Winter Recipes and Frugal Food Tips

November 2025 Update

from Melissa Fryar, HBC Manager

Normally, I like to check in every month and let y’all know what’s happening in HBC and co-op land, but October got away from me. Like many, I found myself in squirrel mode: stocking the pantry with fall and winter essentials, fretting about the fall garden and the weather to come, and prepping for the holiday season ahead.

While my personal goal is “Be here now,” that is just not a reality in the land of retail. I buy most of the fair-trade wool goodies in March, Jim in grocery was placing Valentine’s Day orders before Halloween, and there is a constant pull to the next thing, the next holiday, the next season.

For now, however, I plan to relish the winter holidays. While this can be a difficult time for many, I have worked to make it special again in my life. The simple and nourishing things are my favorite rituals. Making broth, creating a solstice tea or warming chai, lighting candles each day to delight in light and warmth, pulling out my favorite cozy sweaters, and dancing in the falling leaves make me appreciate the season and feel the comforts of this time of year.

No matter what time of year, food is always a part of these rituals. While I yearn for fresh berries and stone fruits by the end of winter, I do love the abundant apples, fresh pomegranates, and citrus of the season. One of my close friends once supplied a bowl of jewel-like pomegranate seeds, already peeled and ready to eat… such a luxury and so beautiful! I do that every year now… taking a handful of delicious pomegranate seeds and eating a mouthful as I please. Simple, yet decadent.

Another favorite is baking squash—any kind that you love—and rubbing it with ghee or butter, a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg, and a drizzle of maple syrup. It is a wonderful and simple lunch or dinner right out of the oven.

This year, the cost of groceries is a concern for most of us. I have been trying to make the most of my food dollar, yet still eat well and sustainably. I am not willing to eat ramen for 10 days straight nor sacrifice supporting local farmers, so how do we do it?

The easiest answer is to simplify. Cooking oatmeal in a batch and reheating with different additions each day has been delicious! I love fresh fruit and nuts mixed in, or maybe a dollop of yogurt. I found an easy chia pudding recipe that I love to add to oatmeal:

Simple Chia Pudding

• Mash 2 bananas in a bowl

• Add ½–1 cup yogurt of your choice

• Sprinkle in 2 Tbsp chia seeds

• Add 1 heaping Tbsp cacao powder

• Stir all together and add about ½ cup milk of your choice

• Place in fridge until set

This can be eaten alone or put on oatmeal or porridge. You can make this vegan or not, add various spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, or honey. Play with tastes and find what delights you!

Other frugal tips that I recommend:

• Instead of tossing or composting veggie scraps, keep a ziplock in your freezer to stash scraps. When full, make broth. I freeze everything from carrot, celery, and fresh herb stalks to mushroom stems, ginseng or astragalus roots from tea making, and onion and garlic skins. Trash to treasure. I then use broth for many things… you can drink it straight for a simple snack, cook rice in it, or use as a richer soup stock.

• If you are an omnivore, save that turkey carcass from Thanksgiving and add herbs (think nettles, calendula, astragalus slices, jujube date, goji berries, etc.). Other nourishing additions are seaweeds, immune-supporting herbs such as thyme and garlic, and mushrooms! Throwing in a few slices of reishi or a chunk of chaga, shiitakes, etc. can add an immune boost to your winter soups or stews.

• Meal planning can dramatically reduce your food bill. Eating out is very expensive these days. I always want to support local restaurants but also want to stay on a budget, so eating out is a treat. Regularly, I pack my lunch and eat at home. Every week my goal is to make one new thing. Perhaps a new casserole or soup. I always make a good dip or two to have for a simple meal of crackers, vegetables, and cheese. Baba ganoush, artichoke parmesan dip, or a simple mix of fresh herbs, veggies, and cream cheese can be used in many ways.

  For a sweet treat, cream cheese and honey can be whipped together for a spread on toast, add cinnamon and nutmeg to dip apples into, or use it as a cookie or cupcake icing.

  Consider how you can use one item in several dishes. I always cook extra rice so I can make fried rice, stuff squash, serve it with protein, or make rice pudding, etc.

• Buy in bulk! Even organically, most bulk items are a huge value. As a single person with one dog, 2–5 pounds of rice or oats can go a long way. Bulk beans are a real value and buying teas and herbs in bulk is far more affordable than packaged goods. Buying in bulk is also less costly environmentally.

• Take advantage of sales! I always stock up when my staples are on sale. Even if it is just one extra can of beans or my favorite chocolate is on sale, I buy a few. As long as the items are not short-dated, I invest.

