mastering the practical pantry Investing and Saving Money

by eatwoo.com 19 April 2019, 18:08 1k Views

mastering the practical pantry Investing and Saving Money

The first step to spending less money on food is to figure out what you’ve already invested in, and then to find new and more effective ways to use those products and ingredients. This is probably the most labor-intensive part of the whole process.

1. Take an afternoon to go through every cabinet in your kitchen. Use a notepad and pen or a tablet to make a list of every utensil, gadget, pot, pan, jar, box of cereal, etc., you already own. There are a few phone or tablet apps that can help you keep track of your inventory such as Prep & Pantry.

2. Read the labels, see what’s gone bad, and throw it out. Starting with a clean slate will make a world of difference.

3. Take notes on what needs to be stored better to ensure it keeps fresh, is protected from bugs, or doesn’t get crushed. We’ll talk about that more.

4. Move to your refrigerator and follow steps 1 through 3 again. Knowing what condiments you already have hanging out on your fridge door can save you a few dollars on your next shopping trip. And don’t forget your freezer.

SCORING HARDWARE

If you’re taking an interest in your kitchen for the first time, you might not have many pots and pans. This is where secondhand stores can come in handy. You’d be surprised how many people have donated perfectly good cast-iron skillets or large stew pots because they’ve moved or upgraded with their wedding registry. I bought my favorite cast-iron skillet almost fourteen years ago for $3 at a St. Vincent DePaul’s thrift store in Olympia, Washington.
Avoid skillets with nonstick surfaces, especially scratched ones. By now you’ve probably heard that ingesting coatings that have flaked off your nonstick cookware into your food is suspected of being linked to a few forms of cancer, so why take a chance? We recommend going with cast iron whenever you can. It’s inexpensive and can last forever if you take care of it properly.
You can also check with friends. When Dan and I lived in Norfolk, Virginia, we were in walking distance of at least a dozen friends from whom we could borrow cookie sheets and pie plates. Since our kitchen at the time looked like something from inside a submarine, it was nice being able to borrow pots and pans from friends to reduce the number of things we had to buy for ourselves—and also to cut down on clutter.

You’ll be surprised by how much you already have in your kitchen. The first time I did this, I realized I had several meals’ worth of ingredients that were just missing a fresh vegetable or two. But some of you might be starting from scratch, so here are some basic items you’ll want to invest in. They’re not just in a lot of the recipes in this book, they’re in like, every vegan recipe ever.

Agave nectar
Applesauce
Baking powder
Baking soda
Beans and lentils (a variety of either dry or canned)
Black peppercorns
Brown sugar
Egg replacer powder
Flours (all-purpose and whole wheat)
Garlic
image Hot sauce
Maple syrup
image Nutritional yeast
Olive oil
image Dry pasta
Quinoa
Rice (jasmine and brown)
Salt
Soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
Spice rack basics (dried oregano, ground cumin, red pepper flakes, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried dill, etc.)
Sugar
Tofu
Vegan milk (soy, almond, and/or coconut)
Vegetable and/or vegan chicken or beef broth

This might seem like a lot, but you don’t need to buy every ingredient at once. You’ll be surprised by how many of these things you might already own or by how long they’ll last once you stock up.

Buying Condensed Broths

I’m going to state the obvious here: Just adding water saves money.
If you’ve read our blog or Betty Goes Vegan, you know we often recommend a product called Better Than Bouillon when a recipe calls for broth. This product comes in vegetable, vegan chicken, and vegan beef varieties that are flavorful while still low in sodium. You will only use 1 teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon per cup of hot water—and 48 teaspoons come in a $6 jar, making this a terrific investment. You can also prepare your broth in advance and refrigerate it in an airtight container if you want to save time. Just give it a good shake before using it to make sure it gets completely mixed together.

MAXIMIZING THE SHELF LIFE OF STAPLES

Okay, so now you know what you already had in your kitchen, and you’ve stocked up on the stuff you were missing. Now it’s time to figure out how to keep your food fresh.

DRY GOODS

Most dry goods—things like pastas, grains, flours, nutritional yeast, dry beans, cereals, cornmeal—are known as “shelf stable,” meaning they don’t need to be refrigerated to maintain quality and nutritional value. Make sure they’re stored in airtight containers in a dry cabinet away from heat to avoid crushing, mildew, and bugs. A lot of kitchen stores sell plastic containers with sealable lids that work great, but since we’ve been trying to reduce the amount of plastic in our home, we mostly use glass containers with screw-on lids. A good old-fashioned mason jar is perfect.

