Produce On A Budget

 

I have never bought the excuse that “eating healthy is too expensive”.  A healthy diet has never been out of reach for our family regardless of how much or how little we had to spend.  Sometimes you just have to put a little effort into it, but in this country, good food is available and very affordable.  We are quite blessed with that fact.

 

Part of living well within an extreme grocery budget means that we don’t always get what we want, but rather what is available at a reasonable price.  When it comes to produce I shop seasonally meaning I buy what is typically in season for a particular time of the year.  Fresh plums and peaches in the middle of winter or citrus fruits in the middle of summer are not likely to be on my shopping list.  Not only is shopping seasonally more affordable, but the produce is a much better quality too.

 

Not all produce needs to be fresh.  I purchase a lot of frozen items, especially vegetables.  Not only am I able to prepare a larger variety of vegetables throughout the year, but they last much longer then fresh and the quality is top notch.  Frozen berries are another favorite of mine too and they are available year round as well.  Again the quality of frozen berries is excellent.  I have no problems using frozen fruits and vegetables as a regular part of our everyday meal preparations.

 

To make produce the most affordable I buy fresh when it is on sale and frequently when I find it in the markdown bin.  Items to fix salads, bananas, apples, oranges, potatoes and onions are my most common purchases.  I love spring when asparagus and strawberries are readily available and low priced.  I find frozen veggies go on sale for around a dollar a bag quite regularly and when they do I stock up the freezer with broccoli spears, cauliflower, green beans, peas & carrots and corn.  Frozen veggies are quick and easy to prepare too and virtually no waste either.

 

I do keep some canned vegetables on hand as well.  Not a lot, but some.  My girls like canned green beans and corn and I enjoy canned beets, especially on a salad.  I keep a small supply of canned pineapple, mandarin oranges, peaches and pears.  Canned tomatoes and tomato sauce are the main canned item I stock and I use those a lot in many different recipes.  I try to replace those items as I use them and stock up when they go on sale, which I find they do quite a bit.

I keep it simple, try not to overbuy, especially the fresh stuff and use up what we have so it doesn’t go bad or get freezer burnt.  We eat a lot of produce and are able to keep a nice supply of fruits and veggies on hand at all times.