Cheap ingredients

[Gary]

I'm in cost-cutting mode these days. Gone are the times where I buy groceries without looking at the prices. Such is the life of a soon-to-be-divorced guy with a serious baking addiction. Too much money is going to lawyers... not enough to grocery stores.

OK... I need some advice here. I've been looking at these trade-offs:

- Store-brand chocolate chips instead of Nestle's or Ghiradelli

- Imitation vanilla extract instead of Nielsen-Massey

- Margarine instead of Land Of Lakes butter

Where have you had baking success with less-than-optimum ingredients?

Gary

[Megan Blocker]

Sorry to hear about your divorce, Gary. But at least you have baking to see you through, right?

My advice on those three things would be - don't use margarine instead of butter. The flavor and consistency sacrifices aren't worth it. That said, nothing wrong with using a cheaper butter - I recently switched from Land o' Lakes to Cabot, which is about $1.50 less, at least at my supermarket. I haven't noticed a difference at all!

Again, on the vanilla - don't go imitation, but do go down a notch. Switch from Nielsen-Massey to McCormack's or a store brand - but make sure it's real vanilla extract.

Chocolate chips are the biggest screw in the world - I can never believe how expensive they are. Sometimes I buy a semisweet chocolate bar or two from a high-end gourmet store (say, Dean and Deluca) for $1.50 each and just chop them up. I get fun, different-sized chips, and for about half the price of a bag of Nestle.

I feel your pain - I live on a pretty tight budget, since most of my money goes to rent (aaaah, Manhattan), and also have a massive baking addiction. I also conserve by buying lower-end brands of baking chocolate (Baker's rather than, say, Scharffen Berger).

[annarborfoodie]

It seems like these items on your list could be skimped on less painfully by way of a trip to Trader Joe's. Their chocolate chips are awesome and about $1.50 a bag. Vanilla is $5 for a bottle (I'm not sure how many oz - maybe 5?). And Cabot butter is about $3.50.

[I_call_the_duck]

I love Trader Joe's chocolate. I buy their blocks, and make my own chips. How about generic flour and sugar?

And I'm sorry to hear about your divorce.

[RuthWells]

I'm in cost-cutting mode these days.  Gone are the times where I buy groceries without looking at the prices.  Such is the life of a soon-to-be-divorced guy with a serious baking addiction.  Too much money is going to lawyers... not enough to grocery stores. 

OK... I need some advice here.  I've been looking at these trade-offs:

- Store-brand chocolate chips instead of Nestle's or Ghiradelli

- Imitation vanilla extract instead of Nielsen-Massey

- Margarine instead of Land Of Lakes butter

Where have you had baking success with less-than-optimum ingredients? 

Gary

←

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles, Gary. I would recommend checking out local wholesale clubs in your area -- I get my (off-brand but quite serviceable) butter there for something like $1.80 per pound. If you can buy in bulk, you can save money on most things.

[jgm]

A couple of stabs in the dark:

Can you find a few people to bake for? Making a little money from your baking would allow you more money for quality ingredients. I think there are plenty of people out there who would love to have high-quality, home-baked items but don't want to do it themselves. To increase the convenience factor, you could even sell frozen cookie dough to these individuals, so that they can have warm cookies, straight from the oven. You might also look for a small business or bed and breakfast who might want that service for snacks or gifts for clients.

If you know any professionals in the food industry, and if they'd be willing to help you out, you might explore the possibility of purchasing ingredients from them.

My heart goes out to you; I work in a family law office and I see situations like yours often. I would expect your situation to be temporary. Things should improve significantly within a year or two.

[Radio7]

I just wanted to add: Don't forget, coupons!

I see a number of baking-related coupons in the sunday newspaper from week to week. I'll second the Trader Joe's vote also.

cheers!

[Mottmott]

Sorry to hear about the lawyers' bills, and I wish you a bright happy future. Make lemonade.

Careful though, don't translate all that baking into pounds of problems. Use the goodies to shower on friends.

Check out Cook's Illustrated for economy tips. They're really good about the best everyday balsamic (WF's 365 brand) or the vanilla question (they claim fake vanilla's not discernable in baked goods). And if you need to replace kitchen equipment, they're invaluable. As well as eG. Most libraries will have years worth of back CI issues.