IS VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN FLOUR A “DRY GOOD”?

Vital wheat gluten can be a tricky ingredient. On one hand, it’s a lot like a flour and just requires an airtight container and cool, dry place to hang out; but I’ve also had readers tell me stories of their vital wheat gluten going bad in their cupboards. I checked a bag of Bob’s Red Mill, and it does say to store in your fridge or freezer. We’ve been keeping ours in the fridge for the past year, and I haven’t noticed a difference, but we also use it frequently—so maybe it never has a chance to go bad in our test kitchen. Either way, vital wheat gluten can be very expensive, so I recommend playing it safe and keeping it next to your ice pops.

FRESH VEGETABLES

There are many different vegetables out there in this great big world, so we’ve broken most of the vegetables we used in this book into groups by how to best store them. Because honestly, there’s nothing more frustrating and discouraging than spending your money on some healthy vegetables just to have to throw them away before you even get to eat them. I’ve seen such tragedies drive strong vegans into the arms of fast-food restaurants and bags of Doritos.
Most vegetables are best eaten two to four days after you bring them home, so keep that in mind when planning your shopping and meals.

FLOWER BUDS/CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES

Broccoli is more delicate than you’d think. Those tiny little flower buds can yellow and wilt in just a day or two if you haven’t stored the head correctly. For the longest shelf life, keep your broccoli dry and in a plastic bag with slits cut in it to release any moisture.
Cauliflower is sturdier than its green cousin, broccoli, but also does best in a “breathable” bag to release extra moisture. You’ll have to toss your cauliflower once you see it start to rust (get an orange-brown tinge).
There’s no denying artichokes are my favorite vegetable. I love them in pasta sauce and as a vehicle for “buttery” lemon garlic sauce. I also love that like any good partner, they’re not high maintenance. Just store them in a dry place in the fridge—but use them within one to two days.
Asparagus should be stored like any other flower. You’ve got two options: Put the cut ends in a cup of water, wrap the top with plastic wrap, and store the whole thing upright in the fridge; or wrap a wet paper towel around the cut ends and secure a plastic bag around that with a rubber band. We’ve tried both techniques with success; the key is treating asparagus the same way you’d treat a bouquet of roses—kept cool and watered.

GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES

We all agree that eating green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, lettuce, and cabbage is freaking great for you. But when it comes to the best way to store them, there seem to be as many theories out there as there are antioxidants in kale (i.e., lots). After testing many of these theories, the following method appears to be the most effective: First, go through your greens and remove any spoiled or questionable leaves. When vegetables start to spoil, they release ethylene, which makes the good leaves go bad faster. Then, make sure the “good” greens are as dry as possible. Finally, either place them in a “breathable” bag or poke a few holes in the plastic container they came in to release any extra moisture, and store the greens in the fridge.

ROOTS AND TUBERS

Oh, the reliable potato. You are the backbone of so many beloved meals and can be fried, mashed, and baked into numerous delicious dishes. You’re also one of the most low-maintenance vegetables ever to swim in a soup or roast on a BBQ spit. Keep potatoes dry and store them in a paper bag in a dark cabinet that stays around 50°F. Seriously. They’re that easy. Same goes for sweet potatoes.
Beets are more work. You need to store them unscrubbed and unwashed in a plastic bag in the fridge. If your beets came with their leafy green tops still attached, cut those off before storing, then follow the instructions on how to store leafy green vegetables. You can substitute beet tops for spinach in any recipe.
Radishes and carrots are a lot like beets, though they don’t usually come with their greens attached. If yours do, cut them off and use them ASAP—I recommend tossing them in a green salad. That’s the only way I’ve come to enjoy radish and carrot greens, but feel free to experiment—you might just discover you love them in a vegan quiche or diced up in a sauce. Put unwashed radishes and carrots in a breathable plastic bag and store in the fridge. They should be good for at least a week.

