newbie's guide to produce
for all my peers who were not taught how to shop for veggies and fruit on a budget and struggle to use them before they go bad:
(disclaimer: prices are approximate based on where i live in the Southern US. costs may be higher in your area, but the comparison of cost should still be valuable.)
cheap produce year-round:
roma tomatoes. if they look under-ripe you can leave them on the counter for a few days. keeps in fridge for about 2 weeks. $1/lb.
cucumbers. around here they're 50-60 cents each. go bad quickly though, about 1 week in fridge.
celery. two bucks for a head. starts to get sad after two weeks in fridge. only makes sense if you like to snack on celery or make soups often.
corn. whole ears are like 20cents each mid-summer, otherwise just get frozen. $1.50 for a lb.
peas. get these puppies frozen for $1.50/lb. good protein, too.
romaine lettuce. one head is good for several small salads, about $2 and lasts a week in fridge. the big boxes/multi-packs may seem like a better deal but not if it all goes bad before you can eat it.
onions. kind of a given but you can get regular yellow varietals for less than a buck per pound. will last for 1-2 months in pantry.
potatoes. you can get 5lb bags of russets for three bucks. sweet potatoes are a lil over $1/lb. last 2-3 months in pantry; if they grow sprouts, you can cut those off and still eat it.
bananas. dirt cheap. a small bunch (4-5) costs like a dollar. if they go over-ripe before you eat them all just get less or get a few green ones (p.s: you're allowed to break them off larger clumps).
radishes. $1.50 for a little bundle. greens get wilty after a week, roots will last 2 weeks (you can use both parts).
hot peppers. poblano, jalapeno, etc., are often quite cheap and you usually don't need very many anyways. few weeks fridge or counter.
cheap produce when in season:
summer squash. in summertime (duh), zucchini and yellow squash are like $1.25/lb. only last a week or so though in fridge.
winter squash. actually in season in fall, these are your butternuts and acorn squash. less than $1/lb then. lasts in pantry for months.
green beans. in warm months they can be on sale for $1.50/lb! last 1.5-2 weeks in fridge? (kinda depends on the shape they're in)
kale. it's a cool-season green that commonly is on sale in colder months. $1.60 for a big bunch, about 1.5 weeks in fridge before it gets seriously wilty. (can be eaten cooked or raw!)
apples. fall/winter, usually at least one variety on sale for $1.25/lb. last forever.
oranges. most citrus are winter fruits. $1/lb. will last forever in your fridge.
strawberries. spring. at their peak, i can find them for $2/lb. otherwise they are too expensive.
watermelon. $8 for big 10lb melons. they can take up a ton of space though and need to be refrigerated once cut/ripe.
cantaloupe. another summer star! $1.50 each on sale. they will slow ripen in the fridge but you do have to keep an eye on it.
pineapple. $1.50 in summer time. might be ripe even when still a bit green, ready when they smell noticeably ripe.
pears. fall season, sometimes into winter. $1.20/lb. last 1-2 weeks on the counter or forever in the fridge.
pomegranate. in winter time they can be found for $2 each. tricky to peel though.
peaches. and nectarines (which are just fuzzless peaches). $1.25/lb in summer and will last for weeks in your fridge.
eggplants. summertime veggie, you can get for $1.50 when they're on sale. otherwise a bit pricey. keep in fridge for 2 weeks.
cabbage. three bucks for a 2-lb head but you can get a lot out of it. will keep 3-4 weeks in the fridge but any exposed cut sides will start moldering after a week.
mushrooms. white button or baby bella. $1.50 for 8oz. keep in mind, mushrooms halve in size after cooking. ~2 weeks though.
avocados. if you live in the South like me, small hass varietals are 60-80 cents apiece in winter. ripe when it gives just a little to squeezing (you can't go off color alone).
broccoli. fresh is $1.70ish per head and lasts a week in fridge. frozen is $1.50/lb but might be kind of mushy.
most greens. spring mixes, spinach, arugula, etc can really vary in price but often fall into a few bucks at least per bundle/package. in a fridge's humidity drawer they last 1-2 weeks.
kiwis. i love them but they're a bit pricey for their size. 50 cents each. their keep depends on how ripe they are at purchase.
asparagus. one of the most expensive veggies. sometimes in spring you can get it for $2/lb (a steal but still a bit much). lasts 1.5 weeks.
brussel sprouts. same as above.
red or yellow bell peppers. they are used sooo often in recipes and it annoys me. often $1.50-2.00 each. last a long time in fridge.
caluiflower. three bucks for a head. yikes!
green beans. when they're not in season, they are like $3/lb.
snap peas. same as above, except they never seem to be on sale.
raspberries. go bad in 3 days and cost an arm and a leg. sometimes when they're in season you can get them for like $2 per half-pint as a treat.
blueberries and blackberries. even when they're in season, they're still $2 per pint.
grapes. they can sorta be affordable in the fall season for $2/lb, but otherwise they're double that. and usually you have to commit to buying several pounds. last 2 weeks in fridge.
plums. i love them so so much but they're only in season for like 2 weeks of the year it seems and they're like $3/lb.
inexpensive accoutrements: (for garnishes, seasoning, etc)
limes. 25cents apiece. they'll start to dry out after 1 week on the counter so keep them in the fridge unless you will use it soon.
lemons. usually 50cents each for the small varietals. keep same as above.
green onions. less than a dollar for a bunch, and you can easily regrow a few times at home if you stick the white rooted end in water by a window.
cilantro. 50cents. will last WAY longer (1-2 weeks) if you keep it in a mug of water in the fridge.
parsley. 85cents. same as above.
obviously sticking just with popularly available produce across the country. it's not an exhaustive list but can give you a bit more perspective on what produce you should be focusing on if you're trying to work with a tight grocery budget. good luck!
