The Frugal Cook…In a Book!

Even in the best of times it makes good sense to be cost effective when planning and cooking meals, but when you’re in an economic crisis with spiralling unemployment and rising food costs it may become essential to pull in the belts, make the food on your table go further and become altogether more thrifty. If the credit crunch is making you have to re-think your food shopping and cooking fear not: help is at hand.

Fiona Beckett is a renowned food writer and the author of the blog and the book of the same name: The Frugal Cook. If you haven’t yet visited the blog you should – on it we follow Fiona on her journey of thriftiness, picking up lots of tips and recipes along the way. And now there’s a book too; one that I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of ever since I first heard Fiona talk about it on her blog. Now that I finally have a glossy copy in my hands I’m certainly not disappointed.

What I particularly like about this beautifully illustrated book is the general advice scattered through it. Not only do each of the original recipes come with a ‘thrifty tip’ to help you get even more for your money, but there are whole pages dedicated to frugality (isn’t that a great word?) such as ’20 Ways to Cut Your Food Bills by 20%’, ‘The Frugal Storecupboard (and Fridge)’ and ‘How to be more Energy-Efficient’. There’s also a handy A to Z of ingredients and leftovers which gives ideas on what to do with them.

It’s a great book, coming at a time when it’s needed most, and I just know you’re going to love it.