Edible Vancouver Island September/October 2023

WORDS EMILY LYCOPOLUS PHOTO D.L. ACKEN l ife is full of changes; the last few years have been a perfect example of that. Although, if anything has been certain, it’s that the costs of food are not going down. Through the pandemic, many of us turned to growing our own food, getting our hands dirty and enjoying quality time in the garden. Yet even with supplementing our weekly shop with garden-fresh veggies, few of us have the space or time to grow all the food our families need. So, what is the trick to keeping healthy, delicious meals coming to our tables daily without breaking the food budget? Being creative with our groceries and planning and thrifting food can help keep costs down, and helps use up all the food in the fridge. There is an amazing cookbook by a local author called Waste Not Want Not – Save Food, Save Money and Save the Planet by Cinda Chavich. It started me on a journey of not just using up odds and ends that I thought were bound for the compost, but also keeping bellies full and costs low. When I shifted my perspective on thrifting food from scarcity–and needing to get food cheaply because I couldn’t afford the expense–to that of abundance and being blessed to find good food cheaply while making a tiny dent in preventing food waste, worry turned into excitement. I love fresh produce and eating seasonally. I devour all the strawberries for the two weeks they are at their best, then move on to cherries, then blueberries, peaches, etc. I love visiting local farms to see what they have in bulk, or to find food that is just past its prime and needs to be used quickly. Farmers have worked so hard to grow incredible food for us; the last thing they want is to see it land in the compost. Mason Street Farm , Victoria’s Edible Nursery , or Cow-Op in the Cowichan Valley are a few places to learn about what is in season and get great produce. At local farm markets and smaller locally owned grocery stores, asking for case discounts and inquiring on what they have in the back storage room is a great way to get your hands on beautiful produce (often bound for the compost) at a very reasonable price. In Victoria, The Root Cellar has case discounts on almost all their produce–just ask! I’ll often pick up a case of peppers, broccoli, corn, tomatoes by calling

100% GLUTEN FREE KITCHEN

fish & chips | tacos | bowls | smokery 4824 Johnston Road, Port Alberni BC V9Y7L8 250-720-0900 barebonesfishhouse.ca

100% GLUTEN FREE KITCHEN FRESH, SEASONAL & GLOBALLY INSPIRED CUISINE

A fun and casual restaurant specializing in contemporary seafood driven menu. You can enjoy your favourite menu items in our relaxed dine-in or outdoor seating or in the comfort of your home. Our globally inspired menu showcases a diverse range of fish, quality in house smoked meats, tacos, burgers and bowls. OFF THE HOOK SURF TURF SMOKERY 1588 Boundary Crescent, Nanaimo 250-739-5577 | o›thehooknanaimo.com

42 SEP/OCT 2023 EDIBLE VANCOUVER ISLAND