Food and Transportation Costs are up and the economy is looking rough. Your nerves may be a little frayed and, like me, you are probably thinking a little harder before you open your wallet. Here are a few ideas for how you can affordably eat the finest foods:

Dried Mushrooms a Bargain compared to Fresh
It takes approximately 8-10 lbs. of fresh mushrooms to yield 1 lb. of dried mushrooms. Do the math. A half pound of dried shitake mushrooms is very affordable with shipping, and is equivalent to 4-5 lbs. of fresh shitakes. Dried mushrooms are easy to reconstitute, store in your pantry for a long, long time and once reconstituted can substitute for fresh in just about any recipe.

Truffles for Cents per Portion
There’s got to be at least a hundred servings in each bottle of truffle oil…as you probably know, with truffle oil, a little goes a long way. That means that you can delight in the truffle’s aroma and flavor for only cents per portion. Imagine your next bowl of pasta embellished with truffles…for pocket change. But, don’t forget the most important thing with using truffle oil is to put it on your food AFTER it is cooked, because heat can destroy the flavor and aroma.

Braising Meats Make Affordable Winter Dishes
If you want to eat the finest quality meats and game & exotic meats, buy meats in bulk and split orders with friends and family to save! Usually, the meats that are perfect for slow cooked winter dishes are far more affordable. Try wild boar shoulder, venison stew meat, bison skirt steaks, or buy a quarter grass-fed beef to really save. Learn how to braise meats.

Any other ideas?