Food Prices

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by you&me

Yeah, this is pretty stupid if the argument to offset produce costs is to build or purchase a "mini greenhouse" (or a second "isolated" one if you want to grow mushrooms)

By all means, grow your own produce if you want, but looking at it purely as a cost-saving measure seems silly.

I didn't mean it was a huge savings, but I do literally believe if I plan my approach correctly, it could help to reduce the costs of certain consumables. I am on the same page as you. I don't actually view the whole thing as a pure cost savings measure. Anyone blindly setting up a greenhouse to reduce food costs or replace grocery trips is probably going to fail miserably and starve.

If the issue is with the fact I said it could make a dent, then that's poor wording. My bad. I meant it in the sense that personally, I find I'm spending around $100-150 a year on some infrequent items and I think I could actually grow that stuff instead of purchasing, using a little and then the rest rots and is wasted because I can't use it all.

I haven't done a set up yet, but I've been looking into the scenario. I have a storage room in my house where maybe I'm leaning towards just doing a $50 grow light and have some random #### in trays on a #### wire shelf I already have. Not some full blown green house thing. Even at $10-20 a month in extra costs and a little bit of time, I think I could break even and start spending less on certain purchases that are relatively regular, but annoyingly infrequent for my situation.

I do believe I would spend less money on the set up and upkeep costs for things I'd be growing vs purchasing. But absolutely it is not a major supplement or attempt at being self sustaining. It'd address stuff that I don't use up that just rots and then I have to buy again. Cloning those plants that would be rotting scrap waste anyways is another facet I'm contemplating.

What I've contemplated growing:

Occasional purchase, excess just rots and it's kinda pricey to repeat purchase: Black garlic, elephant garlic, green onion, chives, shallots, dill (didn't grow well this summer for some reason, doesn't do well in window sill).

Other: Maybe an heirloom tomato plant or two or a pepper plant for fun.

Mushrooms: But honestly speaking, I really don't think it'd work due to how easily it can supposedly get contaminated and rot/die.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

I didn't mean it was a huge savings, but I do literally believe if I plan my approach correctly, it could help to reduce the costs of certain consumables. I am on the same page as you. I don't actually view the whole thing as a pure cost savings measure. Anyone blindly setting up a greenhouse to reduce food costs or replace grocery trips is probably going to fail miserably and starve.

If the issue is with the fact I said it could make a dent, then that's poor wording. My bad. I meant it in the sense that personally, I find I'm spending around $100-150 a year on some infrequent items and I think I could actually grow that stuff instead of purchasing, using a little and then the rest rots and is wasted because I can't use it all.

I haven't done a set up yet, but I've been looking into the scenario. I have a storage room in my house where maybe I'm leaning towards just doing a $50 grow light and have some random #### in trays on a #### wire shelf I already have. Not some full blown green house thing. Even at $10-20 a month in extra costs and a little bit of time, I think I could break even and start spending less on certain purchases that are relatively regular, but annoyingly infrequent for my situation.

I do believe I would spend less money on the set up and upkeep costs for things I'd be growing vs purchasing. But absolutely it is not a major supplement or attempt at being self sustaining. It'd address stuff that I don't use up that just rots and then I have to buy again. Cloning those plants that would be rotting scrap waste anyways is another facet I'm contemplating.

What I've contemplated growing:

Occasional purchase, excess just rots and it's kinda pricey to repeat purchase: Black garlic, elephant garlic, green onion, chives, shallots, dill (didn't grow well this summer for some reason, doesn't do well in window sill).

Other: Maybe an heirloom tomato plant or two or a pepper plant for fun.

Mushrooms: But honestly speaking, I really don't think it'd work due to how easily it can supposedly get contaminated and rot/die.

Peppers, tomatoes, herbs all grow super well here. I think you’ll have success with that. I think you might want to rotate a bit through herbs, depending how often you use them. I don’t think I have had to purchase oregano, dill, parsley, or green onions in several years just from large yields and dehydrating them.

