This Week's Best Buys: It's Fruit Week!

A Serious Amount of Fruit!

 That statement perfectly describes this week's best buys.  As you'll see, the summer harvest brings with it opportunities to buy in bulk and save big!  

Let's take a look at my buys. 

Then I'll give you tips for summer savings.

 Blueberries

I bought ten pounds of fresh Michigan blueberries through the local farm bureau.

Cost:   $22.00.  

 Strawberries were on sale at Kroger for just $1.88 for 2 pounds!  

Cost:  $11.40 for 12 pounds of strawberries.  

  

 I kicked myself all over the place for not stocking up when Krogers had strawberries on sale recently at $1.98 for two pounds.  This time, I didn't miss out!  I bought 12 pounds and may very well head back for more before Tuesday at midnight when they go off sale.  (Yes, there are greens in the photo, too.  I couldn't resist!  They were all half price because they were close to date!!)  

Mandarin oranges and cherries from Aldis!

The mandarin oranges were on sale for $2.99 for 3 pounds and the cherries were just $1.49 a pound (the cheapest price I've seen so far this summer!)

Cost:  6 pounds of mandarin oranges and just over 4 pounds of cherries for $12.21.

So how much did I spend on fruit?

 

I spent $45.61 for 32 pounds of fruit!   

What in the world am I going to do with that much fruit?

 

TIPS:

Tip #1:  Plan ahead.  

I'm going to freeze most of it. For a tutorial on how to freeze produce effectively, see my posts on "putting food by". You'll find them here and here.

 We have talked about taking the "long view" in the summer.  We must always consider the wisdom of the book of Proverbs in the Bible.  We are encouraged the consider the ant, who stores up food for winter and always keeps busy doing work and preparing for the future.  We must do likewise, especially if we are feeding a family on an income which is under the median.  One caveat:  Fruit rots quickly.  You have to be prepared to spend an afternoon preserving all that goodness for later use. 

Tip #2:  Watch prices.

I have been watching produce prices for weeks now.  Even when I was not planning to buy strawberries, I watched the trend carefully.  I compared prices at several different stores each week.  I knew the trend.  I also had predetermined from past experience that my stock up price was exactly that - $1 a pound.  That's why when the price of strawberries plummeted at Kroger this week, I pounced like a mouse on cheese.  You have to know your 'buy price" and have some money set aside to look like a fruit hoarder at the store.  

Tip #3:  Look for unconventional sources

Shout out to my friend, Tracey, who is a member of the local farm bureau.  Her membership nets her big savings on bulk fruit deals.  The bureau gives members a "heads up" e-mail a few weeks before they place their ginormous produce group order.  You just fill out a form and stick the payment in in the mail.  Then a few days later you pick up your order at the farm bureau.  These are the most glorious looking and tasting blueberries that I have ever had! I only wish I had ordered more.   I flash froze eight pounds and kept two pounds out for munching on.  The kids cleaned me out in about 24 hours.  No kidding!  Wanna know the best deals in your area, ask your thrifty friends and they will, most likely, have ideas that you have not thought about.  

What about you?

How is your freezer looking so far?  Mine is getting so full that I'm going to have to plan a "freezer organizing day" to be certain that I can get all of this season's goodness in there!

   

 Leave your comments, thoughts, and tips below.  I'd love to hear from you! 

 

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Do all to the glory of God, 

Hope