Time is money, as the saying goes, but the problem is, what do you do when there isn't enough of either? Is it better to go for the prepared food that costs more or the raw ingredients that require more time to prepare? Cathy Erway, of Not Eating Out in New York, says that she almost always prefers to buy raw ingredients that "can be made ahead easily and will be much better tasting and free of the preservatives in canned versions that are so often found in salad bars." 

By Sarah Spigelman Richter

1 Bunch for $1.69 vs.1 Package with 5 Sprigs for $1.99

As a quick garnish for borscht or any favorite dish, that packaged dill is already clean and has way less brown and dead dill to sift through, and you won't have any herbs languishing in your fridge, becoming a mold breeding ground.

1 Head for 50 Cents vs. 4.5-Ounce Jar for $1.99

This is one ingredient where the extra prep time is worth it. Just a clove of garlic offers enough punch for an entire bowl of pasta, without any of the phosphoric acid found in the jarred stuff. 

Freshly Shaved at $14.48 Per Pound vs. a Wedge at $12.98 Per Pound

Savings of almost $2 per pound just for grating your own cheese makes buying the wedge of cheese a no-brainer. Break out the Microplane for topping your risotto and get bonus points for tableside serving.