I’m constantly adding to this based on what I’m buying and using, and this page is always in progress. I live in Minnesota, and prices & quality vary wildly by the season. I hear from people all over the country that fresh produce is too expensive, yet pound for pound, in season, it almost always beats out frozen and almost always beats out any other kind of food! Here’s the thing: we undervalue the importance of produce.

One of the best things about fresh vegetables is that they taste amazing! Some vegetables aren’t too bad frozen, and some aren’t too bad canned, but fresh is almost always better.

It’s essential to buy at the right time and take advantage of sale prices! If you’re on a budget, start to really value fresh produce, use frozen when it’s on sale, and supplement with some canned items. (I use canned artichokes a lot!)

Leverage Your Sales:

Work sales-priced vegetables in your menu plan, and use them well and often. You may very well be able to pick up on a rhythm of sales as your store rotates produce sales week to week if you pay attention.

• Take full advantage of sales by buying items on special early in the week and at the end of the week, picking up more to get you through the following week.
• Pick up extra of sturdy sales-priced vegetables that last a long time & store well when they are at great prices: Potatoes, onions, cabbage, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, other root vegetables, apples, citrus, pears.
• Buy both ripe and under-ripe produce, if it is a type that will ripen on your counter or in a sunny window while it’s on sale, for this week and the next. Green bananas, pale tomatoes, hard avocados, pears, mangoes, pineapples, etc.
• Stock up during holidays! Most holidays feature fresh produce. Often on sale before a holiday are lettuce, berries, mushrooms, green onions, maybe potatoes, along with whatever seasonal produce is often served for that holiday. (Asparagus and artichokes before Easter, Corn before July 4th and Labor Day, Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes before Thanksgiving, Cabbage and Red Potatoes before St. Pat’s, and so on.)
• Buy in season – it’s usually better and cheaper! Confused about what is and isn’t in season? Let the store pricing be your guide!
• Buy out of season only if the price is great and the item looks AND smells great. Sometimes huge shipments travel fast and are priced to sell.
• Watch for unadvertised specials/markdowns. Many areas of the country take this produce to a food shelf, but if yours doesn’t, take advantage. Often I’ll find bags of avocados, lemons, and limes.
• Look for markdowns on produce that the store wants to move out quickly before it spoils, and ask a store manager if the store will mark down items that are less than perfect.

Do Some Planning:

• Reverse your idea of planning your menu around just the main protein, and consider planning around what fruits and vegetables are cheap that week. This works especially well if you can pull your proteins from your freezer. If you don’t have a freezer, get one if you can swing it. My freezer is stocked with low-cost poultry, beef, etc., so I can almost always find something to cook.
• Use the vegetable as the main part of the meal as well as for sides!
• Make a dish or two to freeze or blanch and freeze individual vegetables when great sales prices happen.

Compare, Compare, Compare:

Know how to make price comparisons to get the best deal! Don’t believe hype just because it’s repeated, especially from “experts” that have agendas – working for agencies, frozen food companies, online newspapers that are vested in having you visit so they can make money from ads. They literally regurgitate nonsense & crap and often don’t do any investigating to find out if what they say is true.

• Fresh Produce: Fresh produce, with few exceptions, in season and bought on sale costs less than frozen, and I think tastes better. Don’t believe any differently unless you pull out the scales & calculators.
• Bagged Produce: Cost comparisons of bagged lettuce/spinach/cabbage and other produce will show that prebagged is often five times the cost and sometimes up to 10 times the cost of loose. Bagged is usually sold in ounces, loose in pounds, which makes the comparison more difficult.
• Sales: Some produce sales are per item, and some are per pound. Knowing the better deal, especially in heavy items like cabbage, broccoli, and melons, will save you money.

Alternatives to the Traditional Grocery Store:

Shop Discount Stores:  Aldi, and Lidl have great prices on many basic vegetables and fruits. The selection is somewhat limited, and although their pricing doesn’t always beat my store’s SALE prices, they do beat my store’s regular pricing.

Farmers Markets: are a great source of produce – great variety, and a fun experience; sometimes prices are better than the store, but, at least in my area, prices are often more…the value here is knowing where your food is coming from and how it is grown; sometimes growers will sell at a discount at the end of the day, especially if you offer to take what’s left.

Indoor Markets/Ethnic Markets: while I love our Global Market here in Minneapolis, it’s a trek from where I live, but there is a little Chinese market with AMAZING prices on everything from fresh chicken to vegetables…don’t overlook your smaller shops…and if you live larger cities, I probably don’t have to tell you about some of the wonderful marketplaces. I’m lucky enough to visit Atlanta often and go nuts in their DeKalb Market.

Farm to table CSA’s: (Community Sponsored Agriculture), much like the farmer’s markets, can be more expensive than the grocery store, but again, for many, there is great value in knowing where your food is coming from.

Growing Your Own: on a small or larger scale, isn’t for everyone, but could be an option if you’re inclined to dedicate time and money. A start-up garden from scratch isn’t an inexpensive proposition, and gardening requires constant attention – even in areas with great soil, topsoil is removed when building, and amendments are needed. Future years require less work and money, and depending on the scale of your garden, something will need to be done with the excess. Community or shared gardens can be an option for some.