  Here’s a short list of things I look out for on sale:

  • Ghee and essential cooking oils such as olive and coconut oil

  • Pantry staples like canned tomatoes, beans, tinned mackerel and sardines, collagen, vinegar, frozen veggies and fruits

  • Seasonal produce to eat, freeze, and dry (forage herbs and preserve; berries in season are far more affordable and can be dried, canned, or frozen)

  • Even if you only have a few pots, growing your own kitchen herbs is a simple and rewarding way to enhance your meals and reduce grocery costs. Essentials like bay, parsley, sage, and other culinary herbs can thrive in small spaces and provide fresh flavor year-round.

  • Local meats: we are lucky here to have such a diversity and abundance of farmers. You can purchase in quantity if space allows. As someone with limited freezer space, I buy most of my meat from local farmers through the truckload sale. Another one is coming up at the beginning of December. Keep an eye out!

• Use what you have. Every week or two I clean out my fridge and make a soup or salad with fading veggies. Did I buy too many apples or berries because I couldn’t resist? Make a cobbler or fruit crumble. I love this ritual, as it prevents me from wasting food and sparks creativity in the kitchen.

  Half of a cabbage head can become coleslaw, an addition to soup, boiled cabbage, or sauerkraut. Fermentation is an excellent method of preserving food and is great for your gut biome. All you need is a little salt and you have a side dish for any meal.

I would love your ideas for eating well on a budget.

Email me at hbc@frenchbroadfood.coop with any ideas or requests.

Other things that I have been pondering lately:

Neurodivergence. While I am no expert, I’ve had a sneaking suspicion that I fall into that category and have been studying a bit. As this topic gains more attention—and since we herbalists tend to be on the geeky side—many folks are talking about what works for them.

One category of herbs now being experimented with are aphrodisiacs. Many herbs like damiana can be both stimulating to the body and relaxing to the mind. I can see these being a wonderful addition for stress and the “monkey mind” many struggle with.

One formula for overall wellness that I came across was from Kiva Rose, a well-known herbalist from the Southwest who has spoken openly about her neurodivergence. She shared this formula:

Equal parts:

• Reishi

• Hawthorn berries (you can also add leaves and flowers)

• Schisandra berries

Prepare as a tincture. This is a lovely adaptogen blend that also steadies the heart. I use it daily for overall health.

Cold and flu season! We’ve always had funky weather here in the mountains. One day it’s 70, the next 22. Here are several things I reach for when I start to feel congested or have a cough or sore throat:

• Fire Cider: Delicious, effective, and easy to make. Take a shot daily during the season or add to salad dressings and soups.

• Tea: There’s nothing like hot tea on a cold day. I love the ritual and the effects. Here are a couple of my favorite formulas:

  Traditional Cold & Flu Tea

  • 1 part elderflowers

  • 1 part yarrow

  • 1 part peppermint
    Place herbs in a teapot and cover with boiling water. Infuse for 20 minutes. Drink hot to settle fevers and soothe.

  Kat Maier’s Crud Tea

  • 2 parts mullein leaf

  • 1 part thyme

  • 1 part sage leaf

  • 1 part borage

  • 1 part elderflowers

  • 1 part peppermint

  • ¼ part ginger root
    Prepare as an infusion.

If you’re not into blending your own teas, both Yogi Tea and Traditional Medicinals have great options. My favorite hot toddy is based on the Throat Coat tea ™:

• 2 Throat Coat™ tea bags

• 1 slice of lemon

• A slice or two of fresh ginger root

• 1 shot of bourbon

• 1 cup hot water

• Honey to taste

This is so easy and delicious, it tastes like sugar cookies to me.

Tinctures for seasonal wellness:

From elderberry to echinacea and usnea, there are many wellness blends to choose from. My favorites are Red Moon Herbs Immune Blend and their new Got Your Back formula. WishGarden’s Kick-Ass Immune and Deep Lung formulas are both highly effective. Old standards like Source Naturals Wellness Formula have been customer favorites for years.

If you want to make your own, here’s a general blend for treating symptoms of colds and wintertime funk:

• 2 parts echinacea

• 1 part usnea

• 1 part elderberry

• 1 part reishi

• 1 part osha root

This can be made as a tincture or syrup.

Shoutout to Red Moon Herbs:

Their entire line is 20% off this month, so it’s a great time to stock up. They’ve also added some new products:

• Ginger Elixir (It is so dang good, y’all)

• Got Your Back (a formula for infections)

• Holy Basil Elixir

• St. John’s Wort Salve

I love these local businesses that keep growing and inspiring us. Not only do they support local growers and are woman-owned, but they’ve done so much giving back to the community: organizing herb-picking forays, community herb pours, and giving away tons of free medicine to those in need.

Please help me support these amazing women, herbalists, and community builders!

We are in the heart of the holiday season. Keep an eye out for all the wonderful candles, calendars, and gifts you’ve come to expect. We strive to provide great and useful gifts for your celebrations, often fair trade or local.

I wish you joy and great food this season.

Thank you for supporting your local Co-op!

Warm wishes,
Melissa
HBC Manager