4th generation Marinite turns frugal eating stereotype upside-down

September 7, 5:50 PMSF Personal Finance ExaminerBarbara Bryn Klare

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I wasn't sure I could stomach writing one more frugal eating tips article (where's the beef, anyway?) so I turned to 4th-generation Marinite and self-styled gracious frugal living expert Andi Blackwell of ModernTightwad, to give me a hand in the kitchen. I asked her the gastronomical question, "How to save money but still eat really well?" and she passed along these five great high-living champagne tips for a beer budget:

1--Make sure your kitchen is equipped with the right tools.

2--Don't skimp on quality.

3--Be a "localvore."

4--Diversify, diversify!

5--Start and end with a plan.

"Champagne on a Beer Budget" Frugal Eating Tip # 1 - Have the Right Tools for the Job

First, make sure you have the right tools. You need at minimum a good chef's knife, utility knife, and paring knife. A good serrated bread knife is optional, but helpful. "A high quality knife doesn't have to be expensive," says Andi. "Many companies have warehouse sales. Take advantage of being in the bay area and so close to industrial areas and a large port; look in the phone book for the nearest high quality knife manufacturer and ask them if they have a warehouse or overstock sale or department. And don't forget discount stores." She once found very nice Shun Komachi knives at Tuesday Morning for a steal (also consider Amazon - where a Shun Komachi fish knife goes for only $9.99).

"Champagne on a Beer Budget" Frugal Eating Tip #2 - Shop Smart: Don't Skimp on Nutrition or Quality

The questionable "meatloaf" with yesterday's cheapest cut is a big offender to the palate and your sensibilities. Let's face it: living in the Bay Area has made us all food snobs. But being frugal doesn't mean you have to sacrifice high quality protein sources. Be a bit more ambitious or creative and be your own butcher when you can. If you have followed Tip #2 and have good knives, it should be relatively easy.

Andi adds: "At a farmer's market last week, I saw a coho salmon for $3.49 a pound because it was a whole salmon. Some people see extra work; I see fillets for days and a great fish stock made from the remainders. Do you like filet mignon? A whole tenderloin is often sold as a PSMO (pismo) and sells for considerably less, as you have to trim it and cut it yourself. When the butcher doesn't have to take the time with the meat, the savings is passed on to you."

"Champagne on a Beer Budget" Frugal Eating Tip #3 - Think Frugal, Shop Local

Andi recommends being a "localvore." Some of her best memories included a drive up to Bodega Bay with her dad for fresh crab and oysters. Andi's comment: "Bought from the pier these are generally much less expensive. The bay area is so ripe with agriculture, dairies, and fishing, and for greater diversity, the Sacramento/Central valley is a hop, skip, and a jump away. It can even be a fun field trip with the kids to really experience how food is made."

"Champagne on a Beer Budget" Frugal Eating Tip # 4 - Think Frugal, Eat Global

Use the cultures around you to diversify your palette. When making frugal meals, it's easy to fall into a "recipe rut." You know, spaghetti on Monday, roasted chicken on Tuesday, fish on Friday...

Adds Andi: "A quick jaunt down almost any street in San Francisco can take you on a completely new culinary journey. Reports Andi: "One of my friends greatly enjoys a middle eastern dish called mujadara with a little bit of lemon juice and cumin added. Each region of the world has their own frugal recipes; sample many to fend off taste boredom."

"Champagne on a Beer Budget" Frugal Eating Tip #5 - Got a Plan, Stan?

Lastly, create a meal plan with yummy leftovers in mind ahead of time, and make sure you cook the right amounts you will need for the next meals.

Andi's comment: "Say you know you're going to cook chicken on night A; throw in an extra breast and you can cut into chicken strips or shred into fajitas on night B or C. If I had to cook everything from scratch each night, I would tie my apron around my neck and step off the oven door."

You CAN live happily on less income, and even enjoy it. And if Andi has her way with you, it takes less work than you think. Most frugal meals can be prepared in a couple hours on a single day for the rest of the week. As Andi says, "When you're sitting in traffic on the Bay Bridge, do you want to think about coming home to KFC, or a fresh summer chop salad? or soup like your grandma used to make? I think it's a no-brainer." It really is. Now to the kitchen I go to make that chicken cacciatore from scratch.

For more of Andi's unique commentary on the thrifty life, frugal living tips, personal finance info and occasionally rampant sarcasm, visit her blog, ModernTightwad.

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