minimise the cost of groceries. She
recommends looking for high-quality
imported frozen fish, poultry and
meat, which, if thawed and cooked
properly, won’t lose quality.
“You can find a variety of good
imported frozen fish fillets in some
shops that are much less expensive
than the same types of imported fresh
fish sold at CitySuper or GREAT,”
says Vivian, who prefers to buy fresh
fish at local markets. “We live in a
very crowded, industrial city with a
very busy harbour, so of course there’s
going to be some harmful elements
in the water that have gotten into fish
or fresh seafood. But I don’t think
it’s going to kill you. Countries like
the US and UK have cases of food
contamination, too. The local people
in Hong Kong have been shopping
and nourishing their families with
ingredients bought at local markets for
as long as we know. They trust their
food source.”
Stay-at-home father of four sons,
Andrew Suan, who is also president
of the Hong Kong Children’s Skin
Foundation, says he discovered an
economical way to prepare meat
dishes when his oldest son with special
needs started to require more iron
intake but has difficulty chewing
certain foods.
“Look for cheaper cuts of meat,
such as beef chuck, short ribs and
lamb shanks, and use a pressure
cooker,” Andrew advises carnivorous
families in Hong Kong who are
looking for savings. “The pressure
cooker helps to slow-cook the meat
in less time than you would normally
need to cook it to achieve the tender
consistency when it just falls apart
and is so tasty.” Andrew buys meat at
Foodtalk, which offers customers a 40
per cent discount on bulk purchases of
strip loin, rib-eye and tenderloin cuts.
“I usually buy a huge amount from
them, and have them cut and pack it
into smaller pieces that we freeze and
then use for soups and stews.”
Vivian also suggests buying in
larger quantities and making as much
as possible out of each purchase. She’ll
roast a whole chicken for dinner and
freeze the carcass. When she has two
or three frozen, she makes chicken
stock. She turns vegetable trimmings
into vegetable stock, and stale bread
into croutons or breadcrumbs. She
suggests involving children in as much
of this as possible to teach them how
to be resourceful with food.
“It’s often difficult to involve
the children because they’re so
overscheduled these days, so try to
find a specific time each week and
get the kids involved,” Vivian says.
“If you’re buying local, trust your
judgment. If something looks fresh
and smells good, then it probably can’t
be that bad for you. The McDonald’s
across the street is the real enemy.”
1.
Review your weekly receipts to
evaluate how much you’re currently
spending, and look for opportunities
to switch to less expensive brands or
substitute ingredients.
2.
Evaluate what homemade food
your family likes, trying to avoid recipes
that require too many canned or pre-
packaged ingredients.
3.
Make a weekly meal plan based on
seasonal produce.
4.
Grow some of your own herbs and
produce, if space allows.
5.
Visit local farms and markets to find
reliable sources for produce where you
can buy direct.
6.
Reduce your weekly meat
consumption, and try to buy cheaper
cuts of meat and make large batches
of soups or stews that can be frozen in
smaller quantities.
7.
Choose imported frozen fish instead of
fresh imported fish from grocery stores.
8.
Replace sodas and pre-packaged
foods with water and homemade juices
and snacks.
9.
Ensure that your helper knows how to
select the best ingredients at the best
prices.
10.
Teach your helper how to avoid
wasting food by either freezing or re-
inventing leftovers.
Top Tips
Try these ideas to cut your monthly food bill.
