Savvy Shopper cookbook

Book review

I picked this up in the library for a quick browse this week and I quite like its philosophy which is to have a simplified, scaled down approach to shopping, cooking and eating. It is based on using discount stores.

I am not a discount supermarket user, they are simply too far away from home, in a town centre with awful traffic snarl ups and a series of 12 traffic lights to go through!! I will stick to getting groceries delivered once a fortnight for under £2 a time.  Also my meal planning is around what is growing in the garden and ready to harvest rather than what I go our and buy.  But I liked some of the ideas.

• There are lists of regular buys suggested in this book. I have my own  next to the computer for everything that regularly appears in my store cupboard or fridge/freezer. Its a great way to cross check yourself and keep well stocked so you can cook from scratch easily.
  
• I am not a fresh herb user as suggested, even though I have the space and ability to grow them I still reach for dried from choice (a habit?). But Amy suggests a good mix for curry powder you do yourself using all the store cupboard herbs thus saving buying another jar specially!
• I agree with using olive oil. If you get at right price. It cooks better and tastes better.
• Her meal plan is quite simple but mine includes far more soups - they make filling and cheap lunches and use up veg really well.

I enjoyed the recipe ideas. At least 6 were in my own regular dishes book, but there were 12 I was willing to try out like Homity pie, sweet chilli mackerel pasta, sweetcorn soup, vegetable korma.

If you see it then it is worth a peruse.

My other library choice from non fiction side was Beginners Guide to Crochet. I have been promising myself to master this skill for ages. I got a hook on the way home for £1.65. I am not getting on very well at all. I don't seem to have the right kind of hands........