Inflation dominates the news, and everything we seem to be talking about New York Times Cooking (virtual) head office is how much groceries cost?. My colleague Margaux Laskey has compiled a list of: 19 recipes that require relatively inexpensive ingredients to get you through this time.
Inspired by Margaux, I’ve picked five additional value-for-money recipes that I love for this week’s newsletter. And here are a few ground rules when you think about meals and current supermarket prices: go away from meat (which is significantly more expensive, especially beef) or create recipes that use it in smaller quantities. Embrace vegetables and beans, which suffer less from inflation. Canned tuna is your friend, just like anchovies, which can bring incredible flavor to your cooking.
Tell me what you cook and how you’ve changed your habits considering the economy: [email protected]. I read every note.
1. Chicken zucchini meatballs with feta
In general, meatballs are an economical way to eat meat: ground meat is less expensive than steaks or chicken breasts, and the meat is “stretched” with added ingredients. A little goes a longer way. In this excellent Ali Slagle recipe, the addition of zucchini is always cheap and now plentiful.
2. Cold Tofu Salad With Tomatoes And Peaches
Fresh fruits and vegetables are less prone to inflation, making this gorgeous silken tofu salad from Hana Asbrink a great choice for dinner. Serve it with greens or with rice noodles tossed in some of the dressing.
4. Vegan coconut ginger black beans
Beans are not only extremely versatile and climate-friendly, they are also quite affordable, especially if you start with dried beans. You can lavishly feed yourself with recipes like this one, from Ali Slagle, which combines black beans with coconut milk, a classic combination that can be found in a variety of cuisines.