1. Instead Of Champagne, Try Prosecco
Unless you’re a celebrity, you can’t afford to buy beverages that cost over $200 a bottle for your get together. But luckily enough, a good bottle of Prosecco (or sparkling wine) costs less than $12, and is strong enough to make every party a glamorous one.
2. Instead Of The Matsutake Mushroom, Try Pine Mushrooms
A pound of Japan’s Matsutake mushroom costs about $1,000 because it’s so rare. But if you want to experience its notoriously spicy scent without breaking the bank, pine mushrooms from the Pacific Northwest are a close relative (just don’t go picking them yourself, please).
3. Instead Of Beluga Caviar, Indulge In Lake Sturgeon Caviar
Beluga caviar is viewed as a status symbol because the fish have to mature for 20 years before producing a single egg (so 8 ounces of it can sell for more than $1,000). But if you’re a person with an active lifestyle and you don’t have 20 years to spare, Lake Sturgeon fish produce eggs in a much more timely (and affordable) fashion.
4. Instead Of Kobe Beef, Nosh On Wagyu Beef
Restaurants can charge a fortune (like $300) for a pound of Kobe because the cow was born, raised, and slaughtered according to Hyogo prefecture (and then shipped to wherever you’re eating it). But the same omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids found in Kobe are also found in Wagyu beef (this is because both meats come from the same kind of cow).
5. Instead Of Pule Cheese, Try Kashkaval
The world’s most expensive cheese is called Pule. It comes from Serbia, and costs close to $1,350 per kilogram because it’s made from donkey’s milk (of which they produce very little of). But a nice alternative is Kashkaval, which is made from sheep’s milk and comes from the neighboring Romania.
6. Instead Of Duck, Use Chicken For Foie Gras
Foie Gras is a delicious dish, but we can’t eat it as often as we’d like because a whole lobe of duck liver is $80. But the secret to enjoying this treat on a more regular basis is using chicken liver in place of duck or goose liver. Since it’s the same organ, every last ounce of delicacy remains intact.
7. Instead Of Macadamia Nuts, Use Walnuts
Macadamia nuts are pricey because it takes a macadamia tree 7 to 10 years to produce nuts (a little over 2 pounds of them will cost between $30 and $40. But no worries if your favorite brownie recipe calls for them! Walnuts make an excellent substitute, and are much more affordable (especially considering how quickly you inhale those dark little squares).
8. Instead Of Jamón Ibérico de Bellota Puro, Purchase Jamón Serrano
Ibérico ham is considered the best in the world because the black Iberian pigs it comes from are high in fat. Their meat is cured for a longer period of time, so the flavor is worth more (a whole bone-in leg costs around $1,900). Serrano ham comes from the exact same kind of pig, but since it’s cured for less time, a few slices of it can be enjoyed for WAY less than that.
9. Instead of Coconut Curry From A Restaurant, Enjoy Campbell’s Go
Eating out can get pretty expensive! Save yourself the time, energy and money by entrusting all your soup needs to Campbell’s. Not only will you have more free time, but it will probably taste better than whatever you would’ve made anyway.