I know it's a little bit early to think about this, but I've already started worrying. I am a kitchen-kinda girl. I love to cook & bake & Christmas is a really great time for me because of this. I normally make between 12 & 16 types of cookies with about 6-8 dozen of each variety. Out of these, really only a couple of them do not call for nuts. I was in the grocery store the other day & the price of nuts in general this year is absolutely INSANE!! I'm actually concerned that I'm either going to be forced to spend upwards of $150 just on my ingredients or not be able to make nearly what I normally do which really bums me out.
Has anyone else noticed this? Do you have any special places you buy nuts & the like from to save? I suppose I could go online to order them from somewhere, but I don't want to pay shipping & we're on a cash-only system right now so buying online is a pain. Suggestions?
I probably should have been more specific. I'm not a snob, but I'm definitely a foodie. Changing all of my recipes to ones that don't include nuts is not the solution for me. Like one Mama said, there are a lot of recipes where the nut itself is the star & that's mostly what I make with a few exceptions. I understand a lot of people don't like nuts, or prefer their baked goods without them, but my family does not fall into that category. I would not hesitate to change my cookies from 15 types to 3 if that's what it took for me to make our favorites, I was just hoping there would be some suggestions on where to find better deals on nuts. The closest Trader Joe's is over an hour away, but it might be worth a trip up there to do some fancy grocery shopping at the same time as purchasing all of my baking supplies.
Well, you could leave out the nuts on some where they don't make a huge difference in the cookie? Or switch to less expensive ones (like to pecan pieces from walnuts)? Trader Joe's has good deals on nuts, and my Father-in-law loves to buy nuts for snacks at Nutz Online (Hope I spelled that right). He says the prices are really good.
If you have a blains farm and fleet store near you go there. I have a small candy business. Like you nuts are the star in a lot of my candy. It is the only place I have found with reasonable prices. aldi's is also lower priced for nuts and their walnuts and pecans are both very good. but forget the regular grocery stores.
I haven't been there in awhile, so I don't know if prices have gone up significantly, but Trader Joes has always had the lowest prices on nuts!
Nuts are going to be pricey because of the drought this year. Have you checked the price of peanut butter lately??It's crazy! I am not certain that buying online will even be that big of a savings, especially when you add in the cost of shipping. We have been skipping the nuts in recipes when possible. Thinking from a financial perspective, you may have to rethink the recipes in your tradition.
Have you tried a local food stand or farmers market? We have a pecan tree that is going crazy and I've just been giving them away. Someone local probably won't charge as much per pound. Its worth a look.
I'd find more recipes that don't require nuts. I have one that I love - it is basically a sugar cookie, with heath bar crumbles, rolled in sugar, then put on the pan. I think they're called "Sparkling Butter Toffee Cookies" by land-o-lakes. PM me if you want the recipe.
But as a non-nut-eater myself, I'd almost always pick a cookie from a cookie platter that was NO nuts. I'll eat nuts, but I'd prefer them not in my cookies and brownies.
It was the wacky year this year. A lot of crops failed in some areas, but went bumper in others.
Just make sure to CALL before schlepping out!
I'm in the same boat. Some are just going to go "nut less."
My family and friends will survive JUST FINE! :)
I never put nuts in my cookies or sweet breads. my kids and I are the only ones that like them here. They still taste great as far as I'm concerned and there's never been any complaints from hubby either.
I dont think most baked goods need nuts. I make a great banana bread, zuchinni bread, and pumpkin bread and never put nuts in them. I dont add them to brownies or chocolate chip, oatmeal or any other cookie. No one complains. I do use walnuts when I make Jam Thumbprints because you roll the cookie ball in the nuts and bake. The nut is necessary. And if you want to make that chocolate cookie with the half a pecan on top, of course you need the pecan! Try using other things instead of nuts. m&m candies, cranberries, dried fruit, sprinkles or any other thing that will add some color, or crunch to the item. If you are making things for little kids, try smooshing a gummy bear into the top of it, or on the frosting. They will love it and wont care about the lack of nuts.
