When purchasing any produce or not just produce but any food related items - do not be fooled by non-transparent packaging.
Example: These organic red potatoes - the front of the packaging is a red/pink-color from afar the potatoes look perfect and you'd just grab and go = selling tactic.
I like to pick out my produce, or ones that I can clearly see (not packaging that tricks me) unless it's really cheap.
Source: Personal Experience
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Instead of just picking up the prepackaged produce and throwing it into my cart, I take the extra time and weigh four packages of lettuce, four packages of tomatoes and different bunches of celery. The weights are not all equal and some weigh more than others.
We live on a tight budget. We go to a few local farmers markets and buy as much as we possibly can at that time.
Using Fruits and Veggies Before They Go Bad. I have several ideas for using fruits and veggies before they go bad. Onions, bell pepper, celery, other veggies I can use in a recipe, I chop, then store in the freezer in a ziplock freezer bag.
When traveling or even commuting, be mindful of regional bargains. For example, when we drive to Eastern Washington (from Western Washington), we visit some fruit stands to take advantage of bargains on apples and cherries.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I was tired of being sluggish and overweight, so I gave up my pop and cheese and unhealthy meals for a diet of mainly vegetables and fruits. I love it! It hasn't been even a week yet and I have already lost 4 pounds (I know some is water weight, but hey, it's weight lost!)
My issue is, it is so expensive! I live in an apartment on the 6th floor so I can't have a garden, but I love fresh fruits and veggies. Does anyone have any tips on how to save money on fresh produce? If you do, can you share with me what you did and how you saved? I know this is worth it for me to be healthier and have more energy, but I need to save as much as I can, too.
Any helpful comments would be appreciated!
By SuzyQ82
Do you know that you can spend more money on pop and junk snacks as you can on vegetables and fruits? During the growing season there are lots of folks who raise their produce and sell it along roadside stands. Also you can shop at farmers markets to buy fresh fruit and vegetables which is much cheaper then a lot of the grocery chains. Also look for vegetables and fruit that are reduced, but make sure that you don't keep it for a long period of time.
Buy some packages of frozen vegetables and stir-fry them. Supplement a lot of your daily diet with vegetables and limit your intake of meat. And last but not least execise!
Take a daily walk outside your apartment complex, walking will burn off the excess calories and you will lose the weight. This isn't something that you do only once in your life. I've told many people that they have to make a decision of changing their lifestyles.
MCW is correct, summer growers markets are a great way to get fresh produce. Sometimes the prices seem a little higher, but, the fruits and veggies taste better and last longer than supermarket versions.
Even though you live in an apartment, if you have a bright window, or a little extra space with a florescent light or a small patio you can grow some of your own veggies. Tomatoes, lettuce, radishes all do well in containers as do many others. Look for container specific varieties for tomatoes. Even though I have a garden, I container plant my lettuce.
Hope this helps.
Anyone having issues with produce spoiling much quicker than they should? I have made a few Costco trips and each visit I'm always left with something spoiling much sooner than they should (especially oranges).