TJ's is good, but for baking I'd spring for the Plugra! Also consider joining a coop if there's one near you. Check out here. It not only will bring good quality food at good prices, but you may meet some new interesting people with whom to share all those baked goodies. Farmers markets are often a good source for good produce to make pies and tarts. If you have Asian or other ethnic grocery stores near you, you can often find good ingredients such as dried mushrooms and spices more economical.

Examine the rest of your diet for places to save money, and even do savory baking. You can make may things you might otherwise buy. Make your own pizza and quick dinners, etc. instead of ordering out. You can turn even leftovers into wonderful dinners, for example empanadas, turnovers, spring rolls, potstickers, pizzas, etc. Some oil based doughs (especially good with savory tarts) and cakes will be less pricy than butter based (see Italian cookbooks and websites). Make a ton of ravioli and gnocchi for pennies instead of paying $5. for a handful of the commercial frozen versions. I make big batches and freeze them (separated on trays, frozen, then bagged for storage), not so much to save money as to enjoy better and more varied pasta. They make a wonderful quick meal for one or a special company dinner. As a bonus they often require little more than a simple butter or oil sauce with a dusting of cheese, bread crumbs, herbs, chopped nuts, squeeze of lemon, etc. (Dinner in the time it takes to bring the water to a boil.)

Use the library for cookbooks that feature peasant and traditional cuisines that shine at turning very inexpensive ingredients into feasts.

Turn your baking creativity to also making your own bread and crackers. A 5 lb bag of KA flour costs about $3., but a single loaf of good bread costs about $3-5. With your own bread, a little good cheese and home made soup can be a magnificent and cheap meal. Especially if you have some delicious home made dessert to finish it.

Often economy is better achieved by not wasting than by buying cheaper foods. I find the better the quality of what I eat, the less I need of it. Use your freezer to save bits of this and that to turn into savory tarts, empanadas, pizzas, and soups or stews. Save leftover egg whites or yolks for future baking, etc. Use the orange, grapefruit, lemon peel from your fruit to candy and use in your baking. Not only cheaper but fresher and tastier than most candied fruit you buy. Bones, chicken backs, and cheap meat cuts are the basis of stocks, the sauces derived from them, and wonderful inexpensive soups, stews, braises. Do some vegetarian meals each week to balance off the high fat content of baked goods as well as save money. Look to risottos for dishes that can be made quickly and turn bits of leftovers or even just a couple shrimp or clams into a luxury meal.

Have fun.

[Beanie]

Sorry to hear about your situation. I have a few more comments about Cook's Illustrated taste testings on vanilla. The most recent taste test (in February) is described on its web site, but only by subscription. This is a summary of the test: They tested 7 real and 2 artificial extracts in a panna cotta recipe. They also followed a standard industry protocol of mixing each extract with milk to detect specific characteristics of the extract. Eighteen people participated in the test. They were shocked at the results. Nobody could tell the difference. Artificial extracts took first and third place in the panna cotta tasting and the top two spots in the milk tasting. Nielsen-Massey and Penzey were the top two real extracts. I don't know what brands of artificial extract were, but I bet McCormick would be fine.

[lesfen]

Sorry about le divorce. I know that my husband's ex-wife is using top-shelf baking ingredients and it pisses me off.

Ditto on the off-brand butter. I only buy Land-O-Lakes if the store is running a killer deal AND I have a coupon.

Now this is gonna sound stupid... I don't know where Northville is... but are you close to any farms that might have chickens? In my experience (at least 'round here), farms that have an "Eggs 4 Sale" sign out front should actually have an "Eggs 4 Free" sign. The folks that I've dealt with would rather make you a deal than waste the eggs. I don't have time to do it every week, but if I'm planning on making something special, I'll make the drive and get some amazing and cheap (free!) farm fresh eggs.

[Gary]

Many thanks for the outpouring of support. Much appreciated!

I'm a good guy who wanted to work things out but found out my wife is having a serious mid-life crisis. I can't save the marriage so I am exacting my revenge by fattening her up on baked goods while the process unfolds. She and I are still in the house together (with 2 kids).

