I am starting this blog because I enjoy shopping for and preparing food. Its tough to make good choices as a consumer of various food products and cookery. There are many blogs out there reviewing restaurants, providing and critiquing recipes or diets–I’m not a food writer or a chef, so I don’t think critiquing other people’s food is my business.

I’m going to try to focus this blog on food shopping and meal planning. I love to choose ingredients and get a great bargain. I choose my oils and spices as wisely as I can, and always on a tight budget. 

I typically purchase ingredients rather than semi- prepared or frozen foods. Good advice on sources for food are plentiful- bulk goods and ethnic groceries are key. Same here.  With that said, I’m going to kick this off by listing my pantry staples along with their estimated prices:

various canned beans $.79 

canned tomato products (crushed, chopped, with and without basil etc) $.99-$1.99

whole wheat pastas $.89-$2.99

tomato paste (tube) $2.50

pesto paste (tube) $5.00 (good for emergency meals)

dried granola cereal $2.50/lb 

whole wheat pastry flour

all-purpose unbleached white flour

rye/buckwheat flours

maple syrup

olive oil

coconut oil

sunflower oil

grapeseed oil

balsamic vinegar $4.00

dry white cooking wine – Goya brand $1.19 

to be completed later