We love eating our fresh fruits and veggies. I started my children at a very early age on them, basically giving them as many per day as possible. Thankfully, I am blessed to have not had any trouble getting them to eat their healthy fruits and veggies, so we go through a lot of them. They can get kind of expensive. Here’s how I’ve managed to keep those costs down and save money on produce.
8 Biggest Tricks for How to Save Money on Produce
1) Shop seasonal
I don’t buy produce that is out of season, with the exception of artichokes. I just love them! 🙂 Each month, I post an article on what you can expect to find on sale that month. In it, usually contains the particular produce you’ll want to look out for. You can also check the “When to Stock Up” post for the free printable that will show you exactly when to stock up on produce and other items.
2) Shop at local farmer’s markets
You can find some of the freshest produce here. Don’t be afraid to ask for a lower price, and if there are multiple vendors, shop around to see which ones have the lowest prices. Likewise, you can go 30 minutes to an hour before they close and haggle yourself some pretty amazing deals.
3) Price match
You’ll need to bring your ads with you, but some stores will price match so you can get all your shopping done in one location. This can score you fresher produce and save some money as well.
4) Use coupons
It’s not common, but there are lots of times where you’ll find coupons on produce. My favorites have been organic carrots and $5 off a $10 produce purchase at a selected store.
5) Freeze your produce
If you like fresh corn, it’s easy to cook it, and then store it in zipper baggies. It’s much healthier than getting canned corn, and cheaper than frozen.
6) Stock up on frozen veggies
Speaking of frozen, stock up on frozen veggies when they are at their rock bottom prices.
7) If you have a garden, trade
You can trade some amazing veggies with your neighbors, people in your community or church. It’s a great way to branch out, meet like-minded people, as well as share your goods.
8) Don’t feel like you have to buy organic produce for EVERYTHING
Here’s a list of the dirty ones, and the clean ones:
Dirty (buy organic): collards, kale, yellow crookneck squash, apples, strawberries, grapes, peaches, spinach, sweet bell peppers, nectarines (imported), cucumbers, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, hot peppers, zucchini.
Clean (non-organic is okay): sweet potatoes, mushrooms, cantaloupe, grapefruit, corn, onions, pineapple, avocados, cabbage, sweet peas, papayas, mangoes, asparagus, eggplant, kiwi, bananas.
Do you have any great tips or ideas to save money on food shopping? How do you reduce your food bill?
