Seafood on a budget - How to make affordable seafood meals at home

Seafood from the Monterey Bay is sometimes more expensive than farmed or imported options because of basic economics: it is often caught by artisanal, small-boat fishermen and processed and distributed by local workers who live and work on the California coast.

The costs for bringing local, sustainable seafood from the ocean to your dinner table are high, which translates into a higher price per pound than farmed and imported seafood. But keep in mind that farmed and imported seafood is often sourced from developing nations with lower labor costs, less stringent and costly regulations, and subsidized shipping. When you buy imported seafood, few of your dollars stay in the local economy. The sustainability of these species and how they are caught are often questionable. Not to mention, they’re usually WAY less fresh than local options and are shipped thousands of miles.

Here are 10 tips for how to enjoy local, sustainable seafood more regularly — without breaking the bank:

1. Start With What’s Local & Seasonal
   Look at what’s local and in season. Fish in season are more abundant and readily available, and with a few exceptions, are often priced lower. Look for species that are in season and abundant year-round, like rockfish, lingcod, sablefish, Petrale sole, sanddabs, and white seabass.

2. For main dishes, buy white fish
   White fish is often a more affordable option — species like rockfish, lingcod, Dover sole, grenadier, and sanddabs. White fish is also very versatile: it’s great grilled, steamed, or fried, and can be part of the main dish without costing a lot per person.

3. Buy direct from the fisherman
   Several local fishermen sell whole fish right off their boats, directly to consumers. This cuts out the middleman, resulting in a lower price per pound for the consumer. Buy the fish whole, and freeze portions for future use.

4. Use more expensive fish as an accent or appetizer, rather than the main dish
   Regularly buying enough expensive fish for each member of your family to enjoy a large portion is often too expensive. Try using larger, more expensive fish like salmon, halibut, and crab as an ingredient or side dish rather than the entrée. These fish can be limited and special, so add smaller portions as protein on a salad or rice/quinoa bowl, an ingredient in a soup (think crab bisque or seafood chowder), or as an appetizer to share.

5. Buy trim, racks, shells, or unused parts
   When you’re at the grocery store or fish counter, ask if they have trim, racks (what’s left after filleting), or unused parts of the fish, like the head and tail or shells. These parts can be a delicious addition to soups, curries, stocks, or added to a dip or spread (like salmon cream cheese or smoked whitefish dip). Larger trim pieces can be used in place of fillets in many dishes and cost quite a bit less.

6. Eat more small fish
   Species like sardines, herring, and anchovies are plentiful and caught by large vessels with seine nets that skim the top of the water. They’re really inexpensive and very delicious! While popular in many other countries, they’re not enjoyed by Americans nearly as much as they could be. Try them fried, baked, smoked, or salt-cured.

7. Buy Whole Fish
   Buying a whole fish usually costs a few dollars less per pound because you’re not paying someone else to cut it. And, you’ll have the opportunity to use all parts of the fish for different recipes! You can buy a whole fish off the docks, at a fish market, or at some grocery stores.

8. Use every part!
   When you buy fillets, a whole fish or crabs, use everything! Many home cooks discard the skin, bones, or shell of seafood they purchase and prepare just one meal from the more desirable parts of the fish. See our article about Cooking A Whole Rockfish for ideas on making stocks, using leftovers, and utilizing the whole fish. For shellfish like crab, spot prawns, mussels, and clams, you can add shells to flavor soups and stocks.

9. Stock up when seafood is on sale
   At the grocery store, fish market, or dock, stock up on seafood when the price is right, portion and freeze what you won’t use within a few days. Use a vacuum sealer or portion into heavy-duty resealable bags, eliminating as much air as possible and storing it in the coldest part of your freezer.

10. Try new species
    Don’t be afraid to try new species and recipes - you might discover an affordable species you hadn’t considered before, and it may become your new favorite meal!