FRESH FRUIT

Fruit is an essential part of a healthy diet, vegan or not. Ever hear of scurvy? It’s a disease pirates would get when they were out at sea for too long and didn’t have enough vitamin C. I’ve never had it, but it sounds pretty painful and unpleasant. All that could be avoided by adding a grapefruit to your breakfast routine. We’ve broken up some of the most commonly eaten fruit in the United States into categories that’ll best explain how to store them, because we like you and are anti-scurvy.

CITRUS

Citrus is pretty easy. Most citrus fruit—oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits—will be fine for a few days at room temperature on a countertop or in a bowl. If you need them to last longer than that, store them in the crisper drawer of your fridge.
If you’re buying citrus to use for zest, buy organic citrus that will most likely not be coated in that wax film they often put on produce to make it shiny.

STONE FRUIT

We recommend buying stone fruits like peaches, plums, and apricots while still very firm and a little unripe. Ripen the fruit yourself, either in a paper bag or on a kitchen counter at room temperature, over the next few days. Once your peaches and plums have a light sweet fragrance, they’re ready to eat.
Cherries are a completely different story. Keep cherries as cold as possible (but not frozen) in an airtight bag to prolong their delightful little lives.

BERRIES

This category includes blueberries, raspberries, strawberries (okay, technically strawberries aren’t berries, but they’re cleaned and stored the same way), and the like. Depending on where you live and where you shop, fresh berries can be pricey. That’s why I don’t feel guilty about looking through an entire display of containers before choosing one. I’ll inspect it from all angles looking for even a hint of one spoiled berry, like a jeweler appraising a diamond. Don’t buy berries if there’s even one moldy one in the container. They’ll all taste weird. Promise.
Many people tell you to wash berries once you get them home to remove any pesticides or other pollutants, but this can be tricky, too—any dampness on the berries will make them spoil faster. The best trick we’ve found to both deal with pollutants and add a few days to the berries’ shelf life came from both the website The Kitchn and Cook’s Illustrated. They recommend washing berries in a bath made of 1 cup white vinegar with 3 cups water, then using a salad spinner lined with paper towels to dry them. Make sure they’re completely dry, though, or all your hard work will get thrown out with your mildew-y berries. Store washed berries in a breathable container lined with paper towels to absorb and release any moisture.

MELONS

Sorry ACLU—whole melons (honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon, etc.) should go straight into solitary confinement. Melons release ethylene gas as they ripen, so they make any other fruit around them ripen and spoil faster. You can store an uncut melon in the fridge for about a week; just keep it away from your other fruits and vegetables.
Now, do I really have to tell you that buying precut melon is more expensive, and that you’re only paying for the little time you might have saved not having to slice up a whole melon? Those packages of precut melons also don’t last very long, so unless you plan on eating those melon pieces right then and there, just walk on by.

SQUASH

I feel honesty is best here. I rarely store whole or raw squash (pumpkins, summer squash, zucchini, butternut squash, etc.). I usually buy it in season, prepare it in whatever way suits me at the time, and freeze it that way. I also hate—just cannot stand—the smell of rotten pumpkins. Yes, the weeks following Halloween have always been quite traumatic for me.
The most important thing about storing whole squash is to keep it extremely dry (so no back porches or basements) and between 50 and 75°F. Besides that, anything goes.

MISCELLANEOUS

Apples are a lot like cherries and benefit from going in the fridge in an airtight bag as soon as possible to retain crispness. But they’re also a lot like melons and should be kept away from other fruits and vegetables since they emit large amounts of ethylene gas. That old adage “one rotten apple can spoil the bunch” doesn’t just apply to teenagers and political parties. Literally, one rotten apple can emit enough ethylene to spoil all the rest. So be strict, and toss any apples with soft spots and imperfections—or turn them into homemade applesauce.

Pears are usually picked unripe, because they can ripen after being picked and have a longer shelf life in the store. Buy pears when they’re still very firm and unripe, then store them in either a paper bag or a bowl on your countertop at room temperature. Once they’re tender and you can smell a slight sweet aroma coming from the top, they’re ready to eat—and should be eaten pretty much that day.

Bananas are the foundations upon which many a smoothie and vegan baked good are built. Versatile, easy to locate, and usually inexpensive, they’re a great fruit to have around. Here are a few tips to prolong the shelf life of your yellow friends.

