Food worth splurging on

We all know I'm a huge fan of organic meat, fruit and vegies, but if you can't afford organic your best bet is to buy meat from a farmer's market. Ask the grower/farmer what they feed the animals, how much space they have to roam and if any pesticides, hormones or chemicals are used in any way. As for fruit and vege, I don't mind buying ones with skins from a local shop (not supermarket), but most others I buy from an organic delivery service or market. You'll find when you spend more on food you cook simpler - it brings out the best flavours of your incredible produce.

Besides the above, there are some pantry and fridge staples you simply cannot scrimp on, in my books. They are:
* extra virgin olive oil... never used for cooking, only for finishing off salads, soups, meats and vegies. Or toast. Or whatever... just don't buy a cheap one. You need a cold-pressed evo. Australia makes some brilliant evo's, if you don't like forking out for an Italian or Spanish one. And if you want to buy in bulk you'll need to be super careful with your tin, make sure it's kept in a cool, dark place and doesn't get any dust inside.
* balsamic vinegar... the cheap stuff isn't even worth buying, and the $20 bottle will last you a very long time. It's so dense and sweet and you'll only need a few drops to get the full effect.
* chocolate... this comes down to personal taste, but if you manage to rid your diet of most sugars, you'll find regular chocolate waaaay too sweet. That's because it is! Good quality dark choc is the way to go, but if it's too bitter for you then at least get the good milk stuff. And savour it in small quanities... better for your tastebuds and health.
* ice cream... I'm a huge fan, but I only indulge once a week. I buy the small pots of Serendipity and enjoy every single, tiny spoonful. It's hard to practice moderation when you've got a massive bucket of the cheapo variety, and again the sugar content (not to mention the articifial colouring and flavouring, preservatives, additives, etc) is off the scale.
* cereal... this is a tough one for me because a bowl of frosty yumminess reminds me of being a very happy child. However, for the last two years-ish I've stuck to only muesli and porridge. It's so satisfying, raw and delicious. And when you consider that anything that looks like a 'flake' on a cereal package is not a 'rolled oat/wheat/kernel' but rather a shape made in a machine from a gruel of processed grains (they lost their health properties a long time before they were poured into a box) and a mind-boggling amount of sugar, etc, it really makes you think twice about where that 'crunch' came from. Hideously bad for you processed vegetable oils? Probably. Why not make your own muesli for a week and see how much better you feel?