The bottom line: most of us on a budget with busy families and lots of things going on aren’t going to be trekking all over to far-flung locations searching out our vegetables – but we CAN easily get creative with buying and fixing them in wonderful ways…

Super Market Trends: “Value Added” Products:

A disturbing trend: the shrinking produce aisle. Stores are transitioning over to “value-added” products and reducing the variety of fresh vegetables and fruits available. My grocery store recently cut the produce aisle by 2/3rds, and what is left includes their flower stand. The types of fresh produce were reduced, but the overly priced, pre bagged and pre cut and more processed sections grew.

Keep in mind, we make a statement with our dollars – when we buy overly priced or processed items like bagged lettuce, cut up and treated fruit cups, etc., we’re telling the store: “Get more of this stuff. We don’t want the other, fresher, less expensive stuff that hasn’t been processed as much. Get rid of that. We’d rather pay MORE MONEY for LESS FOOD.” Many of these foods are often recalled for e-coli and other issues.

Pre-Prepping and Storage:

To keep my precious fruits and vegetables safe, when I get home from the store, I put the bags of fruits and veggies in the fridge, open.  After they cool to fridge temperature, I take them out, turn the bag inside out, and put them back in the bag and the fridge. This helps keep the excess condensation from rotting the produce and leaves enough moisture to keep them from drying out.

I prepare some of my vegetables ahead of time for some dishes I’ll be making or to have on hand for snacks. Use your good judgment as to whether this will affect nutrient value, quality, taste, or storage time – prewashing and/or cutting some fruits and vegetables will cause them to deteriorate faster.

Regardless, I wash all fruits and vegetables before using, and I wash and drain all grapes right away, especially because I know my kids won’t wash them before grabbing them as snacks.  I want to be sure they aren’t picking up residual pesticides.

Organic or not?

In our area, the prices are higher and often the quality is not as good…I think it makes some sense to take a look at this list by EWG of 53 fruits and vegetables ranked by amounts of pesticides.  You can make an informed decision as to how you want to handle this:

• Wash your fruits and vegetables very well, especially the top-ranking fruits and vegetables for residual pesticides
• Buy the most contaminated fruits and vegetables organically grown, and the cleaner ones from the store.
• Eat more of the less contaminated fruits and vegetables and less of the very contaminated ones.

Of interest is an article by Henry I. Miller on Forbes linking to The Journal of Toxicology by Karl Winter and John Katz, “Dietary Exposure to Pesticide Residues from Commodities Alleged to Contain the Highest Contamination Levels” which basically says the levels of pesticides remaining on the fruits and vegetables on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen List is well below “chronic reference doses” of these pesticides. A scary thought meant to reassure us? Or a reassuring thought? You’ll need to make your own decision on these kinds of issues.

Leftover Vegetables:

For ideas on leftover vegetables, look under Smidges and Titches. I don’t ever like to let my leftovers languish in the fridge! They are some of your most expensive foods because you’ve invested money and time in driving to the store and back. You’ve paid for the produce, then you’ve invested your time in picking out, buying, storing, prepping, and cooking!

I waste very little of my vegetables – I save scraps of onion, celery, and carrots for my chicken stocks and soups, and parts and pieces of many vegetables to throw in my next day’s smoothie – like My Big Fat Green Smoothie.

Over Bought and Afraid it will go to Waste?

One easy thing to do to keep track: Put your receipt on the fridge door. If you want to be fancy, highlight the fruit and veggies. You’ll have a quick list of what you’ve bought.

If you’re not going to eat a vegetable or fruit, steam, blanch, or sauté it, and put it in Ziplocs or your favorite containers. Label and freeze.

Ethylene Gas

Do understand the role Ethylene Gas plays in ripening (and over-ripening fruits and vegetables; I’ve noted which items are particularly sensitive to ethylene gas exposure.

Vegetables and Fruits that produce ready quantities of ethylene gas are: apples, avocados, bananas, honeydew, mangos, pears, peaches and plums, potatoes, strawberries, and tomatoes.

Basic Veggies: 

• Basic veggies like onions, celery, and carrots are some of the cheapest. For best pricing, try the discount stores. Bags are generally better deals than loose.
• Store onions in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place, away from potatoes. No need to wrap celery in pricy foil; if bagged, just slip a produce bag over the top, and if not bagged, use two produce bags to cover the whole celery, and store in a drawer in the fridge away from vegetables and fruits that produce ethylene gas. Carrots need ventilation – poke a few extra holes in the bag, place them at right angles to any grooves in the produce drawer. Turn them now and then. Again, keep away from vegetables & fruits that produce ethylene gas, which will turn carrots bitter

Alfalfa Sprouts:

• Not inexpensive at the store, if you buy a package, make sure you’ll have a use for the rest. To easily store, place a folded-up paper towel on top of the sprouts in the carton and store upside down in the fridge.
• Sprouts are easy to grow at home; keep everything clean to avoid risk. A few days ahead, soak seeds for several hours, rinse, and place on a clean, damp sponge on a plate. Cover with a clear container. Keep moist. You should have sprouts in 3 days.