What you’re describing to some degree is making use of the raw ingredients better. You don’t need to buy black garlic or various value-added items from the store. It’s really satisfying to create something from basic ingredients.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Peppers, tomatoes, herbs all grow super well here. I think you’ll have success with that. I think you might want to rotate a bit through herbs, depending how often you use them. I don’t think I have had to purchase oregano, dill, parsley, or green onions in several years just from large yields and dehydrating them.

What you’re describing to some degree is making use of the raw ingredients better. You don’t need to buy black garlic or various value-added items from the store. It’s really satisfying to create something from basic ingredients.

Fair. I don't need to, but I like to.

Dill is one of the main ones I want because I spend like $5-6 on a tiny clam shell every 2-3 months. Pickles, borscht, tartar sauce for fish and chips and cucumber sandwiches use it up fast. Buying dill specifically pisses me off because I grew up around farms and they basically were just weeds. Growing a large batch and then freezing it to save $30-40 a year would be awesome.

Oregano I don't use a lot. Dehydrated parsley though, I use a lot. However, it's pretty cheap. $3-4 and it lasts me half a year. I always add it to soups and stews. But... frozen stuff might taste better. Worth considering.

Dehydrated onions I like having on hand if I run out of onions or they go bad. Dehydrated green onions, not really. Dehydrated chives aren't bad to have on hand, but I often find dehydrated parsley a superior option for the dishes I make.

Black garlic, shallots, fresh green onion, ginger...

When I need green onion, I use a ton. When I don't lots of it rots. Same as ginger. Especially when I am making large batches of chicken congee.

Garlic, I often buy a jar of minced garlic. It's far cheaper than cloves IMO. I've done the same with jars of minced ginger. But I don't really like processed green onion. Green onion, I would probably research a Korean or Chinese large version. Extra large yields I'd make green onion pancake. If it's somewhat leek like, it goes great in curries and is better than onion IMO.

Minced chives, green onion and ginger I like putting into dumplings or spring rolls.

Fresh black garlic, shallots, green onion and ginger I often put into dipping sauces. Green onion and ginger are fine in sauces and don't really have a superior replacement. But black garlic and shallots are wildly different than onion and regular garlic for dipping sauces... especially when doing DIY hot pot, dumpling sauce or steamed chicken.

Sweet basil is good for Italian food, but for certain Asian recipes, it tastes weird and wrong. Needs to be Thai basil. My window sill Thai basil somehow died this summer. I was quite upset at that.

I feel like I do a pretty good job with basic ingredients on a regular basis and I have people over for dinner, brunch and lunch quite often. Sometimes I like experimenting with elevated basic and complex dishes for the in-laws, my parents and friends who have eaten my basic food dozens of times.

I also experiment with different techniques to enhance flavor using the same ingredients. I just like using similar flavored but slightly different ingredients with the same recipes on occasion for a bit of variation. Sometimes when guests are over, I'll start with a basic recipe and with only minor variations in the finishing of recipe, create 2-3 variations for everyone to enjoy for reasons of allergies, preferences, spicy tolerance, experiment etc. Sometimes for leftovers, I'll add a few extra ingredients and re-cook the food with it so I don't feel bored eating the same thing for several days in a row.

I am a bit weird though. I make a wide variety of basic foods ranging from Asian cuisine, basic Mennonite, French, North American diner and fusion variations of these dishes. I grew up around and on farms and I was also often around a "Canadian grandmother" who was an urban forager. I only started learning Asian cuisine from my parents and in-laws after I finished university and moved out and this cuisine is where I started learning how to experiment with simple ingredients vs elevated ingredients.

[jayswin]

My goodness, lol.

[Fuzz]

For ginger, buy a chunk and put it in the freezer. When you need it, you can cut the outside off the amount you need, then shave it on a microplane grater.


