Courtesy Family Features and Healthy Family Project
Cooking meals that bring joy to your loved ones is an important objective, but creating them on an appropriate budget is also important for well-rounded, family-friendly recipes. A few simple steps, like developing good grocery shopping habits can help. Consider these tips from Healthy Family Project and its produce partners, which are focused on a 2023 Mission for Nutrition to improve access to fresh produce to help alleviate public health and personal wellness challenges. This year’s partners are working to improveme efforts by donating funds to increase accessibility of fruits and vegetables in schools through the Foundation for Fresh Produce.
Make a List. When buying fresh produce, remember some items have a shorter shelf life. Help lower your grocery spending and minimize food waste by sticking to your list.
Buy Local. Transportation cost is a huge factor in the produce costs, so buy local, when possible.
Stock Up on Seasonal Produce. You can usually find various produce items at any time of year, but they aren’t always affordable. Knowing when your favorite fruits and veggies are in-season can save you money and allow you to use the freshest ingredients.
Know Your Produce Department. The front or feature table of the produce department often offers the best deals. Don’t forget to look at the end caps on each produce aisle, which sometimes display seasonal items.
Befriend the Produce Manager. Sometimes “hot buys” come to stores that don’t make it into the weekly ad. Chat with the produce manager at your local store who may inform you of special prices.
Find more grocery savings strategies and family-friendly recipes at HealthyFamilyProject.com.