Artichokes, Fresh: 

• In season late spring (March through May). You will find them at their freshest with best pricing. Sales do happen, often unadvertised, usually if they’re languishing in the stores.
• Choose artichokes heavy for their size with compact leaves and firm stems. Avoid any with leaves spread open and/or dry brown leaves. Two artichokes should “squeak” when rubbed together, and stem should be firm.
• Store: do not wash, store in a loose or perforated plastic bag; they do best if the stem is wrapped in damp paper towel. If the stem end is hardened, lightly trim, but leave as much as possible.

Artichoke Bottoms, Frozen: 

• Although there are frozen Artichoke Bottoms, they aren’t available everywhere. Check higher-end groceries, Trader Joe’s, and so on.
• The pricing can be better than expected;  usually higher than canned, but they don’t contain any leaf.

Artichoke Hearts, Canned: 

• While not cheap, they go on sale, often unadvertised. Scan for them; sales are often $1.00 off. Cans are usually less than jars, quarters are usually less than whole. I don’t recommend chopped.
• Both Aldi and Lidl prices are less than the regular grocery store. Marinated may be more; compare the price per pound or ounce. Look for them where your store discounts items for immediate sale.

Asian Pears:

• Asian pears are green when unripe but turn yellow as they ripen. They should be round and firm; sometimes they are called apple pears.
• If not available, or if the price isn’t reasonable, often another firm pear may be substituted in a recipe; all pears contain protease, an enzyme that will help break down and soften beef or other proteins.
• Store Asian pears in a cool, dry place or refrigerate them for short-term freshness. Before refrigerating, remove any leaves. Do not wash until ready to use. All pear varieties emit ethylene gas; keep away from fruits and vegetables sensitive to exposure.

Asparagus, Fresh:

• In season in the spring, take advantage of the pricing to use more often. Be aware of the package size; sometimes they’re 12 ounces, and other times a pound.
• Look for firm, bright green stalks with tight, compact, and dry tips. Avoid limp asparagus and those with open buds or any slime. Avoid asparagus with strong odors.
• To store, wrap stalks in damp paper towels, then seal in a Ziploc bag and place in the fridge. It could last up to 2 weeks. Keep away from fruits and vegetables that produce ethylene gas.
• To get the most from asparagus, use a vegetable peeler to remove the heavy scales from the bottom of the stalk. The shavings can be used in recipes like stock or soup. An alternative is to bend until the stalk snaps. Line the stalks up with the rest of the bunch and cut through the bunch all at once. Any waste can be tossed in a smoothie.

Avocados:

• When buying, beware of discounted bags; make sure they are not too far gone, and avoid small avocados, which are often mostly seed and generally not good quality. Avocados do go on sale and continue to ripen after picked; take advantage of good pricing by picking ripe ones to use immediately, and those not yet ready to use later.
• For ripe Avocados, look for dark green to nearly black, bumpy skin and no dents. They should yield to gentle pressure. Don’t squeeze; place it in your palm and feel – it should have about the same firmness as your palm. The stem base, when removed, should be green; brown means it is overripe. If the base is already removed, it should be a very light brown with hints of green.
• Hard Avocados will ripen in a few days on the counter. To speed up, place in a bag with a banana, apple, or other fruit/vegetable that emits ethylene gas.
• Once ripe, place them in the fridge where they will last two to three days. Once cut, brush edges with lemon or lime, brush with oil, or place upside down in cold water and refrigerate. Some success is said to be had by placing in a container with onion slices and refrigerating; I have not tried this method, but there is no doubt in my mind the taste would be affected.

Beets:

• Sale prices are rare on any beets, fresh, canned, or pickled. If you catch a good price, stock up.
• The prices do vary wildly by season. Fresh beets are in season from June to October, with peak season July through August. Cans are at a low when warehouses are full in the fall and sometimes before holidays.
• Rather than letting fresh beets go to waste, pickle them, and don’t forget to use the tops in salads or smoothies.

Bell Peppers:

• Buy on sale or take advantage of discount store pricing. Compare the pricing of two or three packs to singles. Green peppers are the bargain, cheaper than other colors.
• Peppers are usually sold by the item; if by the pound, weigh and compare.
• Store for one to two weeks in a perforated bag (or the bag they come in; staple or tape it shut after removing one).
• If a save is needed, roast, peel, and freeze the colored ones; green can be diced and frozen, sauteed, or raw for future recipes. If frozen raw, do so for only short periods, and be aware they will become watery.
• If red peppers are at a stellar price, stock up and roast; use them instead of the pricier jarred peppers.

