Olive oil
© Polka Kitchen

Shoestring Spending

Bargain Olive Oils

Posted October 10, 2008

Lately, we’ve been collecting extra virgin olive oils. That’s because we love to cook. But The Whiner is also cheap, very cheap, so we’ve been on the hunt for great deals that also happen to be delicious.

Right now here’s what we have in our pantry: Bertolli (from Italy), Red Island (Australia), Cedar (Lebanon) and Olive Harvest (also Lebanon). Although we’re out of it at the moment, we also like El Koura (Lebanon).

Each time a new EVOO comes into the house, we gather them all from the pantry and have a tasting. The Lebanese oils win every time, and are endlessly interesting. Our reading up reveals that the Lebanese have had about 5,000 years of olive oil production from mainly native species. There are five different growing regions within the country, and each can produce variations in character from the same olives. We love what we’ve tasted so far: Lebanese oils are smooth and full-flavored, they change in character from the front of the mouth to the back, they actually taste like olives, and they generally lack the bitterness found in many olive oils. And the price is good.

Yes, the price is very good, given the quality of these oils: a three-liter bottle of Lebanese olive oil generally costs us about $25.00, while a 1.5-liter bottle (which is what we usually buy when trying a new brand) can be had for less than $15.00. Don’t get us wrong here, the other olive oils are good too, but at one nearby supermarket Bertolli is about twice the price of the Lebanese brands-which busts our budget for an everyday oil. There’s the same problem with Colavita and another EVOO we love, Columela from Spain.

We’ve found, by the way, that some of the best olive oil bargains can be found where you least expect them. Stores that specialize in closeouts and overstocks can be great sources. One we like is Ocean State Job Lot, a regional discounter located in CT, MA, NH, VT, NY, RI and ME. We also rely on T.J. Maxx, where you can try out a range of EVOO’s without shelling out big bucks, since the bottles tend to be small and are pretty well-priced.

In the interests of full disclosure, we’ll admit that even Lebanese olive oils can bump up against our price limits. We recently spent $18.99 for a 1.5 liter bottle of unfiltered Olive Harvest. But we were glad we shelled out the few extra bucks: It is a spectacular oil, one of the finest we’ve ever had. The unfamiliar label and the luminescent green of the oil in the bottle caught our eye. But the Lebanese origins sealed the deal and convinced us to open our wallets (just a little).

Maybe you tend to stick to Italian oils. But if so, we’d like to urge you to broaden your horizons. Italy has trouble keeping up with domestic demand and has resorted to importing oils from other countries to mix with its own and bottle for export. Check out the Bertolli label the next time you’re looking at olive oil: the one in our pantry says it has oil from Italy, Greece, Spain & Tunisia. Last August, The New Yorker reported on the practice of “adulterating” Italian olive oil (with hazelnut and sunflower oils, for example) to boost profits.

It’s worth paying attention to just what’s in that bottle in your pantry (as well as how much you’re paying for it). One last point: Smaller EVOO-producing countries are competing in a world where the largest exporters are awarded subsidies twice the value of what they actually sell. We think that it’s a good idea to help support small producers who are bringing great, relatively affordable oils to market.

Have you got any olive oil bargains to recommend? Or good places to shop for these deals? Please share them with us.

Reader Comments

  1. Holly Clark

    What about store brands like Fairway’s or Whole Foods’ olive oils? Are they adulterated too? I like them as a cheap alternative, but maybe I should shop around.

  2. Jeffrey

    Can you make a meal out of a piece of crusty break dipped into these pricey oils you’ve stock up on?

  3. Anna K.

    Jeffrey, why not make a meal of bread and olive oil? If they are both tasty, that’s all you need. I like to throw in a veggie too, either raw or cooked, or some leftover fish. I also make an onion jam/puree that is mild and also inexpensive. Got the recipe from Jose Andres, the Spanish chef. The recipe’s at http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/OnTheRoad/Story?id=5465884&page=1
    I thought maybe this onion jam would be boring, but it’s not. (All it is is one chopped yellow onion simmered in a liquid of half olive oil and half water–to cover–and a little salt. Then strain off the liqid and puree the onion. I like to add some fresh thyme, but the original recipe doesn’t)All of the harshness and bitterness in the onion is left behind when you strain off the liquid. It’s very sweet and subtle. Amazingly good with nice crusty bread. And Mr. Andres says you can store and re-use the liquid for the next batch. It’s very good.

  4. Beth Seetch

    Went out to my Lebanese deli and bought 53 oz. of “Beirut” EVOO for $15.99. Deliciously green and cloudy. I saw the other brands represented but thought I’d explore. This deli carries Pastene brand tuna, so I requested their San Marzano tomatoes next time the proprietor visits his wholesaler.

