Frugal Friday - Produce

One of my biggest combined pet peeves about shopping and running the household is produce.  We all buy it, put it away in the fridge with the best of intentions but it goes uneaten 

 and so much of it ends up in the garbage because it has spoiled.  It certainly is one of the biggest ways we waste our grocery money, we might just as well toss a twenty into the garbage or compost pile.

Well...that is a bit extreme but that really is what it boils down to and I am getting tired of throwing money away!

So I have decided to smarten up!  Here are a few things I have started to do to reduce the waste and save money on produce as a whole.

When brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower are on sale for their lowest sale price we buy a bunch!  We clean and cut it up as soon as possible.  Which is the Handsome Man's job, while I get water boiling to blanche it.  We cool it and then bag and freeze.  Doing this is so much cheaper than buying these three vegetables in the frozen food aisle and we enjoy doing this together too!  Sometimes I freeze the blanched veggies on cookie sheets and then bag then once they are frozen.  Just depends on time, my energy level and available freezer space.  Remember, if you don't have time to do it up to freeze there is not much savings in buying it.  Sometimes we make two trips if time and energy warrants it.

In the fall, when potatoes go on sale for their lowest sale price we stock up for the winter some what and put them into our cold storage.  Apples also are a fall item that get made into pies and crisps etc and are frozen so we have these fresh, preservative free, frozen treats ready to bake when we want a treat.  I usually do ten of each which is about two bushels of apples.  If your family likes applesauce, do some of that too!

As the local farms haul their wares to markets etc we do compare prices etc to ensure we are spending the least amount of money possible and we fill our freezers and pantry shelves.  Sometimes the grocery stores have better prices so get out the calculator and know what you will be paying where.

When frozen veggies go on sale for their lowest sale price we stock up on those as well.  Corn, peas, beans, mixed vegetables are all must haves but these are only bought when they are on sale.  Frozen produce is flash frozen, meaning it keeps it's nutrients so cooked properly (I steam) they are as good as fresh.

Frozen fruit is terribly expensive so when things are in season buying and freezing it yourself is the better option.  Make some preservative free jams while you are at it!

Green onions are chopped up right away.  Regular onions are put in storage but if they start to age they are chopped and frozen.  Radishes last a while and celery will last longer if it is wrapped in aluminum foil.  Other fresh veggies you like - only buy what you will use and then remember to use them!!

Lettuce is always a tricky one but I use vegetable storage bags and a lettuce keeper for storage of the head we are using.  Cucumbers and tomatoes we buy in 'just what we need amounts' because they really do not last long when you leave the store with them and begin to use them.  

Price matching produce in store, from flyers, is another way to ensure you are getting good prices, the lowest price. 

Now when beets, cucumbers and tomatoes are in season we make pickles, a few varieties, and green relish; as well as spaghetti sauce, chili sauce, salsa and we also just do up some tomatoes so we don't have to buy canned tomatoes either.  No preservatives and I know what we are eating!  I figure out roughly what I will use in a year or so with a few extras for sharing and our kitchen turns into a canning factory until we are done!  On a price note - it was cheaper to buy 3L baskets of pickling cucumbers at a grocery store this year than to buy from a market, by the bushel.  I love my scale and calculator!  On a relish note - it is to die for!  It was my first attempt at making relish and I rocked it!  Honestly the best thing I did this year was read a relish jar label and say to myself 'what does that mean?'...and decide to make my own! The recipe is here.

Now to prep for this phase I watch sugar and vinegar prices and sales and keep an eye out for deals on spices, whether online or in stores.  Always want the best price!

We have been planning on growing some of these things ourselves next year which will make it cheaper still!  We already planted dill from some that had gone to seed already that we got free from a vendor when we made dill pickles this year.

Knowledge is power so I research a lot so we are successful and there is such a bounty of seed sources we still have to do the math to make sure we are not over spending.  We want a good yield so dirt and nutrient knowledge has to be learned.  It has been a year of research and learning but it will be worth it...but all of that will be another post, another time.  The Handsome Man is building containers this winter for us to garden in so that will be a fun post!  I call it organized gardening LOL

A few years ago, we also bought a second hand, upright, freezer (at a super low price) that generally houses just fruits and vegetables because it allows us to have the space for quantity and variety.  It keeps us organized which is also essential in running the house efficiently!  I keep all my herbs and spices in the door of this freezer.  

Mason jars are my best friend and I have a number of glass baking dishes with lids to accommodate what I want to freeze like the apple crisp (freezer to oven). Remember to stock up on food storage freezer bags when they are at their lowest price (price match at your regular store to save time).

Know prices and familiarize yourself with weights etc.  Keep notes in a notebook that is just for your grocery / shopping notes.  Commit to one thing at a time and move on when you are ready.  Making things routine and habit means they'll stick!  This means that you will keep saving money.

Karey xoxo