When you’re looking to get the most out of your kitchen and cooking, you should always have one eye on the ingredients. A couple of factors come into play for me and cost, sustainability and quality are my top three.
Cost
This one is really important and is why, with a Delicious and Real subscription, you can chose the ingredients that you buy. I do a weekly online shop as I don’t have the time to go to the supermarket every week!! I also do a bulk shop to Aldi where I stock on my store cupboard essentials: I tend to do this every 8 weeks.
Keep Things Seasonal
First of all, you should try to keep things as seasonal as possible when it comes to cooking at home. Seasonal produce is often cheaper and better quality. Take strawberries as an example: they are much cheaper, tastier and redder in the summer months!
Find your local Farm Shops and Farmer’s Markets
It’s never a bad idea to see what you can find at the local farms and farm shops in your area. Cooking at home with local ingredients is more sustainable and it supports the local famers. I find that this produce is much better quality and lasts longer (it hasn’t been shipped and stored for long lengths of time)
Check out the Delivery Services that are Available in your Area
The market is flooded with this and they all offer different things: you need to find the one that fits you best.
Currently, I am receiving a fortnightly Oddbox delivery: they save fruit and vegetables from going to waste. It isn’t all local, but I do like the fact that I saving the odd, the wonky and the surplus.
I also receive a monthly Earth and Wheat box: this contains wonky bread produce from local bakeries. Again, it is a way of reducing food waste.
Find Local Stores with Local Produce
Finding local stores that offer the best local produce is one of the best things you can do when it comes to buying staple ingredients for your kitchen. So if you have a good fruit and veg store in your local community, you should really make the most of it because it could offer just what you’re looking for. When it comes to that kind of thing, freshness and locality are key.
There are plenty of ways in which you can source the best ingredients for your kitchen: each of them will serve you well when it comes to finding the very best ingredients for you.
