Fruits and vegetables: 6 ways to save money on produce

Produce prices swing up and down depending on the weather, the season and the dollar, but higher prices on many fruits and vegetableshas some lower-income people making changes as they shop to try and save,a new study suggests.

Fresh vegetable costs rose 11.7 per cent and fresh fruit prices increased 11 per cent year-over-year in April, according to Statistics Canada's most recent consumer price index report.

• High food prices driving some shoppers away from fruits, vegetables study says
• Fruit and vegetable prices hike overall food costs

In a world where $8 cauliflower isn't unheard of, nutritionists say there are ways for consumers to save some money without giving up on an important part of their diet.

Try cheaper alternatives

Andrea Miller, a spokeswoman for the Dietitians of Canada, suggests shifting looking forless costly produce.She says cabbage stays relatively inexpensive, and can be mixed in with a salad when other leafy greens are going up in price.

Miller also says that potatoes are often overlooked as an option.

"They're high in vitamin C, high in potassium, high in fibre and they tend to stay relatively stable in terms of price," she says.

Don't snub the reducedrack

Miller also urges shoppers not to turn their nose upat the price-reduceditems andsome of the bruised produce.

"Sometimes the produceon thereducedrack is inreallygreat shape. Itjustmaybe has abagthat has been torn or it may be misshapen," she says. "Youcanreallyget bargains."

And if some of the fruit like apples are bruised or the bananas are a little brown, they can still be used for banana bread, or apple crisp or apple sauce, Millersays.

Learn where the bargains are

"I find that it's really hard to know where you will get the cheapest food," saysChristyBrissette, a nutritionist and president of 80 Twenty Nutrition, a media company specializing in health and wellness.

• Remember the$8 cauliflower in Ottawa?Or the worries about'cauligeddon'in Vancouver?

Discount grocery stores may offer the lower-priced produce, butshe suggestsconsumers may want to check out afarmers' market at the end of the day, or right before the market closes. Farmers may be offering two-for-one dealsso they don'thave to package everything up and take it to the next spot.

"The con of thatis you get what's left. So you have to be flexible."

Freeze what you can

Just don't expect to chuck a nice juicy peach into thefreezer, defrost it weeks later, and then just take a bite out of it, like it's brand new.

"Thetexture is definitelygoingto change," saysBrissette."So if you do freeze your fruits, your vegetables, you'reprobably not going to want to eat themrawbecausewhat'shappeningis the cell walls andthe structure of the waterthat'sin thefruitsandvegetableschanges to ice and the texture is goingto be totallydifferent."

But they can be used in other dishes. For example,spinach, after it's been frozen, is much more adaptable than lettuce andcan be laterused in a number of recipes, including pasta, soup, stir fryand omelettes.

Fruits like strawberries or peaches should be purchasedwhen they are in season,cutup, put in the freezer, and then used forthings like smoothies or yogurt. Tomatoes, of course, can be utilized for pasta sauce. And vegetables like corn and peas can also be frozen andlateradded to salads.

Pick your own (if you have storage)

For people who can get to a farm, picking your own fruitwhether it be berries or applescanalso be an economical way to shop. Fruit can be purchased by the bushel, with the leftovers frozen for future use.

Or grow your own (if you have sun)

People don't necessarily need a lot of space to grow a bit ofproduce.Growinga cherry tomatoplant or strawberry plant on a deck, porch or balcony is another option.

"Tomatoes are an easier place to start," saysBrissette."Don't need too much of a green thumb."

Miller says it's "super cheap" to buy one tomato plant, and that a good grower could get enough tomatoes to stretch over two weeks.

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