coupons

Creating delicious meals without breaking the bank is an art form, and Linda Kupecek is sharing some of her best secrets – so you can eat and live well while pinching your pennies.

As an actor and writer, I’ve always been into bargain hunting. Sure, high rollers may have once pooh-poohed my thrifty ways, but now that we must all pick ourselves up off the floor after a smack in the face by the latest price of chicken, I like to think of myself as a pioneer in what I’ve dubbed Cheap Chic.

Shop the sales flyers
They print them anyway, you might as well have a look on the way to the recycle bin.

Appreciate inner beauty
Imperfect produce, like imperfect people, are far more interesting and of equally high quality for a much lower price.

Look for the half-price, “enjoy today” discounts on meat
If it has not passed the best-before date, it’s still good. Divide your haul into serving-sized freezer bags and you’ll eat like a king while paying like a pauper.

Trawl for coupons
You’re not too cool when lettuce is $12 a head.

A $10 rotisserie chicken can last for four meals
First day, hot with sides. Second day: in a pasta or rice dish. Freeze the rest in small packages for sandwiches or rice dishes. Freeze bones for stock.

Speaking of stock
With the right seasoning and a bit of chicken broth, your leftovers become a pot (or a slow cooker) full of nutritious soup.

Wilted greens?
Stir fry them with garlic and oil.

Shop the world
People from other parts of the world are masters at maximizing food dollars. Check out their recipes. My current favourite is Mexican: a can of black beans sautéed with garlic, served on rice.

Improvise
Don’t imprison yourself in impossible (and expensive) recipes. Substitute thighs for breasts, porcini mushrooms for truffles or mix turmeric and paprika as a swap for saffron.

Preserve your investment
A cornucopia of frozen veggies in your freezer doesn’t rot before your guilty eyes. Plus, you can visit the farmer’s market with all the money you saved by eating frozen veggies.