Dill is super easy, my wife grows it every year, then dehydrates it. No problem in Calgary. Chives are totally fine in a pot outside over winter. I've had one for years, and they just keep coming back int he spring. Garlic requires patience, but is also pretty easy to grow. I've easily got enough to last a year.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Is #####ake censored? I don’t think I spelled it wrong.

The ancient Japanese tradition of shaming women who have cheated on their spouses?

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

For ginger, buy a chunk and put it in the freezer. When you need it, you can cut the outside off the amount you need, then shave it on a microplane grater.


Dill is super easy, my wife grows it every year, then dehydrates it. No problem in Calgary. Chives are totally fine in a pot outside over winter. I've had one for years, and they just keep coming back int he spring. Garlic requires patience, but is also pretty easy to grow. I've easily got enough to last a year.

I buy a jar of minced ginger. Cheaper than chunks of ginger IMO and the flavor isn't noticeably different. Same as jars of minced garlic for $4-5. I honestly believe I get 2-3x more via those jars than if I were to buy garlic cloves or ginger root. I just like a variation so it would be nice to have black and/or purple and other types of garlic to use.

Dill is usually pretty easy, but a few friends who usually grow it said it didn't survive this summer. Too hot or something.

I've grown this stuff before in Calgary/Lethbridge. Just not with a grow light at home.

Originally Posted by jayswin

My goodness, lol.

Frugality was a necessity growing up. I started helping with meal prep at age 3 and then basic cooking (noodles, boiled potatoes and eggs etc.) at the age of 5. Age 6 or 7, I was helping on nearby farms for menial tasks. Otherwise, I wouldn't have much to do at home. I remember foraging in Nose Creek Valley for saskatoons, mint, rosehips and some green and red leaf plant that I don't know the name for. It was just something to do.

I grew up around people and was taught how to cook by people that always had famine awareness in the back of their mind. Simpler recipes if that's all that was available, more ingredients when it was possible. If I sounded like an avocado toast millennial earlier, I apologize. That wasn't my intent.

[jayswin]

The my goodness was due to the sheer volume of words in your posts, lol.

[Geraldsh]

FYI my local supermarket is out of oregano WTF, should have grown my own.

[Hack&Lube]

https://www.thestar.com/business/gal...fb92704a7.html

Galen Weston steps down and fires back at critics saying that grocers aren't to blame but suppliers.

https://financialpost.com/news/econo...grants-leaving

Ukrainians struggling with cost of living in Canada

[GordonBlue]

Suger refiners on strike. Get any types of sugar you need , asap. I'm at a superstore right now any they're 100% sold out

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

Suger refiners on strike. Get any types of sugar you need , asap. I'm at a superstore right now any they're 100% sold out

First the salt and now the sugar! God damnit

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

Suger refiners on strike. Get any types of sugar you need , asap. I'm at a superstore right now any they're 100% sold out

Heard about this and decided to go to the local co-op to grab some (wife does a lot of holiday baking).

They had 2kg and 10kg bags (and not a lot of those) only. I've now mentioned this to some other 'holiday baker' friends of mine.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

That's it, I'm boycotting food.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

First the salt and now the sugar! God damnit

We'll never have a problem with salt shortages so long as Edmonton exists.

So blessed to live 3 hours from the world's greatest deposit.

[Slava]

Food inflation was 5.4% in October, which is the 4th month in a row of declining inflation.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

Suger refiners on strike. Get any types of sugar you need , asap. I'm at a superstore right now any they're 100% sold out

Time to go keto!

[Faust]

Galen Weston just warned all of Canada that grocery bills are going to spike:

https://www.blogto.com/city/2023/12/...d-bills-go-up/

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by Faust

Galen Weston just warned all of Canada that grocery bills are going to spike:

https://www.blogto.com/city/2023/12/...d-bills-go-up/

Oh get ####ed galen

[getbak]