Is there such a thing as African frugality?
Yes, there sure is! When I teach my cooking workshops about frugality, I often get raised eyebrows about how frugality and African meals can match up. With its richness and exotic tastes and of course the never-ending volume of dishes for just one meal, there is a vast misconception that West African meals are nothing short of expensive, but I am living proof that West African meals can be super frugal especially when you have a large family like mine!
The two most important aspects of frugality are 1) planning ahead and 2) cooking mostly at home.
If you are a foodie like me and really particular about making sure that meals are kid-friendly (especially for 5 kids with very different taste buds!), then get out of bed first thing in the morning, have a cup of (tea or coffee), take out your favourite pen and pad and start planning ahead! Start planning the week’s menus and you’ll be thanking yourself later for all the time you had saved thinking and wandering around aimlessly in your supermarket aisles trying to figure out what you should cook.
The easiest way to start your planning list is to jot down your breakfast, lunch and dinner options together with some snack ideas, especially the ones your family likes. If you have fussy kids, get them involved in the planning so you can talk them through the various options and let them decide as well (only take their ideas on board if they are healthy, affordable and reasonable! We don’t want them fantasising about lazy afternoons with chocolate fondue!).
Plus using the Ataro Food and Spices has never been easier! Instead of thinking up of what marinade or rubs to use for your meats, take advantage of the fact that we have already done all the hard yards for you. All you have to do is just rub them onto your meats and let them sit for a few minutes before putting them over the grill or oven. Using an all natural spice blend like Ataro is not only a simple frugal method but also removes all the guesswork and lets you be confident in your cooking! After all, time is valuable money especially if you are a business entrepreneur like me, so having it all done for you is a great sound and economical way of dealing with cooking!
