Pinching pennies, produce, results

Recently, I wrote about the weird food hoardy feelings I've been getting and found I was not alone. The cost of food is unquestionably on the rise. Our food bill has gone up in the past few months even with my eyes on the bottom line. Here are a few of my penny pinching tips.

Find out if your grocery store puts items like produce, baked goods, store prepared meals and more on clearance. Some stores don't. I don't shop at those often. Hey, I like the thrill of the hunt. Next find out when they put out the stuff. It may be worth changing the time of day you swing in if you can scoop up major discounts. Like the pints of seafood bisque for 25 cents I once scored. I've been really keeping an eye on the produce department at my regular store. This week I popped in, on a day I wouldn't usually shop and at an unusual time for me. Well, jackpot!!! My planned quick stop for milk and coffee landed me lots of unexpected extras. And an admission from the cashier what day is produce delivery day. (Evidently "the man" doesn't want you to know these things.) Now I know, to drop in the day before they get new stock.

The score:
* Six pints of blueberries for 30 cents each (these were local grown in Hammonton, NJ)

* Twenty one vine riped tomatoes for $2

*Three packages of blackberries for 60 cents

* Two raspberry packs for 75 cents

* Four red peppers for $1

* A pound of big stuffing mushrooms for $1.20 (local enough from a Pa. grower)

* Four pounds of strawberries for $2.25

* Six cukes for 60 cents

Some tip on buying produce on the cheap:
* Be discerning. If it looks spoiled or on the cusp, pass it by. For something like berries, if you see one or two berries that are off and the rest look good, at prices like those above give it a shot.

* Know what things cost at full retail price. Some bargains are better than others. For instance that blueberry stash was worth about $12 if I had bought them at the front of the store.

* Have the time to deal with your perishable haul soon. Most of those blueberries and half of the blackberries are already slumbering in the deep freeze. Tomatoes will be turned into a fresh sauce over ravioli for a dinner and a nice salad for lunches.

*Share your bounty with someone who can use it. My sister is feeling the pinch trying to feed four perpetually hungry boys. Some of my haul will go straight to those little guys. As do kid friendly staples I stock up on when I find seriously good  prices. If you want to extend beyond people you know, check in with your local food bank and ask if they will take produce from the store (or even from your about to bust vegetable patch).

Other things to look for on sale at supermarkets:
* My store usually discounts bakery items and puts them near the cashiers. Evenings are usually a good time to find the best selection on those.

* Also at night, store prepared sushi, chinese food, soups, rotisserie chickens etc are discounted. I hardly ever buy  prepared  foods but one of my friends loves these deals in particular.

* Recently over by the deli area, I stumbled upon this little area where meat ends are sold. They are packed up two ways. Either as a  hunk of unsliced meat, such as roast beef, ham, turkey or in a quart sized container full of surprise contents. Usually cheese isn't included but I did find some in the containers recently. The containers are usually priced at $1. The hunks can be priced at $1-$2 per pound. On this last trip I got some turkey for 32 cents. Once I got pastrami that retails for $8 per pound at the deli counter for $1 per pound this way. These deli cuts are great for making chef salads or sandwiches. A nice small ham end cubed up will add great flavor to a soup. I've found the best selection in this area after a heavy day at the deli. Usually the first day of weekly sales.

* The floral department also does clearance at this store. Bouquets of a single type of flower are about $1. A little mixing and matching and I've got a great arrangement for less than five bucks.

I hope these tips help you put some dough back in your (reusable) bag next time you check out. I've got some more grocery shopping tips to share soon.

Comments

[J-Po]

Wow!!!! Nice Haul Roxy!! It's always been one of your true talents or several near and dear wouldn't have hung out at your kitchen table so much :) I did notice that you didn't name the store... i guess that might be part of your weird food hoardy feelings? :P

[lisa]

wow. I admire you for being able to do this. I'm really lazy in this area, but I need to up my game. your advice will definitely help.

[joan]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who realized the ridiculous rise in produce prices lately.
How a store can chare $1.89 for one red pepper is beyond me.
Lately I've been stopping at all the roadside stands the mennonites have, but even then I cannot begin to get the sort of deals you've gotten.
Yup, you dear girl doth hit the jackpot!!

xoxo

[brent hirak]

i got so excited that i went to the store and introduced myself to the vegetable guy. but i think he has a tough skin and was reluctant to give away even estimates when stuff will come over-ripe.
i found three red peppers (oh so sweet) for 1.50. i took them home and made spaghetti. thanks Roxy!!!

[Rebekah]

Great tips! I am a bargain hunter at heart. I also make some things from scratch to save $$. I will not make it from scratch if it takes all day so it HAS to be easy... I make spaghetti sauce (in my crock pot - a whole 3qt. pot full costs me about $3 to make), pizza crust, and of course scratch desserts :)

[susanna]

These are really great tips, Rachel! I can't believe how well you scored with the berries! I'm a terrible planner when it comes to grocery shopping so I'm sure I spend way more than I should. I'm going to keep your tips in mind next time I go to the store.