Comments on: Cheap fruits and vegetables via loss leaders

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:52:59 +0000

I find Aldi’s prices compete with even the supermarket loss leaders and make growing produce awfully hard to justify financially.

Getting there right when the store opens on Sunday morning seems to yield the best selection and quality.

By: Tabatha

Tabatha — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:45:56 +0000

@Jeff – Lentils too.

Tons of fantastic nutrition information here: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/protein/

By: timo

timo — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:42:05 +0000

Learned about the loss leaders in YMOYL.

I’d recommend growing fruit trees and other perennials for money and time savings: you don’t have to plant them every year. Kind of like compounded interest, they give back a little (or a lot) more every year.

As far as annuals, the right variety of tomatoes will save money in the right climate (and with a cheap enough setup). Not sure about greens yet. Just made some self-watering containers, so I guess I’ll see if those are less hassle/money in the long run for growing basil and chives.

By: Concojones

Concojones — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 04:36:18 +0000

The loss leaders technique works. I would advise against growing your own vegetables, as your savings per hour worked will be far below minimum wage. It makes for a great hobby though.

By: Thomas Britz

Thomas Britz — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 19:04:09 +0000

Good post and good points.
Just one thing that I’d like to point out is that “locally grown” produce doesn’t necessarily mean that it hasn’t incurred more CO2/energy in transportation than stuff from afar, like NZ. In fact, transporting 1kg of stuff by big container ship half-way around the globe corresponds to about 100km by local truck, measured by energy/CO2. The same goes to some extent for big truck/train shipments across the US.
Bottom line: locally grown food can be “good karma” but often isn’t; if you really want to minimise CO2/energy usage, then either look into how “local” the produce actually is (including production methods) or grow your own (which by its amateur, small-scale self is not necessarily CO2/energy-low either – but it might be fresher).

By: Carol@inthetrenches

Carol@inthetrenches — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 02:11:03 +0000

Depending on where your live community gardens may still be going. It’s a good place to learn how to garden and sharing the work lowers the time required. It is harvest time now so the extra hands may be greatly appreciated and set up your contacts for next year. http://inthetrenches2009.blogspot.com/2010/07/american-opportunity-community-gardens.html

By: Larry

Larry — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 01:26:08 +0000

It’s good to find stuff in season, like grapes, and then freeze enough to have for a few months. I do this when they are on sale for .98 cents per pound. There are lots of examples like this if you look around.

Larry

By: frugalscholar

frugalscholar — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 23:17:02 +0000

Mine is a family of bean (and a little cheese) burrito eaters. We make about 60 at a time, cook them in a frying pan, and freeze. My husband and I eat them for lunch at school. We sent our daughter to college with about 60, which she stores in the freezer. My son eats them at school too.

They are fine at room temperature or you can reheat. Plenty of protein. Cheap with canned beans and incredibly cheap with dried.

With the money you save on food, you can buy some expensive cheese or take a trip or retire early.

We wrote about these on our blog–hope link is OK: http://collegecookingcrashcourse.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-08-30T14%3A03%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=7

Just add hot sauce.

By: et

et — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:14:41 +0000

@Alexiamiguel & Jacob
Look for a local garden club, master gardening program, organic growers organization, community garden or college. Any of these can have gardeners who would love to teach you. Or ask at farmers market – sometimes farmers need help. Some CSAs have opportunities to work as part of your share.

Read gardening books, too but they are really no substitute for hands on gardening

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:33:32 +0000

I shop the local market at closing time as they’re always selling stuff off; check all the supermarket websites for in season food on offer and if all else fails take advantage of Aldi’s ‘Super 6′.

By: beth

beth — Wed, 12 May 2010 19:50:47 +0000

@Claire just be very careful where you pick your blackberries. Most highways have chemical sprays applied to the roadside vegetation on a regular basis.

By: Steve in W MA

Steve in W MA — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:09:24 +0000

Loss leaders FTW.

*FTW=”For The Win”

By: Jacob

Jacob — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:58:48 +0000

@Jeff – Beans. Soak them during the day and cook 45 minutes at night at regular pressure or half the time in a pressure cooker. Eggs combine well with potatoes in terms of amino acid profiles like beans does with rice/cereal. Get a book on vegetarian cooking.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:53:38 +0000

Hi Jacob, I started eating a lot of rice about a week ago, supplementing it with some fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s awesome, spending less than a dollar a day on food…. but need to add protein. Wondering what your opinions are on the cheapest source of protein to include in the diet? Hard boiled eggs sound good to me, can make a bunch all at once, take em anywhere… what’s cheap and good?
Jeff

By: Jacob

Jacob — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 08:26:28 +0000

@Alexiamiguel – I’m no good at gardening, but I wish I was. I think it requires practice, patience and attention to detail (something which I lack). JD from getrichslowly does a lot of gardening. I think you can generally come in slightly under supermarket costs, so it’s about break even. Learning how to garden is in my 20 year plan. It will be some sort of permaculture relying on perennials.

By: Alexiamiguel

Alexiamiguel — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 04:52:36 +0000

what if like me… you have no clue how to garden. I’d love to start gardening, for a number of reasons… . but it just seems like the start up cost are enormous.

Anyway, I’m a subscriber. and I love all your posts.

By: si2mn4

si2mn4 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:07:07 +0000

HI,
Just this year I started planting some vegetables. Mainly tomatoes, green peppers, jalepeno, cayenne pepper and cilantro. We have harvested fresh vegetables from these plants all summer long and they are still going strong. It is wonderful. Next year we plan to expand to a regular garden.

By: DJ

DJ — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 02:23:40 +0000

I stopped going to the store to buy lettuce. Now, I go to buy greens. Depending on the season, the cheapest greens are about 1/3 the cost of the most expensive. I save money and I’m pleasantly surprised at the variety of tastes I was missing when I only ate lettuce.

By: Jo

Jo — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:55:19 +0000

Speaking of New Zealand, readers living there can find out what vegetables are in season from http://www.vegetables.co.nz/. The Resources section of that website offers a chart as a PDF download, or they will post you a A3-size poster chart for free.

By: Claire

Claire — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:36:18 +0000

I used to pick blackberries off the side of the highway on my walk to work. I thought it was an excellent breakfast; my coworkers thought I was crazy, although I’m not sure whether the deciding factor there was the blackberries or the walking along the highway.

There are blackberries near my current job, but they’re somewhat more inconveniently located. Thank you for reminding me that I need to stage a picking expedition soon.