I can just imagine her complaining to her friends that her "evil" husband is making too many baked goods. Ha ha ha (sinister laugh).

The suggestion on Trader Joe's is a good one. I'll have to look beyond their great cereal aisle for all my bakery supplies.

By the way, the divorce diet is a good one. I'm baking like mad and have dropped 7 pounds. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

[Mottmott]

Sorry about le divorce.  I know that my husband's ex-wife is using top-shelf baking ingredients and it pisses me off. 

←

From someone who's been on both sides of the "X." And no doubt you can find something to piss her off too. But if there are kids from that marriage, make her your best friend. Swap baked goodies when you swap the kiddies on the weekend. You'll be surprised how sweet it can be to be sisters-in-law in the X jungle.

[I_call_the_duck]

Whole Foods also has a good bulk section, and you can find great deals there too. Go there or health food stores to get nuts and other dry goods at a reasonable price--and they're usually of better quality than pre-packaged.

Take advantage of the 2-for-1 offers at the supermarket. There's often butter and other staples for sale. Double/Triple coupons.

Mottmott, I love your ideas on economizing on the savory side. Every now and then we have "leftovers omelet" or a "leftovers burrito." While we're talking savory, when the supermarket is offering 2-for-1 for a whole chicken, we get a couple. One goes in the freezer, the other is made into soup. With one chicken, I get about five quarts of soup, four very generous servings of chicken salad, and two chicken pot pies.

[Patrick S]

I'm in cost-cutting mode these days.  Gone are the times where I buy groceries without looking at the prices.  Such is the life of a soon-to-be-divorced guy with a serious baking addiction.  Too much money is going to lawyers... not enough to grocery stores. 

OK... I need some advice here.  I've been looking at these trade-offs:

- Store-brand chocolate chips instead of Nestle's or Ghiradelli

- Imitation vanilla extract instead of Nielsen-Massey

- Margarine instead of Land Of Lakes butter

Where have you had baking success with less-than-optimum ingredients? 

Gary

←

Definitely dump the NM extract in favor of a cheaper version. I use Tone's brand, because I can get 16ozs for a great price at a warehouse club.

I would definitely NOT try to save too much money on the chocolate. You can get great chocolate for just a little bit more.

[Patrick S]

And just to reiterate what others have already said, you always save money when you buy in bulk. For instance buy your flour and sugar in 25lb bags, your chocolate 5lbs at a time, etc.. If you have access to a warehouse club like Sam's, definitely check that out. To the extent that you can do that, you'll save money.

[Katie Nell]

What about Mexican vanilla extract? I know some people don't like the flavor of it, but I actually prefer it, and you can find it really cheap!

I always get the store brand butter or Always Save or whatever, and I don't notice a difference... however, I do notice a difference if I buy marg instead of butter... not good!

[Mottmott]

Every now and then we have "leftovers omelet" or a "leftovers burrito." 

←

Don't forget frittatas. What's wonderful about them is that, unlike omelets, I find them appetizing at room temperature, and their left overs can be added to soups or salads. Another good egg vehicle for leftovers is custard which makes wonderful additions to a meal. When you live alone, using up everything can become a challenge.

[K8memphis]

On the butter, try to still get the grade AA. It's marked on the box. I've found that our least expensive brand of butter seems to have more water in it. But the store brand double A grade butter is fine and you still get the price break. Blessings on you & your family.

[jgarner53]

To add to the chorus on TJ's, I get my butter (about $2.79/lb), cream, eggs, milk and much of my chocolate there.

If you have a Smart & Final (or are they just in California?), you can buy bulk pounds of butter (rather than being wrapped in quarters), half gallons of cream, and large bags of flour, sugar, brown sugar, powdered, etc. that will save you.

I definitely agree with trying to make a little money off your addiction. Try taking your stuff into work and asking for "ingredients donations" to help defray the cost. Maybe 50¢ a cookie or $1 for a slice of cake. People generally love home-baked treats, especially as fewer and fewer do it themselves.

