How to Save on…

Fruits and Vegetables

Families go through produce quickly! Make sure you get your money’s worth on fruit and veggie purchases with these tips:

Buy in season.

In-season fruits and vegetables cost less because they’re in abundance. In Georgia, May is peak harvest for strawberries, peaches and Vidalia onions. June brings blueberries, cantaloupe, sweet corn, cucumbers, squash and tomatoes.

Weigh Pre-packaged items.

That 5-pound bag of potatoes or oranges might actually have more than 5 pounds inside, but the price will still be the same! Weigh pre-packaged produce and buy the heaviest one to get the most for what you spend.

Bulk buy and freeze/preserve. 

For less than grocery store prices, purchase in-season fruits or veggies at farmers markets (find a list here: agr.georgia.gov/community-farmers-markets.aspx) or pick your own (pickyourown.org) and freeze or preserve excess to enjoy all year.

Make them last.

Berries: Add one part white vinegar to five times the amount of water in a bowl, and soak your strawberries, raspberries, or any berry. Drain the mixture, rinse (or don’t, it won’t impact taste!) and return the berries to your container; refrigerate. The vinegar kills mold spores and makes berries last much longer.
Bananas: Separate each from the bunch and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, or just wrap the stem, to slow over-ripening and spotting.
Lettuce: Put it in an airtight container or bag with a paper towel. It’ll absorb the moisture and keep lettuce crisp.