  5. Brandy James

    I have been pretty faithful to the Bertoli brand of olive oil. As a matter of fact I have a few cases of it down in the storeroom.

  6. Dayton

    My olive oil stock is getting pretty low. Recently, with the economy going the way it’s going I was thinking should I switch away from my expensive olive oil and go with a cheaper brand?

  7. Brad W. Brown

    I suggest heading over to Trader Joe’s and checking out the Olive Oil’s there. You can’t go wrong.

  8. Doug

    Check out Walmart for savings on olive oil. They generally stock Bertolli and other brands. The savings is usually 10-20 percent below the local supermarket. They are smaller bottles but if you don’t need a large amount it shouldn’t matter. I shop Walmart selectively for savings on staple items of all kinds.

  9. Elle

    I’m an equal opportunity eater — in order words, I don’t care about the labelling and origin – it all comes down to taste for me. And I’ve always eaten on a budget.

    Currently, I go to Trader Joe’s for my olive oil but recently read some stuff on Cook’s Illustrated (for those who don’t know, Cook’s is the equivalent of Consumer Reports in the cooking world – i.e. no ads) on olive oil and vinegar taste testings. For the cheapskates like me, go to your library for Cook’s.

    Suffice it to say that their recommended choices were not the most expensive. I think the olive oil rec came from Spain and started with a ‘D.’ Recommended red wine vinegar was Pompeian (cheap, widely available).

    Also, I think EVOO is great when the taste needs to shine through (bread/ salads) but non-virgin is fine for cooking.
    And check out the small, ethnic markets for values.

    (Fresh baguette + olive oil + fresh ground black pepper = YUM)

  10. marianne evans

    Trader Joe’s Extra Virgin California Estate Olive oil, about 6 bucks for a 1/2 liter, is absolutely superb and very fresh tasting. We use this for dipping bread and drizzling on salads, not for cooking. Consumer Reports recommends Goya, very cheap and widely available, good for cooking, it’s from Spain. Also Kirkland Tuscan EV from Italy, good all purpose oil and reasonable.

  11. Stephanie

    For Italian, Monini; for Greek, Ariston.

  12. Bonnie Meltzer

    If you live near a Trader Joes, their brand of Kalamata Olive oil is quite good and is $8 here in Oregon for a liter. They have a few others, too, but I like the flavor of the kalamata olives.

  13. Bob Smith

    Despite overpriced boutiques, California still has old mills that make very good oil for $25/gallon. While not usually from exotic varieties, it is EVOO from old, dry-farmed trees, minimally processed. My problem with large import brands – they are made to be visually stable against sedimentation, cold weather, etc. Put a cup of your oil in the ‘frig for a week – if it doesn’t throw a deposit, or at least get cloudy, much of the best of the oil is still in Europe (or wherever).

  14. Suzy

    You Econowhiner guys are way out of my price line. I find Trader’s Joe’s Olive Oil ($6.99 for 1 LT) just fine for everyday cooking purposes. Though it just says “100% Imported” and only “packed in Italy”.

  15. desiree koslin

    Since I read the New Yorker article in the last year or two on how nearly ALL olive oils (unless they state on label something like “made of 100% olives”) are really diluted with soybean and other oils EVEN if they say “virgin” or the like, I buy two kinds: one for frying/cooking, the other (real 100% olive) for salads and drizzling. And I am sparing with both, of course. So, whatever the brand – look for the declaration that the oil is truly made of 100% olives! THEN you can start about Kalamata vs Spanish…
    FYI, I’m paying double, easily, for any 100% olive content. Cheers!

  16. Dee

    I used to use Bertoli. Now I shop the internet and buy cases from Canaan Fair Trade from Palestine. EV, organic, AND fair trade. And delicious! If a case is too much you can always split it with a friend. A liter divides out to $17, delivered to your house.
    In our house we use the Rumi (from Roman Empire trees) for dipping and the Nabali (from the native Palestinian tree) for cooking.
    I’ve had many a meal of crusty La Brea baguettes (Costco has them) dipped in Rumi oil with Canaan’s za’atar (ubiquitous Palestinian spice, mostly thyme). Wow, this is making me hungry!

  17. Thomas

    The organic version of’Il Casolare’ from Farchioni – cold pressed & unfiltered (the oil, not the company) – works for me. Italian oil.
    Costs about £10/litre in your average UK supermarket, at present.

  18. solange

    it’s too bad the Palestinian olive trees are yanked out on a regular basis, and their yield regularly destroyed, as has happened for 60 years, because their olive oil was superior and it would help them economically if we could buy what escapes destruction…