Splurge VS SAVE

Grocery prices are sky rocketing, onions are sprawled over the streets of Pukekohe, eggs are being rationed – what is happening in this world! We are all having to become smarter shoppers, but there’s always something worth splurging on. I asked the Nourish community where they save their pennies and what they won’t sacrifice when it comes to their shopping basket.

Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Nourish magazine editor - Forget that chemical essence crap, Vicki always uses proper vanilla extract –almost always Heilala Vanilla. She loves Heilala because she’s seen it being produced in Tonga and loves what they have done with this community just as much she loves the product.

Currently it feels like even the basics, like butter, is a splurge but a can of tinned tomatoes is still a trusty save. With a few additions, a tin of tomatoes can become anything from a tasty pasta or pizza sauce, will bulk out a casserole or mince and even make a half decent minestrone soup.

Denise Irvine, food writer - Gutsy, grassy roast lamb is the taste of Denise’s childhood. Her father raised their meat and her mother cooked it beautifully. In memory of this, when she craves roast lamb, she splurges on a butcher's best.

Denise does what we all should – saves on water! She always drinks it straight from the tap, at no cost, and feels thankful to live in a country where we can do this. She thinks bottled water is overrated, overpriced, and there’s the issue of recycling the plastic involved. You can tart tap water up a bit with ice, lemon and mint, and you're still saving money whilst treading a little more lightly on the planet.

Kathy Paterson, food writer - Kathy splurges on good quality parmesan, extra virgin olive oil and meat. She saves with a garden bursting with green leafy vegetables, and she tops up her fridge by buying perfectly imperfect vegetables and fruit.

Amber Bremner, food writer - Amber’s family made the decision years ago that fresh produce was not something they would cut corners on. Of course, they'll always buy what’s seasonal, but as a mostly plant-based household, veggies are the cornerstone of their diet. However, she always buys the cheapest legumes available, whether dry to cook from scratch (which is both the cheapest and nicest way to have them) or canned for convenience. You won't find any gourmet beans in a glass jar in their house!

Fiona Hugues, food writer - When it comes to ingredients, Fiona is a firm believer that you should buy the best that one can afford. Inferior old anchovies, tasteless olives, metal tainted olive oil and tired watery mozzarella can completely ruin a dish or meal, so she’d rather leave them out. For this precious reason she’s the gal that buys up all the reduced to clear products to save her pennies. She just loves a bargain and those bright wee stickers beckon her from across the store. The discounted best before products are what she’s after (not to be confused with best by) as they usually have weeks of life left in them.

Lisa Quarrie, Hayes Common and Weave Eatery - Lisa splurges on good olives, olive oil, chocolate and coffee. The quality is noticeably better, and deeper flavour is a bonus. Good quality chocolate and coffee are often sourced more sustainably and ethically too, which is always something to consider when shopping. She saves on tinned beans and tomatoes, as well as using frozen veggies to boost up dishes such as edamame, cauliflower rice and peas.

Wayne Good, Arkanda Living and Interiors - Wayne never worries about labels when it comes to the basic staples. He buys whatever is cheapest on the day. But he does invest in good quality, fresh ingredients, especially free-range chicken. As one of the perks of going to France, Wayne always brings back the luxurious fois gras to stash away in his cupboard, which is always a splurge!

Anna Greentree, Vetro Hamilton - Anna always spends a good amount of money on a decent vinegar, especially if using it for dipping or drizzling purposes. A little goes a very long way and makes all the difference if it is high quality and well-aged. She’s always happy to save money on frozen veggies – there is no need to pay top dollar for branded frozen veggies when they have all been manufactured in the same way.

Jana Hart, The Bikery - Jana splurges on maple syrup. She says the 100% Canadian maple syrup has a better flavour and no nasties in the ingredients. I’m with her on that one! She also splurges on champagne ham, as its thicker and better tasting than the sandwich ham. Jana goes budget when it comes to tinned beetroot, pineapple and tomatoes. She feels tinned items are much of a muchness.

As for myself, it’s my weekly challenge to keep the grocery bill as low as possible. I write a weekly menu and a detailed shopping list that I stick to, which makes a huge difference. I save on pantry staples, buy seasonally, and work out how I can adapt a recipe if one of the ingredients has an eye watering price tag. Flaky salt is something I won’t compromise on though. I use it far more than I should but you just can’t beat it.

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