If you’re trying to tighten your budget, it’s worth taking a closer look at what you spend on groceries — especially produce.
Food is essential, of course, but chances are you’re paying more than necessary. While there are countless ways to cut grocery costs, this piece focuses on fruits and vegetables.
How Much Should You Allocate to Fresh Produce?
To meet recommended servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, the U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests the average American household should devote around 40% of its grocery spending to fresh produce.
With food inflation surging over the past year — rising by as much as 10%-20% in some areas — households are stretching that dollar further. From visiting multiple stores to reducing purchases of pre-packaged produce, many are searching for smarter ways to buy what goes in their carts.
Below are a variety of tactics to lower what you spend on produce — from the best places to source affordable fruits and veggies to strategies for keeping them fresh longer at home.
Here’s how to get all your daily servings without breaking the bank.
15 Ways to Pay Less for Produce
- Buy at the farmers market
- Sign up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
- Shop at ethnic markets
- Visit discount grocery chains
- Use the Upside app
- Purchase produce at bulk warehouses
- Grow a backyard or community garden
- Opt for local, in-season produce
- Choose ripe items
- Accept “ugly” produce
- Pick frozen produce
- Store fruits and vegetables correctly
- Use parts others discard
- Cook with overripe produce
- Preserve surplus fruits and veggies
1. Buy at the Farmers Market
One of the simplest ways to save on produce is to rethink where you shop. Skip some of the grocery store overhead by buying straight from local growers.
Search farmers markets nearby to find fresh fruits and vegetables sold by a range of vendors.
2. Sign Up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
If you’re comfortable receiving a surprise assortment of produce, consider joining a Community Supported Agriculture program, or CSA. Members receive shares of what’s harvested from a particular local farm.
Typically you pay for the season in advance and pick up your box weekly or every other week. Local Harvest can help you locate CSAs in your area.
3. Shop at Ethnic Markets
If farmers markets or CSAs aren’t available, or you prefer a one-stop shop for groceries, try ethnic grocers where fruits and vegetables are frequently cheaper.
For example, ginger root is often far more affordable per pound when purchased in bulk from an ethnic market compared with mainstream supermarkets.
4. Visit Discount Grocery Chains
Discount grocers like Aldi are good examples of places to save on convenient items such as packaged produce. There are also regional shops where you can buy shelf-stable produce in discounted cans and damaged packaging for less.
5. Use the Free Upside App
The Upside app can help you pocket cash back when you dine out or buy groceries.
It’s straightforward: spend at a participating grocery store or restaurant and you could earn up to about $290 per year.
How to use it: download Upside, set up an account, find participating locations on the map, claim an offer, pay with a linked physical card, and follow any in-app steps. Upside tracks and pays out your cash-back rewards automatically.
6. Purchase Produce at Bulk Warehouses
Warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam’s Club often have excellent deals on organic produce, especially if you’re feeding a crowd.
If you don’t want a 20-pound bag of potatoes to go bad, consider bulk frozen options instead — like a multi-pound bag of frozen broccoli florets.
7. Grow a Backyard or Community Garden
Alternatively, you can grow your own produce. Start a budget-friendly garden and try regrowing some vegetables and herbs from scraps you already have.
Bear in mind not all crops are worth home-growing given how inexpensive some are in stores. Look into the most cost-effective varieties to plant.
8. Opt for Local, In-Season Produce
Produce that’s in season locally tends to cost less than out-of-season items that must be shipped or grown in different climates. Those specialty heirloom tomatoes might be tempting, but like berries and apples, they’re not cultivated locally year-round.
9. Choose Ripe Items
If you’re unsure how to pick a perfectly ripe avocado, pineapple, or melon, follow simple picking tips so you don’t bring home produce that will spoil in a couple of days.
Also consider visiting a local farm to pick your own. A U-pick farm locator shows nearby farms that allow you to harvest fruits like apples and berries yourself.
10. Accept “Ugly” Produce
While it’s natural to be selective, imperfect or misshapen fruits and vegetables are often just as good and typically cost less.
Many stores and subscription services sell blemished produce at reduced prices. If you’re chopping carrots for a salad or stewing tomatoes, appearance shouldn’t matter.
11. Pick Frozen Produce
All previous tips focus on fresh produce, but frozen fruits and vegetables are a worthy alternative. They retain nutritional value and are economical since they’re less likely to spoil before you use them.
12. Store Fruits and Vegetables Correctly
Throwing away food is throwing away money. Learn how long different produce items last and the best storage methods to extend their freshness.
13. Use Parts Others Discard
Instead of tossing stems, peels, and tops — like tomato stalks, carrot greens, banana peels or potato skins — find ways to use them.
For example, some greens are typically used only for leaves, but their stems can be blended into smoothies or added to stocks for extra nutrients.
14. Cook with Overripe Produce
Don’t give up on overripe fruits and vegetables. Turn overripe bananas, avocados, spinach, peaches and pears into smoothies, sauces, jams, dressings, casseroles and more.
15. Preserve Surplus Fruits and Veggies
If you have more produce than you can eat, preserve the excess by canning, pickling, or freezing. That way you can enjoy them months later while retaining flavor.
Practical Ways to Cut Costs on Fresh Produce
Maybe you already buy only what you’ll use each week, or perhaps buying the heaviest bag of apples at a warehouse keeps your family’s cost per serving low.
Either way, finding savings on fruits and vegetables doesn’t require extreme couponing or running to multiple stores. Use these practical tips to free up some of your grocery budget and enjoy a well-stocked fridge and pantry.
Riley Park is a senior writer at Savinly. Nicole Dow is a former senior writer at Savinly.
