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After a December spent dining out and splurging on fancy meats and cheeses for holiday hosting, I’m looking forward to low-key cooking and few, if any, trips to the grocery store. Bring on the one-pot meals and freezer-diving.
I made a similar effort to avoid grocery shopping last January and it was surprisingly enjoyable. It’s not a new year’s resolution per se, but a chance to reset the ol’ food budget, clean out the deep freeze and get creative with pantry ingredients.
The house is particularly well-stocked this time around. Not because I’ve been preparing for this challenge, but because my shopping habits have shifted towards bulk purchases and my freezer has become a frosty little workhorse.
It may be time to clean out your freezer. (Jonathan Hayward / The Canadian Press files)
Dishers may recall my September missive on lazy food preservation; nearly everything from the garden landed in the freezer, which is still bursting with tomatoes and green beans.
I also keep a stash of frozen veg scraps on the go for stock and have started freezing blocks of tofu — a game-changer for the texture. Just toss medium to extra-firm tofu in the freezer, packaging and all, and defrost when ready to use. I do so by opening the container and letting it drain in a colander in the sink, which accomplishes the same thing as pressing the tofu.
Another bean-related tip: use a pressure cooker to rehydrate dried legumes and freeze the extras. They’re too mushy for salads, but work great in pasta, soups, dips and sauces.
Beyond the freezer, we’ve got an abundance of root vegetables, thanks to our winter CSA share, and we’ll be receiving fresh eggs from our biweekly farm subscription. We’re also card-carrying Costco members again so there’s plenty of canned goods and at least one torso-sized bag of rice lying around. I see many stews, curries and quiches in my future.
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My goal is to go a full month without doing a major grocery shop, but I’m not going to be militant about it. If we run out of a staple item — such as bread, milk or potato chips (yes, chips are a staple for me) — I’ll feel zero guilt about going to the store. It’s about experimenting with what’s on hand, not deprivation.
If you’re keen, I invite you to join me in this “no new groceries” challenge in whatever way speaks to you. I also welcome your money-saving tips for grocery shopping, cooking and food storage — I’m writing a story on the subject and would love to include your input!
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