Broccoli:

• Fresh broccoli is available all year, but flavor, quality, and pricing are best in the fall season, and sweeter after a cold snap. A cool-weather crop, the fall season is October to April. Early spring broccoli is April through May.
• Fresh crowns should be dark green with a brighter green stalk; avoid any where the crown is fading, turning yellow in spots, or the stalk is dry or soft. Yellow between the florets, noticeable when the crown has been cut, is normal; that area hasn’t been exposed to light.
• Broccoli may be priced by the head (crown) or by the pound. (If priced by the head, weigh to figure the price per pound.) The size of the head usually varies with the season, but it usually runs 1 to 1 1/2 pounds.
• Look for good pricing at discount stores, and possibly in bulk at larger stores or farmers’ markets.
• Packaged, cut broccoli from the produce department is often dried out, and compared to fresh, it can be 4 to 10 times the cost per pound; the storage time is shorter compared to heads.
• Unwary consumers assume or are told frozen is a better bargain; it’s usually more per pound, the quality is often poor, and a pound of frozen contains up to 6 ounces of excess water.
• The easy method to store is to place unwashed broccoli in the crisper drawer, in a perforated bag. Add a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Aim to use before a week has passed, although it may last longer. Keep away from fruits and vegetables that emit ethylene gas.

 

Brussels Sprouts:

• Brussels Sprouts are in season from fall through spring, but available year-round. Best pricing is during their peak season; it coincides with our Winter Holidays. Pick them up on the cheap and use more.
• Just like broccoli, Brussels sprouts are an item that is usually less expensive fresh, in season, than frozen, and the quality is much better.
• Place unwashed Brussels in a perforated bag in the crisper drawer. Don’t toss if leaves are yellowed; peel off any damaged leaves. Unattractive spots can be trimmed. Brussels keep for a week or more in the fridge, but the flavor becomes stronger with time. Keep away from fruits and vegetables that emit ethylene gas.

Cabbage: 

• Pick the largest cabbage you can find if sold by the head, and be careful if buying by the pound.
• Cabbage is always less expensive in the fall/winter, and usually there are great sales around both New Year’s and St. Paddy’s Day.
• It makes sense to pick up an extra if you have room in your fridge when you see a rock-bottom price and use it more.
• Generally, green cabbage is the most affordable, with red cabbage as a close second, and Napa cabbage is the priciest.
• Check the stem when buying; you’ll see ridges if the store has peeled off the outer leaves to make the cabbage look fresh.

Carrots:

• Always cheap, but watch for sales and know larger packages are less per pound. The discount stores have great pricing.
• For best quality, avoid prepackaged “baby” carrots or shreds; often these are treated with ammonia and/or bleach.
• Store without washing in the crisper drawer in a ventilated bag; place at right angles to any ridges, and turn the package now and then. Do not allow it to sit in condensation.

Cauliflower:

• In season from October through March, the price and quality are usually better, and the peak season begins in December. Do watch for sales when buying, and compare per-pound and per-head pricing.
• Look for creamy white heads with no discoloration, blemishes, or soft spots. While small spots of fungus can be removed, they will multiply when stored.
• Store in a loosely closed plastic bag with a paper towel to absorb moisture. Whole heads will keep in the fridge for four to seven days, florets for about 4 days.

Celery:

• Generally inexpensive year-round, it keeps well; consider buying extra if on sale. Look for firm stalks with fresh leaves, with no browning or yellow spots.
• Make use of the leaves or save for soup, along with the bottom.
• To keep longer, slip a plastic bag loosely over the exposed top of the celery. Foil is not necessary.

Chives:

• Likely, you won’t find fresh chives in anything other than an ethnic market, and they may be a variety other than our old garden chives.
• They’re easy to grow in the ground or in a pot; just like parsley, I’ll bring a pot in from my garden to last through the winter.
• Green onions and chives can often be substituted for each other in a dish.

Collard Greens:  I was first introduced to Collards by a Southern cook, and although delicious, it wasn’t long before I learned to thinly slice them, stems and all, and saute them or steam them lightly in a little chicken broth or water. (And to use my Instant Pot.)

In our area, Collards are never on sale, but they are well worth the price any time of year – there are few vegetables more nutritious, and they have anti-cancer properties.

If they come from the store wet, give them a good shake and untie them, then after they’re in the fridge for a day, take them out of the bag, shake again, and put them back in the bag. Too much excess water promotes rot.

Corn:

• Fresh corn is a great example of how in-season vegetables can beat frozen or canned in price. Look for sales before the summer holidays. Corn should have fresh green, not brown husks, with no small holes. There should be just a little browning on the tassel. Don’t peel the husk back; feel along the top of the cob, and you’ll be able to tell if the kernels are full.
• Use the day you pick or buy, but if not, store in the husk, loosely bagged, with silks towards the open end, in the fridge for 1 to 3 days. After the corn has cooled, turn the bag inside out to rid it of excess condensation.
• Note: A large ear with large kernels yields about a cup of corn, an average, about 3/4 cup, and a smaller ear of very fine corn, about 1/2 cup.
• Fresh corn can be frozen. Either remove the kernels and freeze as is, or blanch the ears in salted water, 1 tablespoon per gallon, one gallon per pound of corn, shock the ears and freeze as is, or remove the kernels and freeze.

Corn, Canned & Canned Cream Corn:

• The best times to buy canned or creamed corn are late summer, when the warehouses are full, or before any big food holiday, when the sales are highly competitive.
• Know your pricing, watch for lows, and stock up appropriately for the year at rock bottom.
• Of all canned vegetables, it is one of the better. It’s a budget option over frozen, especially if used in recipes.

