When I worked regularly out of an office in Midtown Manhattan, I was somewhat taken aback by what many of my coworkers regularly relied on for lunch staples. Yes, it’s true that oftentimes you just need some fuel and nutrients to get you through a major project (or rehearsal), and thinking about glycemic indexes is not at the top of your priority list. It’s also true that areas like MiMA or, increasingly, Lincoln Center have the tendency to be culinary wastelands. And you’ll hear no argument from me that many of the Pax-type joints that label themselves as “wholesome fast food” are ticking budget bombs that leave you shelling out $15 for a wilted salad.
But with a little legwork, I found a few standby places to supplement my packed lunches. The Japanese curry place that I visited at least once a week may not have been an organic mecca Chez Panisse, but its fare came with generous portions of cabbage, was based in steamed rice, and the curry sauce was at least closer to food than the neighboring McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King—and at $6 basically cost the same. When your body is your instrument, you start to learn—like this month’s cover girl Lisette Oropesa—that the fuel you put into it is later reflected in the performances you churn out of it. However, for a time we’ve also been told that the more organic and healthful the food, the more expensive it becomes. It’s why many people justify their dollar value meals and opt for cheap frozen meals over fresh produce.
Writing for Salon.com in 2009, Siobhan Phillips noted that “[j]ust as the need for better food choices became more widely accepted, our economy fell apart, and consumers who once considered free-range, $5-a-dozen eggs a necessity may start eyeing the caged-hens carton for half that price.”
Morgan Spurlock was able to prove the dangers of subsisting on Big Macs, but what he doesn’t reveal is that he’s able, as a celebrity and husband of a vegan chef, to subsidize a healthful lifestyle. His later television series, 30 Days, featured Spurlock and his partner living on minimum wage, foregoing vegan stir-fries (priced at $8 a serving), and subsisting on a weekly salary of $178.47 after taxes, which meant a lot of Saltine crackers.
Simple substitutions that many financial advisors offer, like dropping Starbucks in favor of organic meats, are well intentioned but not universally applicable (I make my coffee at home and still balk at the idea of paying $9 for a pound of beef). And it’s a safe assumption that many people reading this magazine don’t have yards or kitchens that can accommodate gardens or bulk purchasing. I’ve mentioned in previous $50 Week articles that food stamps are an increasingly viable option—even Whole Foods accepts them—but what if you don’t qualify and still have a tight purse (and even tighter kitchen)? Read on for other ways of eating ethically, organically, and cheaply.
Plan—and Shop—from Home
Every Sunday, my husband and I pull up FreshDirect.com and plan out our meals for the week and shop accordingly. There’s a lot of money saved in that sentence. Shopping on a website like FreshDirect or Peapod means you’re not going to fight against crowds while comparing prices on various brands of eggs, you’re not going to get caught up in a checkout aisle blackout that results in buying unnecessary bags of pita chips or fashion magazines, and—provided you stick to your cooking plan for the week—you’re not going to waste money on food that you never end up using. You also won’t be surprised when you see the grand total as you can view your cart and subtotal (before a nominal $5 delivery fee) as you shop and prune accordingly.
Know What to Buy . . .
For starters, not everything has to be organic. The Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) maintains a list of the “Dirty Dozen” and the “Clean 15,” which gives you a good idea of where you can cut organic corners. Foods with the most potential for contamination and pesticides—apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, imported nectarines and grapes, sweet bell peppers, potatoes, domestic blueberries, lettuce, and kale—have thin or no skins and are more healthful when bought organically. Other forms of produce, however (including onions, sweet corn, pineapples, avocado, asparagus, sweet peas, cabbage, and sweet potatoes) contain lower amounts of pesticides and can be bought in their non-organic forms. You could even skip out on the Dirty Dozen entirely if you’re game for some sacrifices.
And speaking of sacrifices, you could do what this month’s cover girl Oropesa did and cut out meat to save some green. Nonprofit initiative Meatless Monday believes that going vegetarian one day a week can be a huge boon to your health, including reducing your risks for cancer and heart disease and lowering your weight, while also reducing your carbon footprint. Oropesa went fully meatless after realizing it was the one item that she and her fiancé bought regularly, never used, and threw out. Dropping meat entirely not only saved them money, it pushed them to eat more healthfully and explore legumes and grains that were loaded with fiber and protein and much lower in fat.
. . . And When to Buy It
Buying in season will save you big. Foodie website Epicurious has an invaluable interactive map to help you determine what is in season by your state and month (www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/seasonalcooking/farmtotable/seasonalingredientmap). New Yorkers this month will find the best deals on broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and winter squash—strawberries, not so much. However, if you’re in California, you’ll find December best for kiwis, lemons, oranges, mushrooms, and beets. Some states like Massachusetts get the short end of the stick with dormant growing seasons, which means you can prepare to spend more on imports from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire.
Or, you can go frozen. While canning reduces the nutritional value of most fruits and vegetables, freezing produce preserves the inherent vitamins and minerals and extends the shelf life of your blueberries or Brussels sprouts. Organic brands like Cascadian Farms and Whole Foods’ budget in-store brand 365 have caught wise to this as well. Frozen bags also save you some chopping, which should be a rare bonus—buying fresh precut produce will save you time but cost you big.
Have a Strong Foundation
Some pantry staples will last a while and can even keep you from having to shop once a week if you’re in a pinch. A well stocked spice rack can be a pricy endeavor at first, but pays off handsomely. Most ground spices last two to three years and whole spices like peppercorns last even longer. Herbs and seasoning blends are good from one to three years—so unless you’re addicted to garlic powder, you can get a decent amount of mileage out of some jars. Mark the date you open each jar to keep track.
Buying in Costco-style bulk isn’t always convenient for city dwellers, but the bulk aisles in grocery stores can help you out when it comes to grains like quinoa, bulgur, rolled oats, rice, and farro, as well as beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds. You save money on brand names and packaging and you can store your staples cheaply in a set of IKEA jars like Burken or Slom.
Start from Scratch
Even brands like Amy’s, which are full of whole foods, fall short when it comes to pre-made frozen meals. Like most people, I keep a few Evol rice bowls in the freezer in case of emergency; however, they’re not cheap and they’re not great if you’re watching your sodium intake.
If you’re adventurous when it comes to cooking, search recipes on websites like 101Cookbooks.com or Chow.com to find ways of making basic whole-grain breads and beef jerky to deeper cuts like cheese and yogurt. Daunting? Yes, but totally doable. Or, for an easier start, check out the chili recipe on p. 13 for a perfect make-ahead dish that’s loaded with nutrients, freezes well, and will run you a cost of about $2 per serving. If you’re of the vegetarian persuasion, you can simply substitute the meat with a couple pounds of kidney, pinto, or other favorite beans, soaked overnight and drained.