[R Washburn]

Yes, buying in bulk is the key. I bought 44# of Callebaut chocolate for $2.83/# from Fairway, butter from Costco and Tahitian Vanilla extract for $30/L from Assouline&Ting.

Don't compromise too much on the quality of ingredients.

[Malawry]

I have found that cheaper store-brand flour works well, but it tends to require sifting before use--it's a little more likely to be bunched up in little flour "pills" than the national brands. Sometimes I have the same problem with store-brand sugar, as well.

IMO, butter is the last thing to skimp on. I can understand not using Plugra or Land O' Lakes, but margarine is far inferior to the real deal. I buy most of my unsalted butter from Costco where it's not as expensive, and stock up on Plugra at Trader Joe's for special occasions.

[rickster]

I've found Trader Joes has the best prices on nuts and dried fruits too. Much better than Whole Foods bulk.

Edited September 27, 2005 by rickster (log)

[CanadianBakin']

I have found that cheaper store-brand flour works well, but it tends to require sifting before use--it's a little more likely to be bunched up in little flour "pills" than the national brands. Sometimes I have the same problem with store-brand sugar, as well.

←

I have found that you have to watch the protein content in store-brand flour. I tried using some for bread and it really didn't work well at all. In the US your all-purpose flour has lower protein to start so it might not be as much an issue. I just watch for sales on the 10 kg bags of brand-name flour. Costco has great prices on 20 kg bags if you've got room to store it.

Chocolate chips are a funny thing. Like any other chocolate product I guess it's a personal preference. When looking for a brand that I would use consistently at a shop I baked for, I tried a number of different ones and ended up deciding on a no name brand. I was suprised! Chocolate liquor is the second ingredient with cocoa butter being the third. For me it seemed the higher chocolate liquor appeared on the list the better they tasted. So you may be able to "cheap out" at least for chocolate chips.

Marg/butter...it really depends what you are cooking and who you are cooking for. For instance, I'm in the midst of baking a b'jillion cookies for middle school students. There is no way they're going to know the difference so marg is fine. I know it's not the best flavour but if butter isn't really a featured flavour in a recipe then you can get away with margarine without most people noticing. Obviously butter should be used in pastry, sugar cookies, shortbread etc.

Here's hoping for a time when you can use the best ingredients again!

Edited September 27, 2005 by CanadianBakin' (log)

[chefpeon]

they claim fake vanilla's not discernable in baked goods (Cook's Illustrated)

After I read this article, I was really surprised, as I had come to believe the "fact" that nothing tastes like real pure vanilla extract. I re-created the taste test with my staff at the cake shop, and

no one there could tell the diff either. It convinced me. Call me blasphemous, but I have no problem using artificial vanilla, even if I can afford the more expensive "authentic" stuff.

I agree with CanadianBakin' about the chocolate chips. The store brand in my town has a better ingredient list on it than the Nestle brand. I always buy the cheap chips. However, when I am making something where chocolate is the MAIN ingredient, I use the better quality stuff. Like for instance, in mousses and ganache....not to mention truffles.

Also, like everyone else, I wouldn't use margarine. It's butter or nothin' for me!

[Saffy]

I too have been through a divorce and some very lean times.

I think it was actually the BEST thing for my cooking skills. I was so broke I had to often try to come up with something out of very little.

There are some excellent suggestions already given. Something else I would like to add is to try to incorporate lots of seasonal fruit into your baking. You can make some wonderful things and using seasonal fruit makes it much cheaper, especially if you are using bulk bought flour and sugar.

I use essence rather than extract, but I also have some vanilla beans in some sugar so that when I really want to use the real thing I have it there. But for everyday baking the essence is fine.

It is amazing how many things you can make with the seasonal fruit/vege.. it will really make you think creatively. Because I was broke we discovered beetroot and chocolate cake, zucchini cake, pumpkin and chocolate bars, homemade pita bread, homemade pizza and foccacia, homemade jellies and muesli bars. It goes on and on.. now I see it as a challenge, I never buy anything preprepared.. I will always try to find a recipe and make it from scratch ( whatever it is )

Look on it as a challenge to extend your repetoire and try out some new things based around what is on special or in season.