Corn, Packaged:

• If quality and budget are important, avoid packaged ears of corn, whether fresh or frozen.
• Those packages are usually over a dollar an ear, and they’re often not full ears.

Cucumbers:

• Cucumbers are available year-round, but peak season is May through August when they are often on sale. Generally, they are sold by the individual vegetable rather than by the pound, unless buying cucumbers originally intended for pickling.
• Look for firm cucumbers with no soft spots or damage.
• Some find the skin of cucumbers too bitter; a solution is to remove part of it, leaving some of the nutrient-rich skin. Toss peelings in water for Spa Water.
• If cucumbers have been waxed, store them as is, but be sure to use a brush to remove the wax before serving.
• Otherwise, wash and dry well before storing. Wrap each in a paper towel and place in a partially open produce bag. Keep in the crisper drawer. Don’t store with tomatoes, melons, apples, or any fruit or vegetables that emit ethylene gas.

Fava Beans:

• Very popular for a short time, I’ve not heard much about them lately.  They are very difficult to find in some areas. They might be found in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, or Asian markets.
• Favas are worth seeking out for special dishes; you may find them frozen at the grocery store or one of the above markets.
• Typically appearing in markets in early April and lasting until mid-July, with May being a peak month, fresh favas come in pods, which last about five to 10 days in the fridge. After the beans have been removed, they’ll last a day or two or can be frozen.
• Blanch for two to three minutes before freezing, shock in cold water, dry, and freeze on sheet trays. Bag and label. They’ll be good in a deep freeze for a year, in a fridge freezer about 6 months.
• Frozen baby limas can often be substituted for pricier favas in a recipe.

Fennel: Look for solid, white bulbs with no flowering buds. Fennel is in season from fall to spring, and the prices should be lowest then. The stalks, stems and the bulb are edible. Store for four days or so; after that the flavor will begin to dissipate.

Garlic:  Runs around 59 to 99 cents a head in my area in the boxes.  It can be a little tricky to discern the best prices because it can also be bought by the pound, and generally you’ll pay less this way.

• I do cheat and buy a jar off season.  I hang my head in shame, but to tell you the truth for most dishes, I can’t discern a difference – if I were making a dish solely based on garlic flavor, of course I’ll buy the fresh, but for any longer simmering sauces or dishes it doesn’t matter that much.  This is of course, a home cook perspective, not a Chef’s…it’s also a time saver – how long does it take to peel and chop garlic? Not long, but it might be enough to slow me down on nights when timing is already an issue. I’ll also use the oil it was packed in to brush garlic bread or crostini or garlic bread.
• I look for a price of  $2.99 a pound, or 54 cents a head.  I last priced in September ’11, and the price has stayed pretty steady.

Green Beans: In season from about midsummer through fall, green beans are at their cheapest, but are often available sporadically throughout the year at a great price. I look for a sale price of about 99 cents a pound, and like to quickly sort a bag out of the bulk beans so I can make certain I’m getting the best value.

Sometimes beans have a bit of a “rusty” color to them here and there – this is known as “rust” and a bit doesn’t really affect taste…a bit of won’t harm the bean or you, but overall, look for good moist beans that are a deep green color. They’ll keep in plastic for only a few days in the fridge, depending on how fresh they were when you bought them.

Green beans have been shown to keep most of their nutrients frozen for about three months, only, and freezing drastically change the texture…this is a vegetable I almost always eat fresh.

Green Onions:  These go on sale periodically, in my area, around 50 cents a bunch, and I’ll try to take advantage of them at that point in time.  Watch, especially around holidays for this pricing.

I use the green tops, then put the bulbs in a glass of water.  The tops will regenerate in about a week. (I’ve been on a mission lately to see how long I can keep mine alive this way – the longest was about 3 months before they were too weak to regrow.)

If they’re too pricey for me, I’ll omit or substitute chives or regular onion as long as it doesn’t compromise the recipe.  If a recipe says use only the bulb and the light green part, I just ignore it. (Of course, it the whole green onion is used for, say garnish or a vegetable platter, that’s a different story.  Kids love caring for these, by the way!

Kale: One of the powerhouse vegetables, kale should be eaten several times a week. Look for bright green kale with small, tender leaves and store tightly bagged and unwashed in the fridge. As kale ages, it dulls in color and become bitter.

Kale is a vegetable that never seems to be “on sale” and varied widely in price by region and time of year; regardless, it is one of the sturdiest greens and worth seeking out and buying regardless of the cost.

Lettuce:  I generally avoid the bagged, prepackaged lettuce, generally packaged up in 4.5 ounce to 12 ounce packages. When it first came out, it seemed like a godsend, but I immediately noticed the expiration dates were weeks out on these products. Now they don’t ship so early, but I’m not sure what they do to it to try to make it last so long – irradiation?  It often is not very tasty, and it’s generally MUCH more expensive than shopping the regular lettuce – usually over FIVE times as much based on a sales price of $2.50 a bag. Can you imagine how much more than regular lettuce the prepackaged would be at the regular $3.99 to $4.99 price? There have been numerous recalls on these products for contamination. There always seems to be some waste involved, as well; why not pick up just what you need and put it in your own bag?  It takes seconds to wash and tear or chop.