Never store bananas in a plastic bag, even if they come in one. Those bags seal in moisture and make your bananas spoil faster. Instead, wrap the stems in plastic tape to reduce the amount of ethylene gas they emit and keep them from becoming overripe too quickly. Always store bananas at room temperature, and on a hook if possible. As bananas mature they get what are called resting bruises from sitting in bowls or on countertops, and hooks are an inexpensive way to prevent that. You can install a 99-cent hook under a cabinet and start hanging bananas today.

As a half-Sicilian woman, I am ashamed to admit I didn’t know the right way to store tomatoes until my thirties. Yes, it’s times like this that people often ask, “Where were the parents?” but I can’t blame Mom and Dad. For most of my life, I’ve been hoarding tomatoes in my vegetable crisper, and accepting that once a week I had to make marinara sauce from scratch with any that became borderline water-balloon-ish—just like my mother and her mother before her.

Here’s what I’ve learned: Tomatoes should never go in the fridge. They should be allowed to experience the world on your countertop at room temperature. This will allow them to mature into a fuller flavor, maintain better cell walls, and not get that squishiness we all dread.

There seems to be a small window during which whole avocados go from being inedible dinosaur eggs to the perfect, delicious, smooth, good-for-you addition to any meal to disintegrating like that scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark when the Nazis melt. Because it can be impossible to tell in the store if your lovely little avocado has already started to spoil, we recommend this trick—pop off the little stem nub. If it’s brown underneath, it’s too late for that avocado; if it’s a light yellow and the avocado is firm, it’s safe to buy. We recommend storing avocados in a paper bag at room temperature until they’re slightly soft when gently squeezed. That’s when you know they’re ready to be opened and served.

Anyone who has ever loved avocados and is unlucky enough to not live in Los Angeles, California, where they literally grow in people’s front yards (yes, I’m talking about you, P.T. and Lisa) has probably exhausted every old wives’ tale out there about how to make avocados last longer. Theories range from storing them in a breathable container in the coolest place in your home to storing them in paper bags mixed with whole onions. Everyone seems to swear his or her method is the holy grail of avocado preservation. My personal experience has taught me that pouring a little lemon juice over a cut avocado, wrapping it in a paper or cloth tea towel, and storing it in an airtight container will usually keep it fresh for a few extra days. But really, your best bet is to eat any cut avocado as soon as possible. That gross brown slime an exposed avocado gets is really the omega-3 fatty acids oxidizing; since those are the most nutritious parts of our little green friend, you don’t want to miss out on that.

Whenever pomegranate season comes around, I get way too excited. I have a pomegranate for dessert a few times a week until they slowly disappear from the produce section again. To give your precious pomegranates the longest life possible, store them in a paper bag in the fridge. Pomegranate arils (seeds) can be stored in an airtight container in your fridge for no more than three days.

FRESH HERBS

Now this is going to be one of those moments when you ask yourself, “How can this be a book about saving money in the kitchen and include fresh herbs?” Well, for us, it came down to this: If we used fresh herbs in multiple meals, rather than using an entire package or bunch in just one, our meals were not just healthier—because they were flavored with green leaves full of antioxidants instead of the ol’ salt and sugar crutches many “budget” meals rely on—but it also encouraged us to stick to our meal plans since we had already invested in these fresh herbs. Letting them go to waste so we could lazily order some pizza felt like we were betraying the fine-tuned machine that our kitchen routine had become. The key to making this system work, though, was storing our herbs properly so that we could get as many meals as possible out of our $1 bunches.

Most herbs should be treated like bouquets of flowers because, let’s be honest, that’s kind of what they are: flowers that were picked before they had a chance to form buds and bloom.

Basil, parsley, mint, and cilantro do best when you trim their stems at an angle and put them in a glass with a little water. Basil and mint can be left on a counter at room temperature, but parsley and cilantro need to be refrigerated. Basil in particular is very sensitive to heat, and will brown quickly in both cold and hot temperatures, so keep it as far away from anything below 40ºF or above 50ºF as you can, and add it as the last ingredient to a warm dish to keep that fresh basil flavor.

Chives, green onions, thyme, and oregano are sensitive to moisture, so keeping them wrapped in a paper towel and then loosely wrapped plastic wrap will stop them from spoiling too quickly. They also don’t need to be kept too cold, so appropriating the little hatch on your fridge door labeled “butter” as an herb compartment will also help them last longer.