This is more than just a great cookbook full of cheap, easy, and delicious meals, though it is definitely that! It started out as the author’s capstone for her master’s in food studies–a free cookbook to make it easier to eat on the SNAP (food stamp) budget of $4 per person, per day. This version is the second edition, but the goal of making healthy eating more attainable remains: for each cookbook purchased, another copy is donated to someone in need, and the full text is still available for free online.
But, in addition to being a book that you can feel good about yourself for buying, it’s a really exceptional cookbook. I am not a great cook–in fact, I have historically done none of the cooking in my household. This means that cookbooks are often daunting for me, so when I recently needed to begin cooking, I figured something titled Good and Cheap would at least mean that if I screwed up, I wouldn’t have spent a ton of money on the attempt.
So far, everything I have made from this book has been stellar, in addition to being cheap and pretty quick and easy (which is saying something, since I barely knew how to saute an onion when starting out). I highly recommend this book for anyone starting out cooking, or who wants to eat healthier without spending a lot of time or trouble on the effort.
—Kate, Annie Bloom’s Books, Portland, OR
Even if you can’t go to May Day marches in support of workers’ rights, you can buy this cookbook to help live healthier and happier on less. Remember that every book purchased = a book donated to someone in need. Get your copy through Annie Bloom’s Books or another independent bookstore, and you’ll also be helping keep hard-working booksellers in your neighborhood.