A recent piece for Lovefood.com http://www.lovefood.com/journal/opinions/14049/family-mains-course-meals-for-under-3 had me considering the question of maximising flavour for minimal outlay. In that piece I suggested fresh ginger as one of the best ingredients in that light. Garlic is another winner of course. Wild garlic in season, not too far off now, is even better, given if you can find a source where you are allowed, you can pick it for nothing: we are lucky, at the bottom of our garden it grows in wild profusion.
I was pushed to think about this topic again by seeing an advert by the fancy herb and spice bottle people Schwartz. A recipe card series where each includes various herbs etc to make the particular dish is being advertised. Sainsbury's have a rosemary roasted chicken and potatoes one on sale for 99p, down from £1.99, which hopefully means they are failing to take off. In price/weight terms I still think the reduced one will be horrifically expensive for what you get.
If you can't cook, buy a good cookbook - Delia, David, Grigson or pretty much anyone where words are more significant than pictures - and invest in a few packets of herbs and spices - there is no difference I dare say between own-brand dried rosemary and branded - and learn to cook properly. It is one of life's pleasures, not a chore. Learn the techniques so you don't end up a slave to producers, those recipe cards a reminder of what you'll end up paying for supposed convenience.
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