Getting deals at a grocer on fruit and vegetables is often a challenge for me. Whenever they go on sale, it's usually a few days before they expire. So, I usually buy them in small quantities. How do you save on fruit and vegetables?
Some stuff I try to only buy frozen, such as spinach, unless I know I am going to need it fresh for a recipe. Takes up much less space and lasts much longer, not to mention it's much cheaper. Also, I've found the local greenhouses and farmers markets offer much better produce at a fraction of the price as the chain grocery stores. Frozen pepper medleys are also much cheaper than buying red, yellow and orange peppers fresh in the grocery store - which are often really expensive. I stick with sturdy lettuces and other greens that I know will last me longer. Escarole is one of my personal favorites because it's great fresh, but really good sauteed in olive oil and garlic too. I often get the best deals on potatoes at the discount grocery stores, sometimes they will have 5lb bags of potatoes for only 99 cents for example. Other than lemons or limes, I seldom buy fresh fruits - and mainly get my fruit fix from glasses of OJ.
Actually I am glad you ask True2marie! Just this month I started to buy my fruit and vegetables in a poorly looking store that also sells food for animals and other agriculture stuff and I am blown away with their prices and quality of their products. It's really amazing because I pass daily by that shop for the last 10 years and just now I have become a client and I will not stop being one. Just because the store looks bad (it does) it doesn't mean the products aren't good, farmers work there!
The best way is to grow your own! The investments are so small and the returns so great that I don't know why someone wouldn't if they had to opportunity to. Sparing that farm shops are probably the cheapest alternative, and farmers markets second.
I would never try to save on fruits and veggies. If you're buying them from the grocery store, you'll be lucky to be getting food with any nutrients left in them at all. The longer they sit there, the less 'food" they are. If they're on sale.. you might as well eat something else, there is nothing left of that fruit or veggie that makes it a fruit or veggie. they grow on trucks on their way to your store.. their best, most nutritious time was gone before it reached you. If you have to buy from a grocery store, I'd suggest frozen.. otherwise, I would suggest buying from a farmer and save your money elsewhere.
I live in DC so there are a lot of small independent grocery markets (mainly international) that sell fresh fruits and vegetables at a cheaper price than other mainstream grocery stores such as Walmart, Giant, Target. (However, if you own a Giant shopper's card, you can sometimes find good sales on fruits/veggies from time to time.) But my main go-to spot are the international markets that have the FRESHEST fruits/veggies at much cheaper prices. Good luck!
Grocery coupons always save the day for me when it comes to this. I also buy in small portions so they are not wasted if nobody gets to eat them in the house.
