Saturday, September 12, 2009

Fun with Frugality and Foraging

I can't forage for mussels because the water is polluted.
It's really difficult to make acorns into edible acorn-meal. I looked it up.
So many mushrooms are poisonous...better not to risk it. Charles doesn't like mushrooms anyways.
Escargot with the garden snails? Yuck.

This leaves visiting Dad and picking his leftover tomatoes as the only viable foraging available to me in Southern California. Not very satisfying. I will continue my search.

I'm really fascinated by hunting for free food now that I'm less-employed (not unemployed because I do work for money, but certainly less employed than I was). But first I need to exhaust the resources I have on hand. I've been stuffing food in the cupboards for years like a squirrel hoarding nuts for winter - don't we all? But now I look at the piles of pasta, rice and canned soup I have accumulated, and the italian-style bread crumbs, curries, instant potatoes and the bag of "pigeon pea", with renewed interest. Fervor even. Because I'm going to use it. We're going to eat it. And we're going to save a heap of money in the process.

For me, it's an adventure in Frugality. Frugalism? Frugalness? Either way, it's actually a lot of fun to be resourceful. (You can probably tell that I have not yet run out of coffee - I found half of a bag in the freezer last week from God-knows-when).

2 comments:

Pocketmouse said...

you need to start avoiding Ralphs and even Albertsons to save $ and start buying stuff only if its on sale...that means you can't have a "planned" menu for the week.

Find a persian or mexican or indian market near you. even the asian market we went to (99 ranch market) isn't as cheap.

I sometimes go to orange county (irvine) mainly to shop for veggies and fruits
(http://www.yelp.com/biz/super-irvine-irvine-2) ...and also to get my protein on (http://www.cafishgrill.com/home.html).

For 2 weeks of veggies and fruits for 2 people.. I always walk out paying only about 20 bucks. Add to that list yoghurt, pitas, and over the counter humus, borani, olives, etc.

Oh and of course we get our beans and broccoli from costco because we seriously are major grazers. ;)

it's INSANELY worth it.

What's your food budget? I could do better but I have it at about 200/mo right now (veggies, groceries, occasional take outs--but only from that fish place LOL). I should try to bring it down to 180 next month..lets see...i've fallen off the "must buy on sale and in orange county" wagon since i got "busy."

Pocketmouse said...

Oh and I kno i can bring it down by not buying that occasionally overpriced papaya or oranges...but i don't skimp on the berries or fruits.