Olive Oil Help
I'm on a strict budget because I'm perpetually broke, but I still try to make good food choices when grocery shopping. Just because I have a limited food budget, doesn't mean I can't eat well.
There are certain food items that I always purchase, but dread buying because they're so expensive; olive oil is one of those things. I like cooking with it, I know it's better for you, but I cringe everytime I throw a bottle in the cart. And yes, I can throw the bottle in the cart because I buy the super cheap kind that has a plastic bottle.
This is part of the problem. Even the crappy EVOO that I buy is semi-pricy and tastes horrible when I try to use it for vinaigrettes or aioli. I recently decided that if I'm going to spend $5 bucks on crappy olive oil, I might as well budge and spend a little more on a kind that actually tastes good and meets all of my cooking needs.
I need help. Can anyone reccomend a good olive oil that I don't have to go to a specialty store for and that can be purchased for under $15? I currently use a bad store-brand that comes in said plastic bottle. Sometimes I get the Bertoli kind when it's on sale, but I don't really like that one either.
Thanks in advance!
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21 Comments:
Try Carapelli. I cruise the olive oil aisle regularly and when it's on sale -- 2 liters for $13.99 -- I stock up. I couldn't live without my olive oil!
ride&cook at 7:26AM on 04/04/09
I second the Carapelli; I've used in the past and it's pretty good for the price. I usually buy my store brand, simply because Wegmans has some really good olive oil bottled under their name.
dhorst at 8:57AM on 04/04/09
I got a quart of Spanish olive oil at Whole Foods for under $10. It's the 365 brand and I like the taste. I don't like that it's a huge glass bottle.
gingercookiewithlime at 9:07AM on 04/04/09
I'll second the Whole Foods (although yes! The glass is kind of a pain)...we like the Greek and Italian 365 olive oils. I haven't tried the Spanish. When Whole Foods isn't an option but we're running low, we get Bertolli. It's...okay.
littlestcapy at 9:14AM on 04/04/09
I've used Berio for years in everyday cooking and it works for us,
bessfour at 9:27AM on 04/04/09
I like Berio. And have had some nicer Bertolli. This is usually an issue for a lot of people. (When I'm at school, for instance)
I haven't a Whole Foods nearby, so here is an alternative suggestion:
Target's Archer Farms brand makes some agreeable and rather impressive products -for what they are, anyway. Try their EVOO when it's on sale, as often it is.
emilytaylor at 10:13AM on 04/04/09
If you have a Trader Joe's nearby, they have some good deals on olive oil, and I find that even their cheaper varieties are perfectly acceptable for everyday use.
annatr at 10:15AM on 04/04/09
Get a giant thing of Bertolli's under the Kirkland brand at Costco. I think it's a two-pack, about twenty bucks, and will last you months. Tastes great, too. Otherwise, get yourself to an Arab/Armenian market like Super King and get one of those giant cans for pretty cheap. (I think you live in Los Angeles, right?) Super King has a few locations, one in Altadena and one near Silver Lake on San Fernando. (While you're there, take advantage of super cheap fruits and vegetables and their awesome and equally cheap deli counter.)
toastykitten at 10:44AM on 04/04/09
At Trader Joe's you can get a quart-size bottle for around $8 (TJ's brand), and it's very good. The organic is a little more, but still pretty darn cheap.
buffy at 11:16AM on 04/04/09
i like the trader joe's too - i use that for cooking.
and i have a little bottle of more splurgy olive oil that i use for salad dressings and just about anything that won't get any further cooking.
also for what it's worth, a quick peek at Cook's Illustrated shows them recommending Colavita as the best oil in your price range.
andshewas at 12:52PM on 04/04/09
You might consider, *gasp*, not using EVOO for all of your cooking. Use a a budget friendly vegetable oil for frying/sauteing and use the $$ you save for a good olive oil to use where it really counts -- as a condiment, in uncooked sauces and dressings.
kjgibson at 1:29PM on 04/04/09
You MUST try a little local/organic grocery shop in downtown Manhattan called Provisions. They sell Stonehouse California Olive Oil and the prices are very affordable and also, so, SO TASTY! I just stopped by there the other day and they even have a tasting table out with all of their different types of oils with fresh bread, so you can try and see what you like. I go there pretty regularly now because I have been on a tight budget these days, and I can't afford to eat out anymore, so I have been cooking a lot. This place has allowed me to eat well on a budget. They have many different products from, pastas to cheeses, eggs, and salts that are great quality for VERY good prices.
I just ordered some bottles of EVOO as gifts for my family from www.provisionsonbeekman.com. Its on Beekman street, right near the seaport. Even to visit, its a really cute shop to see!
Foodiegal424 at 1:41PM on 04/04/09
Also forgot to add the best part! You can bring in any bottle and refill it with their olive oil for $4 off!
Foodiegal424 at 1:48PM on 04/04/09
If you have a Big Lots store in your area check there. I know that sounds like an odd place to buy olive oil, but their food aisles have some awesome international brands of foods and really low prices.
mepolo at 2:06PM on 04/04/09
One thing I do is that I got a cheap olive oil dispenser from bed bath and beyond for about 5 dollars. I bet you could find one at a resteraunt supply shop. I waste less olive oil and that means healthier cooking and better use of my evoo supply.
missjess at 4:04PM on 04/04/09
I buy also the Kirkland brand or Bertolli EVOO at COSTCO... Sam's has another brand that is good too. I buy EVOO at these club stores because the brands are good and the price is way better than buying them at the regular supermarket. It's a 2L bottle and costs me about $12 I think. I decant it into a smaller bottle that I keep handy for cooking.
MadelynRodriguez at 6:18PM on 04/04/09
I like Colavita...it's reasonably priced and it performs more that adequately in a vinaigrette, or drizzled on top of soups, etc.
KateRuby at 6:32PM on 04/04/09
I just got a good-sized bottle of spanish evoo for under $10 at Trader Joe's; it tastes fine. I use cheap canola for actual cooking. If any y'all dunno, high heat is gonna kill any subtle flavor in yr high-end evoo, so...
sailordave at 9:45PM on 04/04/09
@foodiegal424, I second your recommendation. A visit is an education in the different flavors that are available. Then you won't waste dollars trying to figure out which oil you like best. Nothing worse than having to use up one bottle you don't like before you get another.
thegoch at 12:06PM on 04/05/09
No Trader Joe's near you?? I tell you if I had one near me I think I'd buy most if not all food items there. Their oil is fantastic and doesn't break the bank.
If you know someone who has a membership to Costco, have them get you EV Berio. My mother swore by it and I love it too.
Bear in mind, especially with better supermarkets - store brand is real brand in disguise. Buy a really small bottle of a store brand oil and if you like it, get the larger size next time.
therealchiffonade at 5:09PM on 04/05/09
@foodiegal424, great recommendation!! I'm definitely going to check out this place and soon! THanks!
jbeach at 2:21PM on 04/06/09