• Some of the higher end stores sell their own blends of greens, but if not, it’s very easy to pick up a bit of this or a bit of that. If the lettuce is all the same price per pound, I’ll just put bits and pieces into one bag. Lettuce is one of the few vegetable items I can find coupons for; you’ll see them often as hang tags condiments or salad dressings. (I do make a lot of my own dressings, by the way, but more on that in pantry items.)

Romaine:  I watch for this when it’s a certain price per head, rather than per pound.  Last bought October ’11 for $1.39 for a 2 pound head, or 70 cents a pound, November $1.29 a head.  December, it’s up a bit, $1.49 for a 1 pound 7 ounce head, about 75 cents a pound.

Look at an example of pricing for Romaine compared to a prepackaged salad:

You could go with this, for about $2.00  to $2.50 or so on sale.  Based on the $2.50 price, which is the general sale price in our area, the 10 ounce bags are $4.00 a pound.  l pay about FOUR TIMES as much on sale as buying a head of Romaine, below, NOT on sale when I buy prepackaged!

Or you could go with this, a one pound seven ounce head bought December ’11 for $1.49, it prices out at 75 cents a pound.  With the savings, you can probably buy a pound of carrots and a cabbage and put those few little smidges in your salad, and make several side dishes with the rest.  The highest pricing in the last three months $1.49  for a head is $1.03 per pound, the lowest was $1.29 a head.

Lima Beans: I’ve never seen fresh Lima beans in my area, but the plain frozen ones seem to be, for the most part, very good. I use dried in dishes like “bean pots” and in combinations with other bean for soups.

Mushrooms:  Watch for really low prices on mushrooms around any holiday – often less than half of the regular sale price.  If they’re tightly wrapped, uncover them and loosely wrap – make sure there isn’t any moisture in the bottom of the carton or any that are too soft.  Remove them before throwing in the fridge.

Onions:  Usually cheapest in the fall, I bought last at 33 cents a pound.  I generally look for larger bags as they have larger onions; less time peeling.  I’ll also stock up because they keep for quite a long time.  Do not keep them next to your potatoes, however.Whenever I peel my onions, I save the tops and bottoms and skin for my stock.  If I only need a partial onion, I’ll often just saute up the whole thing and put the excess in a zip bag in my freezer for a later use.  This saves that odd 1/2 onion lurking around in the fridge, getting stronger and drying out.  Update:  It’s spring now, and I’m paying 66 cents a pound at Aldi.

Parsley:  I’ll never pay for parsley, just snip from my garden.  I’ll bring a pot in every fall to last me through the winter and hope I don’t kill it!  If I don’t have, I’ll omit, substitute or not make the recipe if it truly relies on the parsley.

Potatoes:  Our family, being from the north, prefers potatoes over rice, pasta or other grains, which is a little bit of a shame considering the nutrient value!  (We’re learning.)  This is an item I generally have on hand, especially in the fall when they’re so plentiful and cheap.  Late summer and early fall is also when I seek out the more expensive baby potatoes and fingerlings.  Cooked simply, they are so flavorful and delicious, they are worth the extra bit of money.

Regular Russets and Bliss, I’ll buy in larger bags on sale since they keep so well.  Last year, I  picked them up dirt cheap, but this year, like so many items, I haven’t seen them drop to anywhere near last year’s prices.  I found them in September ’11 for $1.99/10 pounds, but in October, I just bought for $1.89 for five pounds, in November, 78 cents for 5 pounds.  Learn to cook your own potatoes and oven fries – you’ll save money and avoid a lot of additives!  Plus, they taste better – see my Rant on Frozen French Fries.

• To store, keep your potatoes well aired and in a cool, dark place, not next to your onions. I take mine out of the plastic and put them in a heavy grocery bag and roll the top down.  If it looks as if I won’t use all my potatoes before they’ve gone bad or if I find a deal that is more than my family would generally use, I’ll take a little time and prep twiced baked potatoes and freeze in Ziploc bags in portions my family will use.  Sometimes, we’ll make a meal of them or my kids will eat them as snacks.  I’d rather see them do this then eat some of the stuff out there!

Shallots:

• Primarily in season from late spring to early summer, but available year-round. Look for fresh, tight bulbs, firm at the ends with no damage or signs of mustiness.
• Store just like onions, in a dark, cool, well ventilated area away from potatoes.
• Shallots can be pricey; depending on the recipe, they can be substituted with finely diced red onion or thinly sliced green onion.

Spinach:  Much like the lettuce varieties, spinach is generally much less bought in bulk or a bundle than its pre- packaged counterparts. In December, 2011, I bought fresh Spinach for $1.49 for 10 ounces, which equaled $2.38 a pound. The Fresh Express, the same day was $2.49 for an 8 ounce package, which equaled $4.98 a pound. Same variety, both baby, and both had stems. The Gourmet version of prepackaged Spinach (which was the same variety, as well, and not organic, with stems) was $4.99 for 10 ounces. That works out to $7.98 a pound.  The prepackaged is often dried out and smelly.  Do “release” your bunch spinach from its ties or it will deteriorate around those areas.

