SEVEN STEPS TO ROCK BOTTOM FOOD COSTS

Not much you didn't know already, but a sensible, ecologically conscious approach to the Castle Dangerous and Siege Perilous of supermarket and dinner table. Sherwin's program is to look at your own shopping habits and reform them in the direction of conscientious comparison shopping, eliminating waste (unnecessary packaging and paper products), and realizing the versatility of basic ingredients combined from scratch. Beware the white-elephant weekly special; keep your stockpiling impulse under control. Investigate some regional cuisines--Mexico, Japan, the Middle East, etc.--founded on the art of making much of little. Shop for three meals a week (planning on recycling each at least once) and do all the cooking in one big weekend session, using ""better-the-day-after"" dishes. Sherwin's recipes and individual food tips are not terribly inspiring, but the emphasis on doing your own fact-finding and organizing will be bracing for the intended audience of plastic- and convenience-food captives.