Martha Stewart's Advice For Saving Money On Olive Oil

Groceries are expensive, and stretching ingredients and dollars can be a challenge. If you are looking for ways to save money on olive oil, however, just borrow a page out of Martha Stewart's culinary playbook. Back in 2009, the media mogul shared in a Q&A with Deseret News that you should reserve an expensive bottle of olive oil for finishing dishes and keep a second bottle in your pantry just for cooking.

While this may sound counterintuitive, having multiple bottles of olive oil can save you money, as you can track and budget your use based on each bottle's function. Stewart explained that home chefs should use premium olive oil when they want to highlight the ingredient's "nuanced flavor and aroma." When people make mistakes with olive oil, these tend to occur when they're heating it up. The heat causes it to lose those characteristics that made it expensive in the first place. Stewart noted that this is why you want to save the pricey bottles for that last-minute drizzle to enhance your dish's flavor and the texture, whether you're making a salad dressing or basic vinaigrette, tossing pasta, or pairing the oil with your favorite loaf of bread.

So, what's the major difference between regular and extra-virgin olive oil? EVOO and virgin olive oil are made without the use of heat or chemicals. EVOO comes from the first press of the olives and has a dark green hue, while virgin olive oil is generally pressed a little later and, as a result, may be more acidic to the taste buds and lighter in color. Olive oil that is neither EVOO or virgin is labeled as regular or light olive oil. Regular olive oil is going to be a blend of second and third pressings and generally involves the use of heat to extract it from the olives. Regular olive oil has a golden appearance, a higher smoking point, and a longer shelf life compared to premium varieties.

What brand of extra-virgin olive oil does Martha Stewart prefer? Apparently, she's a fan of a small-batch product made in California called Heritage Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Stewart said during a live chat at the 2025 Kohler Food & Wine Weekend in Wisconsin that this $38 bottle of EVOO is the only one she reaches for (via Food & Wine). Its green hue and fruity, peppery taste make it the perfect finishing touch.