Swiss Chard: Chard is another green, but this one has some unique properties in that it seems to have an effect of stabilizing blood sugar in many species. I’ve yet to see a sale on chard in my area, and prices vary by season. Regardless, chard is one of the most important vegetables one can eat and is really a bargain at any price.

Do not wash before storing and keep in the fridge in a tightly closed plastic bag.

Tomatoes:  They vary widely by season here in Minnesota, and can be really iffy in taste and texture during the off season.  I’ll often pick up cherry tomatoes or plum tomatoes which tend to be a little better quality if I have to buy them in the store.   I’ll sometimes substitute a good canned tomato.

• Last bought cherry tomatoes on sale for $3.49 for 12 ounces with a 75 cent (doubled) coupon for a total price of $1.99 in September of 2011.  Cherry tomatoes do sometimes have coupons.

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Fruits:  For ideas on how to use leftover fruits, see Smidges and Titches.  I generally let pricing help guide me on what to buy:  what is cheapest is what’s in season…what’s in season is what tastes best.

Apples:  So often taken for granted, they’re really best in the fall.  In Minnesota, our prices drop to 89 cents a pound for the locally grown varieties.  I generally avoid Red Delicious, and look for varieties with more flavor and texture.  Watch for drops in price in the fall, then again around January, when the cold storage ones need to be sold.  After that you’ll get apples stored in gas, and with them another drop in price in late spring.

According to the US Apple Association,  “Refrigerate apples as soon as possible to slow ripening and maintain flavor. Properly−refrigerated apples can keep anywhere from 4−6 weeks. Store apples away from strong−smelling foods, to prevent them from absorbing unpleasant odors.”

Bananas: Keep green bananas on the counter to ripen. Remove from any plastic. If you don’t want them to ripen quite so fast, place them in the fridge. It’s said bananas last longer at the ripe stage if hanging, and there are some hints that say to cover the stems with a little cap of aluminum foil. To ripen faster put them near other fruit. A cut end may be kept fresher if dipped in citrus. Bananas that are a bit overly ripe can be stored whole in the freezer or mashed and put in a container for baking with.

Berries:  I see them in the store all year, but they are cheapest and best during the summer.  I rarely bother with them any other time of year: tempting though they look, they so often disappoint.  It’s a fun family outing to go to a berry picking farm.  There are often sales around Holidays for any type of berries.

Eat them quickly – they bruise so easily they only last a few days in the fridge. When you get them home, take a moment to open the container and check through the berries. Discard any that are moldy or crushed. If some have been crushed, carefully rinse any that have been in contact, replace the paper at the bottom of the basket with a fresh napkin or paper towel if it has juices unless you will be eating them right away.

Cherries & Grapes:  Store in refrigerator, unwashed, in their packaged plastic containers or plastic bags until ready to wash and eat. Many come in heavy perforated bags which work well if the fruit is stored in the drawer.

Honeydew:  Best pricing is anytime during the summer, but sometimes I’ll find them on sale in the winter.  They’ll vary widely in price, so throw them on a scale first – they can be surprisingly heavy and might cost more than you’d think.  They really are a fruit that is good anytime of year.  Slice and serve along the side of your plate for all kinds of dishes instead or, or with a salad.

Keep on the counter until ripe or nearly ripe, then store in the fridge. A ripe one will generally last 5 to 6 days. No need to wrap unless it’s been opened. After opening, scrape and discard any seeds before storing, with the cut side wrapped in plastic or the fruit cut or chunked in a lidded storage container.

Lemons:  Look for lemons to drop in price from January to April, which is just about the time a fresh lemon meringue pie or dessert can save you from those cold, dreary spring days.  I even stock up a bit when the price is really great as they keep for several weeks.

Store citrus in the refrigerator in a heavy, sealed plastic bag. Cook’s Illustrated did extensive testing and found lemons, and presumable other citrus) can last up to 4 weeks without losing the juice. Don’t let them roll around loose, keep damaged ones with the rest, and do watch for condensation.

• I use every part of a lemon, every time I get one.  If the recipe doesn’t use all the rind, I’ll grate off the rest before I squeeze it and put it in small snack sized Ziplocs in the freezer for another use, brightening up a pasta sauce or a soup.  Last bought 40 cents each October 2011.   To get more juice out of your lemon, press down on it and roll it on your counter, or place in the microwave for just a few seconds to barely warm.

Limes:  I use often to add freshness to salsas, Mexican food and marinades from everything from chicken to steak.  I rarely see on sale, but they’re generally very inexpensive.  Just like with lemon, I’ll use every little bit.  See lemon for ideas on how to get more juice.  Don’t be concerned about the color of your limes – when you buy, pick up several and choose the heaviest ones.  They’ll be the juiciest.  They often have a wax on  the skin, so before zesting, go after them with a “scrubbie.”

