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If clever ways score cheap is on your radar, this short guide cuts through the noise. Here is what is worth knowing, and how to put it to work today.
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- Home > Tips > Sales > Grocery 13 Clever Ways to Score Cheap Produce & Save Big at the Grocery Store By Sara | Staff Writer Jun...
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Slash your grocery bill big time when you score affordable produce!
Give your grocery budget a boost and fill your kitchen with fresh, affordable produce using these practical tips! Even though fruit coupons can be rare, these simple tricks make it simple to feed your family healthy meals without overspending.
1. It doesn’t get any cheaper than starting your own home garden.
There’s nothing better (or cheaper) than growing and picking fresh, homegrown fruits and veggies! If you’re new to gardening, check out how to start a vegetable garden. You can also place vegetable scraps that can easily grow in water by a window, such as green onions, lettuce, or celery.
We tried a couple of these methods, and they REALLY do work!
Keep the white part of the onion with any intact roots, and place it into a small glass with water. After a few days, green shoots will start to emerge from the tops of the bulbs. After that, they’ll grow very quickly. You can keep them in water for a while, but they will do best when transplanted into a pot with soil before they start to weaken.
Regrow Romaine Lettuce from a Stem
That’s right! Just cut off the bottom of the head of lettuce and place it in a bowl of water near a window with sunlight. Replace the water every 1-2 days. Within a few days, you’ll have small leaves sprouting up. With this method, you will not regrow a full-sized head of lettuce, but you can enjoy the smaller leaves on a sandwich, tacos, or in a personal-sized salad.
Slice about 2″ from the root end of a bunch of celery and place it in a shallow bowl of water. Place the bowl near a window with sunlight. After a few days, you should start seeing small leaves emerging from the very center of the top. In about a week, you may see small stalks and leaves. Plant the celery in potting soil or directly into your garden.
2. Store your produce properly so you’re not throwing money in the trash every week.
Storing your food properly can make or break how fresh it tastes and how long it lasts in your fridge. Here’s a list of
How to store common veggies & herbs:
- Avocados - keep on the counter, then fridge when ripe to slow ripening
- Bell Peppers - store in the fridge, or crisper drawer, and keep whole for the longest shelf life
- Broccoli - store in the fridge in a bag with no seal, so it gets airflow
- Carrots - store in the fridge in water & change water every few days
- Celery - store in the fridge in water or foil to stay crisp
- Cucumbers - store on the counter for a few days
- Garlic - store at room temp in a dry place (but never refrigerate)
- Herbs (soft) - store in the fridge in a jar of water, cover loosely like a bouquet
- Herbs (woody) - store in the fridge wrapped in a damp towel for rosemary, thyme, etc.
- Lettuce - store in the fridge in a container with a paper towel to keep moisture down
- Mushrooms - store in the fridge in a paper bag to keep them from getting slimy (no plastic)
- Onions - store in a cool, dark, dry place (keep away from potatoes)
- Potatoes - cool, dark, dry place (but never in the fridge)
- Spinach - store in the fridge in a container with a paper towel & wash when ready to eat
- Tomatoes - keep on the counter & only refrigerate if overripe
How to store common fruits:
- Apples - store in fridge in the crisper & keep away from other produce (ethylene gas)
- Bananas - store on counter, separate stems & refrigerate only when ripe
- Berries - store in fridge, unwashed in a container with a paper towel, wash right before eating
- Citrus - lasts the longest when stored in the fridge
- Grapes - fridge in a ventilated bag, then wash before eating
- Melons Whole - store on the counter; cut & store in fridge, wrap cut side
- Stone Fruit (peaches, plums) - store on counter to ripen, then fridge to slow ripening
Hip Tip: Check out our stacked herb garden to learn how to easily have herbs at home.
3. Join a community garden.
Have a green thumb but don’t have space to grow a garden? Consider purchasing a plot in a community garden in your area where you can conveniently grow your own produce.
Prices can range anywhere from $20-$150 per year, and they even include water and a rain harvesting cistern. Of course, just be mindful you will still need to weed and visit the garden to water once in a while, so it’s key to make sure it’s something you really love doing.
4. Shop locally or at farmers’ markets.
While farmers’ markets can vary greatly in regard to availability and pricing, you can frequently get really good deals and some of the cheapest fruits and veggies. Just visit near the end of the market, when a seller is more likely to lower prices to get rid of remaining items.
Plus, if you’re lucky enough to live near some farmers, buying directly from them is frequently even cheaper than the market itself, especially if you’re willing to purchase in bulk or take slightly imperfect produce. Numerous farmers are happy to sell directly from their farms or set up weekly pick-up orders, saving you money while ensuring your food is fresh, local, and in season.
Hip Tip: View this map to find a local farmers’ market near you.
5. Yes, you can score affordable produce online.
I’ve had excellent experiences with Misfits Market, and numerous of our Hip readers love Imperfect Foods as another popular option to save on produce. Both online grocers take the aesthetically imperfect produce and surplus that farmers can’t sell, and offer it to you for a HUGE discount. Not to mention it’s delivered right to your doorstep! Even better, these sustainable options help reduce food waste, too.
Trying Misfits Market? Use code CACTUS30 for 30% off your first order!
Hip Tip: Consider asking your local in-store grocer for “seconds”. This is a term used for produce that’s unsellable, such as a bruised peach, misshapen pepper, and they will likely sell it to you for huge discounts instead of taking the loss.
6. A food co-op or CSA could be your golden ticket to affordable produce.
If you’re lacking in gardening skills or don’t have space (or energy) to grow fresh foods yourself, food co-ops and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Groups are a excellent way for you to purchase produce from area farmers. Either option allows you to have excellent, local food while supporting your local farmers.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA):
Under this model, a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the
Final Thoughts
The bottom line: a little research on clever ways score cheap goes a long way. Compare your options, watch for seasonal offers, and never pay full price when a better deal is one click away.
Originally published at hip2save.com.
