by Netherrealmer » 04 Sep 2025, 07:37
1. Extra-virgin sunflower oil over extra-virgin olive oil
Olive oil has long been praised as a healthy kitchen staple, but it often comes with a hefty price tag. A great alternative is extra-virgin sunflower oil. Like olive oil, it’s cold-pressed and packed with beneficial nutrients, making it suitable for salads, low-heat cooking, or even soap-making. The best part? It usually costs up to five times less, giving you the same versatility without straining your budget.
2. Chickpeas over pine nuts
Pine nuts add a delicious nuttiness to dishes like pesto, but their high cost can be discouraging. A simple swap is roasted chickpeas. When blended, they mimic the creamy texture of nuts and provide a nutty flavor that works wonderfully in sauces, spreads, or even sprinkled on salads. Chickpeas are not only affordable but also packed with protein and fiber.
3. Oats over almond flour
Almond flour is popular in gluten-free and low-carb recipes, but it can be pricey. Ground oats make a fantastic budget-friendly alternative. Simply blitz rolled oats in a blender until fine, and you’ll have oat flour that works well in pancakes, muffins, and cookies. Oats are easy to find, cheap, and still provide a wholesome, hearty base for baking.
4. Evap Milk over cream in most savory dishes that needs cream- I just made clam chowder that uses evaporated milk instead of cream, and guess what? There's no difference. It's still thick. It's still rich. It felt like I still use cream. In sabore dishes that needed cream, like Japanese cream stew or chicken ala king, you can have evaporated milk take the place of cream. Just add a bit of slurry so it will be thick.
1. Extra-virgin sunflower oil over extra-virgin olive oil
Olive oil has long been praised as a healthy kitchen staple, but it often comes with a hefty price tag. A great alternative is extra-virgin sunflower oil. Like olive oil, it’s cold-pressed and packed with beneficial nutrients, making it suitable for salads, low-heat cooking, or even soap-making. The best part? It usually costs up to five times less, giving you the same versatility without straining your budget.
2. Chickpeas over pine nuts
Pine nuts add a delicious nuttiness to dishes like pesto, but their high cost can be discouraging. A simple swap is roasted chickpeas. When blended, they mimic the creamy texture of nuts and provide a nutty flavor that works wonderfully in sauces, spreads, or even sprinkled on salads. Chickpeas are not only affordable but also packed with protein and fiber.
3. Oats over almond flour
Almond flour is popular in gluten-free and low-carb recipes, but it can be pricey. Ground oats make a fantastic budget-friendly alternative. Simply blitz rolled oats in a blender until fine, and you’ll have oat flour that works well in pancakes, muffins, and cookies. Oats are easy to find, cheap, and still provide a wholesome, hearty base for baking.
4. Evap Milk over cream in most savory dishes that needs cream- I just made clam chowder that uses evaporated milk instead of cream, and guess what? There's no difference. It's still thick. It's still rich. It felt like I still use cream. In sabore dishes that needed cream, like Japanese cream stew or chicken ala king, you can have evaporated milk take the place of cream. Just add a bit of slurry so it will be thick.
