste less AND eat fresh!

Happy New Year!  So many of us look to the new year as a time to re-evaluate.  Our diets are a major component of this inward reflection...which greatly affects our outward reflections!  We thought it was appropriate to offer our thoughts and experiences with food- and how our perspective has changed over time.

When we first moved to Buffalo, we were restricted by a self-employed budget, so food buying became a bit of a war between Jon and I.  My focus was cost, and Jon's was quality.  I was always worried about spending too much, throwing away food we didn't use, and how to put it all together.  Since Jon is the chef in the house, he was concerned with the type of food (always pushing for organic) and how it would taste. This is not to say that he was carefree about spending on groceries, but I was definitely the one vocalizing about it.  So we decided to come to something of a compromise, which came in stages, but we'll summarize here for you.
 
1.) Make a weekly menu. 
2.) Work with what you have. 
3.) Control portion sizes. 
4.) Buy higher quality local and/or organic food. 

1.) Make A Weekly Menu
 When people come to our house, they giggle a bit at our nerdy "Weekly Menu" posted on the side of the refrigerator.  True, we have planned out what we will eat for the next 5-7 days, down to the ingredients in Jon's chili.  But you know what?  That simple little menu has saved us THOUSANDS of dollars, and lots of wasted food, and time.  Saving all that unused food from the landfill is an additional way we try to be green. By sitting down for half an hour once a week and planning out what we will eat (working around our schedules and plans), we no longer have to ask the question "What's for dinner tonight?", to be followed by ordering a pizza because we just can't decide, or ran out of time.  If you're intimidated by the idea- just try it once, with some tools at your disposal...a few great cookbooks, Vegetarian Times or Epicurious, or the recommendations of friends who cook well.  (Some of Jon's favorite recipes will follow in another post, soon!)  Be sure to include at least one fresh green vegetable in each meal, to give you the nutrients and energy you need.


2.) Work with What You Have
  This concept goes hand-in-hand with making a weekly menu.  As you prepare to make food choices for the week, take a look through your cupboard and refrigerator.  Take stock of the basics you already have on hand, such as grains, spices, vegetables, etc.  Use these, and build menu items out of them.  This is exactly what restaurants do to save money and get creative with extra ingredients.  Perform an online recipe search using the items in question, and try something different (but simple).  You may be pleasantly surprised.

3.) Control Portion Sizes
   This sounds so simple, but can make a huge difference.  Did you know that one serving of cheese should only be about the size of your thumb, and a serving of fruits or veggies should be the size of your fist? If you choose to eat meat/poultry, it should be no larger than your palm, or a deck of cards!!!  This doesn't mean starving yourself or not being satisfied- but we all know the feeling of being stuffed, and it's not pleasant.  You can enjoy the food you do eat more by taking your time when eating, savoring every bite, and eating at a table, without the distraction of television, using your favorite dishes.  If you limit the quantity of food that you eat at every meal, not only will you save money, but you'll lose weight!  You will be able to enjoy tasty leftovers for lunch the next day, allowing you to save time and money on lunches out as well.  It's a win-win.   

4.) Buy Higher Quality Local and/or Organic Food
   When you begin to save money by following the first three steps, you will find that a great deal of funds have been freed up.  Use some of this to invest- in your health, well-being, and your local economy.  While buying organic is often good, I would be more concerned with buying local.  Many small-scale farms can't afford to become certified organic, yet they follow many of the same rules that larger organic producers do.  Ask some questions, and patronize small stores such as Guercio's or the Lexington Co-op- they can tell you where the food is coming from- and the distance those eggs were shipped is just as important as whether they're free-range and vegetarian-fed.

Here are a few great articles by Mark Bittman about organic food and the simplicity of cooking a good meal for your reference.  Have fun, and feel free to leave your comments below.