Store citrus in the refrigerator in a heavy, sealed plastic bag. Cook’s Illustrated did extensive testing and found lemons, and presumable other citrus) can last up to 4 weeks without losing the juice. Don’t let them roll around loose, keep damaged ones with the rest, and do watch for condensation.

Mangoes:  One of those fruits that is shipped unripe and ripens in the store or at home.  Like bananas, you’ll want to be careful of bruises – they just magnify as it ripens.  I like to cut off sections, score them nearly to the skin, flatten them with the palm of my hand and run my knife between the flesh and the skin, parallel to the table.  At our store they go on sale frequently, and I’ll often pick up several at various stages of softness for salsas and smoothies.   I let them ripen on my counter.

Never refrigerate a mango until it has reached its desired ripeness.

Oranges:  Best pricing is in the winter, and you’ll find them juicy and flavorful.  They are available all year long, of course.  I save a rind or two in a Ziploc bag in my freezer – I use them when I make things like spiced tea or mulled cider, even when I don’t have an orange on hand, and the rind is the most flavorful part.  See lemon for ideas on how to get more juice. A good price is 89 cents a pound, but I’ll often find them on sale in April for much less.

Store citrus in the refrigerator in a heavy, sealed plastic bag. Cook’s Illustrated did extensive testing and found lemons, and presumable other citrus) can last up to 4 weeks without losing the juice. Don’t let them roll around loose, keep damaged ones with the rest, and do watch for condensation.

• Although it’s a pantry item, I have to mention I really do like to buy canned Mandarin oranges around the winter Holidays.  They seem to drop to an absolute low then.  I sometimes find them cheapest at Walgreens.  Odd, I know.  Mandarin oranges, canned salmon and tuna and honey are all cheap there when on sale.

Pears:

• Pears are at their best (and cheapest) in season, with different varieties spanning the months of August through December, but are available from cold storage year-round.
• For ripe pears, look for firm, unblemished pears with a little give at the neck. To ripen, nestle in a shallow bowl on top of a thin towel, away from other fruit; speed up the process by placing in a closed paper bag with an apple or banana. Once ripe, move to the fridge where they’ll last for weeks.

Pineapples:  I look for a price of about $1.49 a pineapple, which usually happens around Christmas.  I find them often through the winter at that price at Aldi.  They’re like bananas or pears:  you’ll want to take them home and let them ripen.  If you find them at their lowest sale price, pick up several in various states of ripeness, and you’ll have them for some time period to come.  Wash your pineapple before you cut it and throw the skin into a pitcher with water overnight.  You’ll have a flavored water the next day.

Strawberries:  I rarely buy out of season – they just don’t taste good.  If I can buy in bulk and bag my own, I will – otherwise look at the top and the bottom of the carton for the best – they’re often packed with nice ones on top, unripe ones on the bottom.  They will not really ripen any more when you get them home.  Just like with Pineapple, I now throw the trimmngs in a pitcher of water overnight and strain for a completely natural flavored water – I saw Jacques Pepin talk about this – he doesn’t waste anything!  Good man!  For years $2.50 for a pint was a great price – now I find them cheaper and better at Aldi.

Stone fruit: Keep nectarines, peaches and plums in a paper bag on the counter until they are ripe then move to the refrigerator where they’ll last a few more days.

Tangerines:  Look for them on sale generally from December through Spring.  Cuties often come in larger boxes and I often find coupons for them.  See lemon for ideas on how to get more juice.

Watermelon: Can be kept in a dark, dry place away from other produce. Store cut fruit in the fridge.

Saving on Basic Ingredients

• Vegetables & Fruits
• Proteins – what prices to “buy at” and how to use in budget planning
• Pantry Items
• Herbs and Spices
• Olive Oil & Cooking Oils
• Dairy – pricing and care

Links for The Twelve Strategies:

• Strategy One:  Bank Your Foods
• Strategy Two:  Pay Attention to the Bottom Line
• Strategy Three:  Control Costs:  Maximize “Profits” and Minimize Losses
• Strategy Four:  Take Advantage of Cyclic Changes in the Market
• Strategy Five:  Be an Investor, not a Gambler
• Strategy Six:  Give Back to the Community
• Strategy Seven:  Have a Business Plan
• Strategy Eight:  Invest in Training
• Strategy Nine:  Know the Products you Buy
• Strategy Ten:  Know your Suppliers
• Strategy Eleven:  Take Advantage of Special Offers & Incentives
• Strategy Twelve:  Use Sound Investment Principles

Related articles

• Store Fruits And Vegetables Without Using Any Plastic Products (survivalfarm.wordpress.com)
• http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/ (The Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen from EWG)  They note:  If you choose 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day from EWG’s Clean 15 rather than the Dirty Dozen, you can lower the volume of pesticide you consume daily by 92 percent, according to EWG calculations. You’ll also eat fewer types of pesticides. Picking 5 servings of fruits and vegetables from the 12 most contaminated would cause you to consume an average of 14 different pesticides a day. If you choose 5 servings from the 15 least contaminated fruits and vegetables, you’ll consume fewer than 2 pesticides per day.