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3/25/2012

Saving money on Passover shopping: stuff that I am NOT buying for Pesach


If you recall the three-part guest series I wrote last year on "Shopping for Pesach on a Budget," one of the very first ideas that we discussed on saving money was this:  Pesach is just one week. You can do without for one week.

So can I.

Here's a list of items I will not be buying this year:
  • KLP breakfast cereal.  Instead, I'll be making my family matzoh bri, eggs and fresh fruit in the morning.
  • KLP ketchup, fake mustard, wasabi sauce, artificial sweetner.  Why?
  • KLP coffee whitener.  It's disgusting.  There, I said it.  It's full of chemicals, expensive, has an aftertaste and never quite mixes into my coffee.  Instead, I intend to foray into the magical world of making almond milk from scratch.
  • KLP tuna.  Too expensive.  During the year, thanks to numerous coupons (including the ever-present Bumblebee coupon on Recyclebank) I pay anywhere from $0.20-$1.00 per can or pouch.  I won't pay $3 a can for Pesach.  This year, the OU  has once again certified as KLP the Costco Kirkland Atlantic frozen salmon fillets.  My family will be eating salmon instead of tuna.  I consider it an upgrade.
  • KLP canned or frozen vegetables, including ridiculously-priced Bodek stuff.  This year, thanks to numerous produce coupons available (Organic Girl, Cuties, grapefruits, some Target produce coups, and the $5 off $40 Sprouts coupon on Recyclebank, as well as others), I'll be using only fresh vegetables in my cooking.  The Star-K has a great online guide to checking vegetables here.
  • Specially KLP hechshered overpriced walnut oil, cottonseed oil, or any other KLP oil.  According to the OU, any Extra Virgin Olive Oil is fine for Pesach, so hello Costco Kirkland EVOO.
  • KLP Cooking spray.  Too expensive.  I have had a Misto sprayer for years now.  Fill it up with Costco EVOO (see above) and you're in business.
  • KLP Quinoa.  I might have gone for it if it were sold locally at a decent price, but the CRC specially certified KLP Quinoa come to about $6 per box with shipping, so no. 
  • Wissotzky tea.  I bought lower-priced  Bigelow Tea (less than two bucks a box)  instead.  Tastes great, way cheaper, totally reliable Kof-K-P hechsher.  I will confess that I bought the Wissotzky Tea & Dreams set ($8 each). I'm bringing one as a hostess gift to a friend who has solemnly promised to give me one of the swizzle sticks.  I'm an absolute sucker for swizzle sticks.  Don't ask.  It's not pretty.
Here's what I did treat my family to this year:
What Pesach stuff are you NOT getting this year?  What made sense for you to splurge on?  What are you on the fence about?

3 comments:

  1. I got the new warming tray that you posted on your site for $28! That was my best Pesach find this year, thank you! I also think kosher laPesach fake mustard is gross. Bought it last year, big mistake. Like you said, why?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rifky S3/25/2012

    I don't buy cake, macaroons or chocolate. I buy minimal amount of cheese snacks, for erev Yom Tov, when there's "nothing to eat". I do splurge on chocolate leben, potato chips and marshmellows. I also get the extra large box of lady fingers so the children have that for breakfast with milk (I end up throwing out the last 1/4 box, but it's still cheaper than buying exactly what I need). Even though we're cousins, this house doesn't bruk until acharon, so no matzah brei or pizza :( But I do get a ketchup for company and artificial sweetener for mom.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I make hashbrowns and eggs for breakfasts, and hash (with leftover potatoes,onions and meat for many meals, but my kids NEED ketchup to eat either of these things. Ketchup and mayonnaise are my two big KLP splurges. I don't think I could do Pesach without them...

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