Why You Should Always Have Two Bottles of Olive Oil in Your Kitchen

In a perfect world, you might only need one bottle of the finest olive oil in your kitchen. But with the rising prices of olive oil, using a premium bottle for everything isn’t always practical.

This is where balance comes in.

That’s why I always keep two bottles of olive oil at home—a versatile everyday option and a premium choice for special occasions.

This way, I can enjoy great-tasting food without breaking the bank.

Let me share why this method works for me and how it can make a difference in your cooking, too.

1st Bottle: Your Go-To Oil for Everyday Cooking

The first bottle of olive oil you should have in your kitchen is a larger one—around a liter (34 fluid ounces). This will be your go-to oil for everyday use.

In my home, we use a lot of this oil because, as I mentioned in another article, I’ve almost entirely switched from sunflower oil to olive oil.

Like many people, I don’t have the kind of salary that allows me to use the highest quality olive oil all the time, especially since we use it for nearly everything—cooking eggs, sautéing meat, seasoning meat before baking or grilling, and so much more.

This everyday olive oil should still be of good quality. I always check that it contains important ingredients like polyphenols, which are great for health.

But I don’t go for the premium bottles that cost a fortune.

Instead, I chose a well-balanced, affordable option that has the quality I need without the high price tag.

2nd Bottle: Premium Olive Oil for Special Occasions

This is where the second bottle comes in—a premium extra virgin olive oil that costs a bit more per liter, often a few times the price of everyday olive oil.

I don’t usually buy large bottles of this type; I prefer smaller ones, around 0.25 liters (8.5 fluid ounces) or, at most, 0.5 liters (17 fluid ounces).

We reserve this premium olive oil for moments when you want to fully experience its rich aroma, flavor, and health benefits.

This means using it when the olive oil is consumed raw and immediately, so it truly needs to be fantastic.

You can drizzle it over salads, make avocado sandwiches, or even take a tablespoon in the morning for its health benefits.

You don’t use much olive oil in these moments, but you want the very best taste and quality.

How Using Two Bottles Can Save You Money and Maximize Flavor

By now, you probably see the logic in having two bottles of olive oil at home, but let’s break it down further with a few key points:

• Save Money on Everyday Cooking: When you’re cooking, much of the unique flavor of premium olive oil is lost anyway. You’ll use a lot of oil for tasks like sautéing or frying, so using the more affordable, everyday option is just more economical.
  It makes no sense to pour expensive, premium olive oil into a hot pan where its nuanced flavors won’t be noticed so much.
• Maximize Flavor When It Matters Most: On the other hand, there are moments when you truly want to enjoy the best possible flavor and health benefits of extra virgin olive oil—like drizzling over salads, dipping bread, or finishing a dish.
  This is where the premium bottle shines. If you only use “everyday” olive oil, you miss out on those special moments when you want the freshest, most vibrant taste.
• Avoid Wasteful Spending: If you use only premium extra virgin olive oil for everything, you’ll spend a lot more money without a good reason.
  Balancing the two types allows you to get the best of both worlds: saving money on daily use and enjoying the highest quality when it really counts.

How to Choose Everyday and Premium Olive Oil

I’ve already written articles on how to choose the right olive oil and what to watch out for, especially when it comes to recognizing low-quality oils—something you never want to buy.

So, keep those general tips in mind.

But for this particular approach of having two types of olive oil, here’s what you should look for:

• For Everyday Use: Choose an extra virgin olive oil that has a known origin and a harvest date on the bottle and comes in a dark glass, stainless steel, or ceramic container. If it meets these criteria, it’s likely already a good-quality oil. From there, narrow down your choice based on your budget. For example, a great everyday olive oil could be Atlas Cold Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil  from Morocco. It has a strong reputation worldwide for its excellent quality at a reasonable price.

• For Special Occasions: Be prepared to spend more on your premium olive oil. You’ll likely pay the same or even more than you would for your everyday oil, but the bottle will be much smaller. The price per fluid ounce is naturally higher. For this type, make sure it has all the right certifications like PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and other quality labels—look for terms like organic, natural, and bio-certified. One excellent choice I recommend is the Chiavalon Ex Albis  olive oil from Croatia, which won a Gold Award at the NYIOOC 2022 and has a host of other accolades.

Don’t Forget to Store Oils Properly

Since you’ll be using two bottles of olive oil, you might find that you go through them more slowly.

This makes it even more important to store your olive oil properly to keep it fresh and flavorful for as long as possible.

Here are a few simple tips to help you do just that:

• Keep It in a Dark Place: Light is one of olive oil’s biggest enemies, so store your bottles in a dark cupboard or pantry away from direct sunlight.
• Choose the Right Bottles: Make sure your olive oil is in dark glass, stainless steel, or ceramic containers. Avoid plastic bottles, as they can degrade over time and affect the oil’s quality.
• Use the Right Dispensers: If you transfer your oil into dispensers, make sure they’re dark or opaque. Alternatively, use very small dispensers that you refill often to minimize exposure to light and air.
• Store at the Right Temperature: Ideally, keep your olive oil in a cooler part of your home, below 20°C (68°F), with the best range being around 12-15°C (54-59°F).

By following these tips, you’ll help ensure that both of your olive oils stay fresh and retain their full flavor and health benefits for as long as possible.

Final Thoughts

I hope I’ve been able to show you how having two bottles of olive oil at home can be a smart way to enjoy the best flavors while also being mindful of your budget.

This is the method I follow, and even though olive oil is generally cheaper here in Croatia (though prices have been going up like crazy lately!), I think this approach is especially valuable for those of you in the USA, Canada, the UK, or other countries where olive oil tends to be more expensive.