Olive Oil is soooo expensive...

greeneyedgirl829

Like $9 for a small bottle?!?! I find it ridiculous that healthy options cost so much. I can't always use olive oil, so what is my next best alternative?

mamacindy81

Canola is a good alternative.

Ashia1317

I have to agree, I thought I was going to have a fit in the middle of the store at the cost of it. But a little goes a long way when I cook with it.

TheMaidOfAstolat

Continue to use the small bottle. Buy a spay bottle or mister and put the oil in that. It will be easier to spray a pan or to coat whatever you're cooking vs. drowning it it oil. A little goes a long way. When baking I do not use oil...I sub in applesauce.

amelia_atlantic

I hear ya...

I like Smart Balance 1/2 olive oil 1/2 vegetable oil. It's about $4 a bottle. The calorie content is the same and has omegas in it.
It's not as rich as olive oil so I mostly just use it for coating pots and pans to conserve my olive oil!

cassandra1220

We buy ours at a greek market...it costs $30.00 for 3.5 liters.. It is a bit of an investment initially, but a little goes a long way and if you use good oil you need even less. We bought this particular can (it comes in a big container that looks like a supersized container of lighter fluid-if that makes sense :huh: ) about 4 months ago and I probrably wont have to go get a new one for another 6-8 months or longer.

Try to check out international markets. They are full of lower priced oils, herbs, and spices and more often than not, they are of better quality. If not for the fact that they carry what ingredients are used on a daily basis in cooking for whatever market it is (chinese, greek, turkish, etc). It beats the heck out of the supermarket prices!

Mindful_Trent

Canola is a good alternative.

Certainly a cheaper alternative... but Canola is a completely artificial/processed oil. (there is no "canola" plant!) This book my mom is reading, which was written by a woman who lost over 100 lbs and kept it off for 15 years (or more, I think?), and who has gone to school for nutrition, emphasizes that natural oils like sunflower, coconut, olive, etc. are much better for you than canola or the generic vegetable oil. I can't remember the name of the book or I'd post it for you.

Just some food for thought.

dujennifer

Have you tried Big Lots or a $1 store or some kind of other discount place? You can get big bottles for a lot cheaper. Just keep an eye on your expiration dates, they are usually cheaper because the packaging is damaged or they are closer to expiration.

mdale2

Buy it by the litre at a warehouse market or ethnic grocery. You'll pay significantly less by doing so.

I've been working on a 3.5 litre container for a couple of months now. And remember...NEVER cook with extra virgin olive oil. It has a very low smoke point.

pannellkat

That is why I LOVE the 99c only store (sometimes). They have a bottle of "Pampa" Olive oil for a dollar and I stack up!! Do you have a dollar store around you that has a food section, maybe you can find some there. I agree, olive oil is WAYYYY expensive.

greeneyedgirl829

Thanks everybody! I do have a dolar store, and I pick up lots of stuff there but for some reason didn't think of Olive Oil lol

pmjsmom

Canola is a good alternative.

Certainly a cheaper alternative... but Canola is a completely artificial/processed oil. (there is no "canola" plant!) This book my mom is reading, which was written by a woman who lost over 100 lbs and kept it off for 15 years (or more, I think?), and who has gone to school for nutrition, emphasizes that natural oils like sunflower, coconut, olive, etc. are much better for you than canola or the generic vegetable oil. I can't remember the name of the book or I'd post it for you.

Just some food for thought.

Umm...canola IS a plant (developed by CONVENTIONAL crossbreeding methods!). I did extensive research on it when the oil first came out because I had also heard the claims that it was a totally artificial oil.

Here are some of the more readable sites:

Ihttp://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/canola.asp

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/canola-oil/AN01281

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/canola-oil

Mindful_Trent

Canola is a good alternative.

Certainly a cheaper alternative... but Canola is a completely artificial/processed oil. (there is no "canola" plant!) This book my mom is reading, which was written by a woman who lost over 100 lbs and kept it off for 15 years (or more, I think?), and who has gone to school for nutrition, emphasizes that natural oils like sunflower, coconut, olive, etc. are much better for you than canola or the generic vegetable oil. I can't remember the name of the book or I'd post it for you.

