Fried Squirrel and Dandelion Salad

SavvyFrugality — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:53:00 GMT

I have noticed an odd trend in the media lately. I have seen articles and some television programs which highlight some of the "edibles" you can find in your own backyard, even if you happen to live in a large metropolitan area like New York City. These include fishing in ponds, preparing squirrel or making salads from dandelion greens. One of the episodes of the short-lived NBC series "The Chopping Block" featured would-be restaurant owners touring Central Park, learning about edible plants that could be harvested right from the park and made into gourmet dishes. The show was cancelled after three episodes due to low ratings. I'm not sure if that was due to the questionable practice of eating something that was growing in Central Park.

Has it really come to this? Have people been driven to the point of frugality that they are willing to eat something that I pay the landscaping guy $30 a month to come out and spray my lawn to kill?

When I was growing up, my dad was an avid sport fisher and hunter. He does have some mounted birds and deer heads around his home, and I'm pretty sure he's responsible for drastically reducing the whitetail deer population in South Dakota. He didn't hunt or fish just because he liked it. He did it to help put food on the table. I grew up eating wild fish like Northern Pike, walleye, perch and catfish, as well as deer, antelope, quail, pheasant, duck and goose. People pay big bucks to eat stuff like that at fancy restaurants these days. To us, it was just a way of avoiding Hamburger Helper night.

My wife and I live in a suburb of a larger city, but we still manage to plant and grow some of our own food in our backyard and in large buckets. My wife has an herb garden, and I usually take a stab at growing some tomatoes. Besides tasting better, the herbs alone save us plenty of money over buying fresh at the supermarket. However, I have to draw the line at pulling dandelions from my front lawn and making some kind of salad out of them. We have a name for those things where I live: weeds.

Adventurous eaters might enjoy a fine squab at a four-star French restaurant in New York City, but would they feel the same way if that pigeon was harvested from a nearby park bench? I'm thinking...probably not.

I'm sure the current state of the economy has spawned this recent rash of "alternative food source" articles and TV show topics, but I'm not sure we've been driven to the point of living off the land in Cleveland or Detroit yet. Despite my bit of "window box" gardening, I still get the majority of my groceries from the wilds of Aisle Number 7 at the grocery store and Wal-Mart.

The squirrels are safe in my neighborhood, at least for now.

What If You Can't Afford Food?

SavvyFrugality — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 02:54:00 GMT

There are several signs that the economy is in trouble: stock prices are down, unemployment is up and for many, their financial future is uncertain. However, there is another surefire sign that the U.S. has fallen on tough times. Food pantries and soup kitchens are reporting an increase in the number of people seeking their services. Even more disturbing: many of those seeking help are familes whose parents both have full-time jobs.

The working poor are nothing new in the U.S. Each generation has had a segment of the population that just can't seem to make ends meet, no matter how hard they work. The causes are many...low or no education, a depressed local economy, single-parent families struggling to get back on their feet, etc. These days, food pantries are increasing seeing clients who never thought they would ever have to seek help in obtaining food for their families.

During the recession of 1991, I found myself out of work, and on a couple of occasions, there was no food in the refrigerator or the cupboard. With a few dollars wired to us by a helpful relative, my family was able to eat for another week. We never sought the help of a food pantry, but in hindsight, we certainly could have and probably should have. Perhaps it was pride that kept us from seeking that kind of help.

I did learn a few things during those salad days in which we had no salad. Here are a few steps that my family took to help stretch those food dollars a little further.

Cut Out the Drinks: Save your money for milk and cut out expensive drink habits like soda, beer and bottled water.

Stretch the meat budget: Meats are the most expensive items in the grocery budget. When trying to save money, think of meats as a side dish, or an ingredient in casseroles, soups or other one-dish meals. There are other sources of protein available such as beans, tofu, soy or lentils. Not only are they cheaper, but they are better for you, too.

Rice and pasta are your friends: Nothing stretches a food budget like rice or pasta. If you are concerned about the carbs, buy whole-wheat pasta and brown rice. It might taste different at first, but after awhile you don't notice the difference. Again, it's better for you than the plain white stuff.

Make what you have stretch further: Casseroles, soups, stews, pasta dishes...these are the types of meals that will make the food you have last longer and stretch further. I make a meatless chili that my family loves. It's inexpensive, and makes enough for two to three meals.

Grow your own: If you have your own yard or flower beds, dedicate some of that space to herbs or vegetables. It's amazing how much my family saved this last year on fresh herbs, and they taste so much better than the dried out stuff purchased at the grocery store.

Coupons are cash: If you use coupons on the things you normally buy, and combine them with in-store sales, the savings can really add up. Of course, there are some great couponing tips here at The Dollar Stretcher.

Stick to the outer aisles: Typically, the outer ailes of the grocery store are the main ones you should concern yourself with when shopping. These are the ailes with dairy, eggs, meats, cheeses, fruits and vegetables. For the most part, the inner aisles of the store contain all of the processed foods, and they are the foods that are expensive and not nearly as nutritious.

Main Street Meltdown : groceries

Fried Squirrel and Dandelion Salad

What If You Can't Afford Food?