Better Baking on a Budget

All right fine, so I’m kinda snobby now. I spent enough time at the cooking school, listening to chefs talk about ingredients and so now I can be a little more fussy and particular than I was before.

But I’m not made of money either, so especially when I am making gifts for the holidays there is a tension between the level of quality I want to give and the amount I want to spend.

After this past year of intensive cooking, I think I’ve started compiling a pretty decent list of go-to places and other budget options so that I can maximize what I am spending, cut a couple of corners I find acceptable and still feel that I am giving the best to friends and family.

My biggest money saver over recent years: If you do now, you should never again buy spices in a jar. NEVER! Bulk spices are so much fresher and more affordable, once you start, you will lament the dollars spent on jarred spices.

Organic Valley Coupons – This seems to be a solid and widely-available organic brand.  Their coupons require you to download some software.  The last few times I’ve checked they included $1/off milk and butter, cottage cheese, cheese, soy, etc. 

Eating Well Coupons - Eating Well often offers coupons on seasonal items for holiday baking.  As of the writing of this post, the current list included a coupon for $1 off organic vanilla.  They also often have Organic Valley coupons as well.

Trader Joe's is known for their bargains, and from a quality perspective, I think they do well for the price with the below products:

• Nuts
• Chocolate (Dana Cree mentioned in a candy class once that she thinks their store brand Pound Plus bars work well for home confectionery.  This was about a year ago, and since their suppliers and formulations can change, I wouldn't necessarily still hold her to it.  But I use them often and find them to be serviceable and a good value.)
• Dairy
• Eggs
• King Arthur Flour
• Citrus
• Fresh Herbs
• Plugra European Butter (So many food professionals recommend this butter, and TJ's price is a STEAL.  I buy it and keep it in the freezer so I always have good butter without spending an arm and leg.)

PFI (Seattle Metro Only)

• Mediterranean Products
• Bulk Callebaut and Guittard Chocolates (Pricier than TJ's Pound Plus, but really delish, with complex flavors that work well in candies or baked good where the chocolate is the star.  Sold in giant 10-lb blocks or in broken off chunks of various sizes.)
• Cheese
• Bulk Flours
• Bulk Spices

PCC Natural Markets (Seattle Metro Only) 

• Bulk Spices, Nuts and Grains. Vanilla beans and cinnamon sticks on the cheap.

Most grocery stores are running sales on baking supplies through the holiday season. Even if you are not baking for the holidays, if you bake, now is the time to stock up on sugar, sweetened condensed milk for Dulce De Leche, etc.. Unfortunately, a lot of the stuff isn’t organic, but if you are okay with using some non-organic but decent brands, you can save a lot on staples.

Comments

[owen]

Thanks for the tip on the organic valley coupons.