Food-conscious Hungarians eat this instead of salmon, it costs about a quarter as much

Where should you look for an alternative?

Market vendors and local fishmongers still offer good value for money. In many cases, fresh local catch or direct supplier relationships mean better prices than hypermarket deals. In my experience, you can often find seasonal discounts at the big market in Budapest or at smaller rural fishmongers, and you can even haggle, which is useful if you buy a larger portion.

There are also hidden treasures among frozen products. The advantage of mirelit trout fillets or glazed mackerel strips is that they can be stored for a longer period of time, and sometimes they are even worth investing in when on sale. The quality of frozen versions is now often the same as fresh, but here too you need to pay attention to the warranty and origin. When buying, it is worth looking for where the product comes from and how it was treated.

Gastronomic practices: how to approach cheaper fish?

Cheaper fish require different cooking techniques. A thick, fatty fillet can be simply seasoned and fried over high heat, while thinner fish should be steamed or baked in a baking bag. Breading and a short marinating period help to create a pleasant, flavorful dish that most families will accept. Experienced home cooks like to use lemon, dill, or mustard, as these can add freshness to simpler ingredients.

The smoked version also goes well with less frozen alternatives. A smoked trout salad or smoked mackerel cream is a quick, spectacular and cheaper alternative to the often celebrated salmon rose. It is important to emphasize here that this is not salmon, just a different, but lovable and more economical solution. In many family stories, smoked fish was the one that made for a cheaper holiday dinner, and this recipe is still recalled today.

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