Eat Well While Pinching Pennies: Tastings & Classes

(Also see the penny-pinching posts on Dining Out and Food Shopping.)

While the move to eat locally, sustainably and healthfully usually springs from a genuinely good place in most people, it does occasionally create some discomfort when it bumps up against the question of class and income.

A recent couple of posts on Seattlest about Grocery Outlet's "Feeding Your Family on $3 A Day" pamphlet opened up some discussion about these issues, with this observation by Lou Bendrick, author of “Eat Where You Live: How to Find and Enjoy Fantastic Local and Sustainable Food No Matter Where You Live,”:

"It’s hard, if not impossible, not to bring up the subject of class when it comes to the topic of tightening food budgets. We have a caste system that makes it difficult for lower-income Americans to make good choices."

With the current state of the economy though, even some of those who might have previously felt insulated from concerns over their food bill might find themselves clipping coupons and questioning eating out.  Places infamous for higher prices, like Whole Foods, appear to be making an effort by providing some less expensive options.

Over the next few days, I'll be posting some ideas for ways to still eat well and participate in the Seattle food scene, but with an eye towards your bottom line. They’re not all bargain basement, but I tried to cover the gamut from fancy-times eating out to down-and-dirty eating in.  And of course, you can always go to the Seattle Food Events Calendar and select the FREE! Events if you are tired of staying in but need to watch your pennies.

Click through to see some of the classes and tastings coming up that have an eye to your bottom line, including free Cooking for the Freezer and Vegetarian Cooking classes this weekend. 

BARGAIN CLASSES

Saturday, March 7: FREE! Head down to Auburn for a Cooking for the Freezer Workshop. Make your own TV Dinners and save.

Sunday, March 8: FREE! Buddhist Jewel Monastery has a free vegetarian cooking class today and most alternating Sundays.

Tuesday, March 10: Breaking Down Chickens at Whole Foods in Redmond.  Learn how to break down a whole chicken, as the per pound price is much cheaper to buy whole rather than processed. Take home the bird you butcher. $20.

Friday, March 13: FREE! The Greenwood Senior Center offers a free cooking demo with a nutritionist today and on the second Friday of every month.

Wednsday, March 25: FREE!  Seattle Free School has a Keeping Chickens in the City class today.  Also check out their website as they also have classes in bee-keeping, no-knead bread and non-food classes, all free. 

Tuesday, March 31: Cooking for Leftovers at Whole Foods in Redmond. Save money on lunches by recycling your dinners, or keep yourself from succumbing to takeout by having tasty leftovers.   $20.

BARGAIN TASTINGS

What better way to save money than to avoid buying something you won't finish because it turns out you don't like it?  Inexpensive tastings and samples can help you experiment without investing a lot.  And tastings are a great way to improve your palate; the side-by-side comparison can be illuminating.

UPCOMING

Thursday, March 12: Oysters for 99 cents/each and $1 wine tasting at Whole Foods in Redmond.

Thursday, April 2nd: FREE! Passover Food Tasting at Whole Foods in Roosevelt Square.  Jewish Family Service and Jconnect Seattle to learn about Passover, and try gefilte fish, matzoh ball soup, and more! Free to taste and wine and beer samples also available for $1.  

ONGOING...

PCC Natural Markets offers free Walk, Talk and Taste sessions at each of their locations. If you are just learning how to cook, or maybe are new to the organic scene, this might be a good way to dip your toe into that world without a financial commitment. 

Metropolitan Market is not, in general, very bargain oriented, but they will frequently feature certain producers.  You can check out their monthly flyer to see if any might be a food you'd like to sample before purchasing.  

City Cellars flights of up to three wines for $3-5 on Fridays. 

Malt and Vine also has Friday beer tastings, generally between $1-2.

Esquin offers FREE! wine tastings on Thursday evening and Saturday afternoon.

Sake Nomi offers $3 sake tastings "all day, every day," and they waive the fee if you purchase merchandise.

Whole Foods in Redmond has a "Hard Times Happy Hour" tasting every first and third Friday.  It costs a buck and focuses on wines under $12.  They also have a "Better Brew Beer Tasting" every first and third Saturday afternoon for $1.

Image of Rachel the Pig by Flickr Creatiev Commons photographer Phillie Casablanca.