Investing in Food
Jun. 30th, 2023 05:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
unspeakablehorrorI think sometimes people are reluctant to spend money on food because it's not seen as something you can keep long term. And I think that is not an entirely correct way of looking at food. It's better to think of food as having different categories ranging from short term, highly perishable items like fresh fruit or vegetables to items that can last effectively forever if properly stored like vanilla extract or salt.
It's more reasonable to look at dried and canned foods as an investment that can often last longer than, say, your new cell phone. This is why I collect spices and teas. Even though most won't last forever, they can easily last a few years. These things may seem pricy, but if they're something you enjoy, they can save you money if you can use them at home rather than relying on restaurants to enjoy them, which will cost you more in the long run.
I also think buying staples that you use in bulk can be very beneficial. I love buying a few pounds of freeze-dried vegetables or lentils or beans and then just not having to worry about buying that food for a year or two. It's been more than a year since I've had to buy peas, carrots, or corn. This doesn't mean I never buy these things fresh, but that I mostly only do that to enjoy the experience of the fresh vegetable and I don't have to worry about not having these available or constantly buying them. And because my mixed vegetables are dried and not frozen, I don't have to worry about freezer space for them either.
It's more reasonable to look at dried and canned foods as an investment that can often last longer than, say, your new cell phone. This is why I collect spices and teas. Even though most won't last forever, they can easily last a few years. These things may seem pricy, but if they're something you enjoy, they can save you money if you can use them at home rather than relying on restaurants to enjoy them, which will cost you more in the long run.
I also think buying staples that you use in bulk can be very beneficial. I love buying a few pounds of freeze-dried vegetables or lentils or beans and then just not having to worry about buying that food for a year or two. It's been more than a year since I've had to buy peas, carrots, or corn. This doesn't mean I never buy these things fresh, but that I mostly only do that to enjoy the experience of the fresh vegetable and I don't have to worry about not having these available or constantly buying them. And because my mixed vegetables are dried and not frozen, I don't have to worry about freezer space for them either.