Buying California Seasonal Produce And Other Healthy Food On A Budget
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Eating healthfully can be expensive, especially if you don't know any money-saving tricks for doing so. The cost of California seasonal produce (or any state, for that matter) can be very high, and organic foods, while certainly the healthier choice, are more expensive than non-organic. With enough time and know-how, however, you can save on healthy grocery shopping. Here are a few ideas for how to do that.
1. Buy foods that are local and in-season. When foods are shipped from elsewhere, there are often high shipping costs involved, so the stores charge more for those foods in order to compensate. Sometimes, local foods cost less. Additionally, buying locally is a better choice for the environment. For these reasons, it is a good option to explore.
2. Shop around and compare prices. It can be easy to feel like you don't have the time to do this, but it is definitely worthwhile. Often, one store will have lower prices on produce while another will offer better deals on dry goods and other grocery items. Learn to take advantage of the different savings, and build multiple shopping trips into your schedule.
3. Shop at wholesale markets. Wholesale markets are able to charge lower prices because they get their stock directly from the people who produce it. This cuts out many overhead costs such as extra shipping and storage. It also means that the products are fresher and have exchanged hands fewer times than those at a large, chain grocery store.
4. Buy from farmers' markets. Farmers' markets offer food even fresher and less removed from the source than wholesale markets. Often, the people who are at the tables selling the food are the very same people who grew it and/or made it. It feels good to pay someone directly for their product, and to be able to look into the face of the person who produced your food.
5. Apply for food assistance. Everyone hits rough patches sometimes, whether it is because of a job-loss, increased bills, or too many mouths to feed. Food assistance can be a great help in these situations, and it is nothing to be embarrassed about. If you have paid taxes at all, you have paid into the program, so why not take advantage of it when you need it? In some states, you can trade in food stamps for double-value tokens to use at farmers' markets. This helps you and the farmers, and is a fantastic way to save.
6. Check for specials. In grocery stores, items that are slightly damaged or about to pass their sell-by dates are often sold at greatly reduced prices. Obviously, you need to be smart and careful about this. Check the fruits and vegetables before purchasing them, to make sure they are not too rotten or damaged to be used. However, you can often get great deals this way, especially when you are purchasing vegetables for cooking in soups or stir-frys. In this case, a bruise or two will not make much of a difference.
Following these suggestions can help you make healthful choices and save at the same time. Organic foods, California seasonal produce, and other health foods are within your reach. Stock up on the items for which you find the best deals, and freeze them, can them, or pickle them to maximize the savings.
1. Buy foods that are local and in-season. When foods are shipped from elsewhere, there are often high shipping costs involved, so the stores charge more for those foods in order to compensate. Sometimes, local foods cost less. Additionally, buying locally is a better choice for the environment. For these reasons, it is a good option to explore.
2. Shop around and compare prices. It can be easy to feel like you don't have the time to do this, but it is definitely worthwhile. Often, one store will have lower prices on produce while another will offer better deals on dry goods and other grocery items. Learn to take advantage of the different savings, and build multiple shopping trips into your schedule.
3. Shop at wholesale markets. Wholesale markets are able to charge lower prices because they get their stock directly from the people who produce it. This cuts out many overhead costs such as extra shipping and storage. It also means that the products are fresher and have exchanged hands fewer times than those at a large, chain grocery store.
4. Buy from farmers' markets. Farmers' markets offer food even fresher and less removed from the source than wholesale markets. Often, the people who are at the tables selling the food are the very same people who grew it and/or made it. It feels good to pay someone directly for their product, and to be able to look into the face of the person who produced your food.
5. Apply for food assistance. Everyone hits rough patches sometimes, whether it is because of a job-loss, increased bills, or too many mouths to feed. Food assistance can be a great help in these situations, and it is nothing to be embarrassed about. If you have paid taxes at all, you have paid into the program, so why not take advantage of it when you need it? In some states, you can trade in food stamps for double-value tokens to use at farmers' markets. This helps you and the farmers, and is a fantastic way to save.
6. Check for specials. In grocery stores, items that are slightly damaged or about to pass their sell-by dates are often sold at greatly reduced prices. Obviously, you need to be smart and careful about this. Check the fruits and vegetables before purchasing them, to make sure they are not too rotten or damaged to be used. However, you can often get great deals this way, especially when you are purchasing vegetables for cooking in soups or stir-frys. In this case, a bruise or two will not make much of a difference.
Following these suggestions can help you make healthful choices and save at the same time. Organic foods, California seasonal produce, and other health foods are within your reach. Stock up on the items for which you find the best deals, and freeze them, can them, or pickle them to maximize the savings.
About the Author:
If you are in search of a great source for California seasonal produce come to Sam & Ash Farms. For more details on our all natural spices and teas, go to http://samashfarms.com right now.
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