Saving Money on Food, Part 1

Saving Money on Food, Part 1

Now that fruits and vegetables are coming into season, it might be a good time to explore some ways you can save money on produce. Here are a few ideas:

·       If you have a bit of earth around your house or apartment, try planting some vegetables and herbs you enjoy. It’s a good idea to include vegetables that grow through the winter and can be continually harvested, such as chard and kale, in addition to your favorite summer vegetables. You might have to rip out a bit of lawn if you have no existing area for growing vegetables. Renters should check with their landlords before changing the landscaping in case they need permission to do this.

If you have no land at all but just a bit of porch or a concrete walkway, you might purchase some large pots, then add compost and vegetable starts or seeds. Make sure your pots are large enough to support the root system and large enough that they won’t completely dry out in the summer, particularly if they’re sitting on concrete with no shade available.

Should you be physically unable to do the digging and bending involved in gardening, try bartering. Seek out a volunteer to barter their labor in exchange for something you can provide, such as some home-cooked meals. Conversely, if you have no gardening space but are in good physical condition, seek out a homeowner or farmer who will exchange food for your hard labor in the garden.

·       When local fruits are in season, drive around on weekends in growing areas and look for people – sometimes children – with little stands in front of their homes. You can often find very good prices this way.

·       Watch for U-pick farms and call for prices, hours and picking dates. Depending upon the farm, you may save only a modest amount of money or you might see significant savings. If you are planning to can or dehydrate large amounts of produce, be sure to check into farms in neighboring counties, but make sure the price of your gasoline is offset by significantly lower food prices or it won’t be financially worthwhile.

·       When you are lucky enough to find fruit at a very good price, purchase enough so you can freeze some for the winter. Berries are the easiest fruit to freeze as you can simply wash, let dry, then put into freezer bags. Other fruits need some preparation such as cutting, adding lemon juice or ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) or Fruit Fresh© to prevent browning, then adding a bit of sugar or honey to preserve the quality.

·       If you like jams or fruit toppings, try purchasing over-ripe, reduced-price fruit and cook it down in a crockpot, which can be purchased from second-hand stores such as the Goodwill or at yard sales. Slowly cook the fruit, to which you can add sugar or honey to taste, until it becomes thick. Use this as jam or as a fruit topping for yogurt, or in a dessert.

·       Watch for sales at supermarkets. For immediate need, try produce stands such as Joe’s Garden (http://www.joesgardens.com/) (which also grows their own food), Goods ( or Youngstock’s (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/youngstocks-country-farms-nursery-and-produce-bellingham). Bellingham Grocery Outlet (http://www.groceryoutlet.com/Bellingham-WA/) oftenhas good deals on produce. Another place to consider is the Oriental Market, which frequently sells ripe fruit at lower prices than you can find elsewhere.

·       Look into the possibility of purchasing a share of CSA – Community Supported Agriculture. Farmers all over the country solicit subscribers for CSAs, which are delivered weekly to a central location where you pick up your box containing a variety of vegetables, greens, and possibly fruits or nuts as they come into season. Prices and number of weeks in a CSA vary from farm to farm. People living alone can split a CSA with another individual, or ask about purchasing a half share. You get at least three bonuses when you purchase a CSA – first, the food tastes better because it’s really fresh. Second, your food is likely to contain more nutrients than produce that has been shipped and sitting around for days waiting to get purchased. Third, you will be supporting our local farmers, so your money stays in the community. For more information, check out this website: http://sustainableconnections.org/foodfarming/eatlocal/2011-csa-list/at_download/file