Just some food for thought.

Umm...canola IS a plant (developed by CONVENTIONAL crossbreeding methods!). I did extensive research on it when the oil first came out because I had also heard the claims that it was a totally artificial oil.

Here are some of the more readable sites:

Ihttp://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/canola.asp

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/canola-oil/AN01281

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/canola-oil

Thanks for the info... I'll have to look at your links when I have some time. I'll have to pass it along to my mom - perhaps the info in her book is not all that great.

LittleSpy

Canola is a good alternative.

Certainly a cheaper alternative... but Canola is a completely artificial/processed oil. (there is no "canola" plant!) This book my mom is reading, which was written by a woman who lost over 100 lbs and kept it off for 15 years (or more, I think?), and who has gone to school for nutrition, emphasizes that natural oils like sunflower, coconut, olive, etc. are much better for you than canola or the generic vegetable oil. I can't remember the name of the book or I'd post it for you.

Just some food for thought.

Canola is from the RAPESEED plant. It's naturally made. There's a lot of misunderstanding-based controversy over canola oil. A lot of it is out of this world conspiracy theory stuff. Seriously, just google something like "canola oil bad" or "canola oil controversy" and get ready to laugh your pants right off.

Edit: Oh, I see a previous poster took care of this for me.

Mindful_Trent

Canola is a good alternative.

Certainly a cheaper alternative... but Canola is a completely artificial/processed oil. (there is no "canola" plant!) This book my mom is reading, which was written by a woman who lost over 100 lbs and kept it off for 15 years (or more, I think?), and who has gone to school for nutrition, emphasizes that natural oils like sunflower, coconut, olive, etc. are much better for you than canola or the generic vegetable oil. I can't remember the name of the book or I'd post it for you.

Just some food for thought.

Canola is from the RAPESEED plant. It's naturally made. There's a lot of misunderstanding-based controversy over canola oil. A lot of it is out of this world conspiracy theory stuff. Seriously, just google something like "canola oil bad" or "canola oil controversy" and get ready to laugh your pants right off.

Yeah - pmjsmom posted some links above with good info. That's what I get for repeating info passed along from a book someone else read... :laugh: I've been a bit sceptical due to how extreme some of it sounded... now I know! Lesson learned.

LittleSpy

Canola is a good alternative.

Certainly a cheaper alternative... but Canola is a completely artificial/processed oil. (there is no "canola" plant!) This book my mom is reading, which was written by a woman who lost over 100 lbs and kept it off for 15 years (or more, I think?), and who has gone to school for nutrition, emphasizes that natural oils like sunflower, coconut, olive, etc. are much better for you than canola or the generic vegetable oil. I can't remember the name of the book or I'd post it for you.

Just some food for thought.

Canola is from the RAPESEED plant. It's naturally made. There's a lot of misunderstanding-based controversy over canola oil. A lot of it is out of this world conspiracy theory stuff. Seriously, just google something like "canola oil bad" or "canola oil controversy" and get ready to laugh your pants right off.

Yeah - pmjsmom posted some links above with good info. That's what I get for repeating info passed along from a book someone else read... :laugh: I've been a bit sceptical due to how extreme some of it sounded... now I know! Lesson learned.

Listen, it happens to the best of us. The first time I really heard anything about canola oil being bad was from someone on here several months ago. I researched it a little myself and laughed for quite some time at the ridiculousness of it all. I know a lot of folks would just take the misinfo & run with it though so I always feel the need to defend poor little canola. :laugh:

HonestOmnivore

I use canola oil for any high temp needs like the very few times I fry or deep fry foods. I use Olive Oil for everything else - extra light for cooking at higher temps and extra virgin for everything else.

I buy the 3.5 liter size containers of both and keep them out of light under my sink - I keep smaller bottles on the counter and just refill them as needed (and a pump spray bottle of the light too).

When I get done washing dishes or cleaning up in the kitchen I rub a little into my freshly washed hands - it's very nice!