Well this is going to be a boring update. 😉
We were out of town last week on a family vacation to Washington D.C. and since all food consumed on vacation comes out of our vacation fund, there really isn’t much to report.
The Girl and I did make a quick trip into out local Fred Meyer Grocery Store to pick up 25 pounds of blueberries and a gallon of milk though. Blueberries are on sale this week for $2.39 a pound when you buy them in 5 pound boxes so we stocked up.
I’m not sure if you noticed, but we we are kind of smoothie freaks around here. When there is a good deal on fruit we buy as much as we think we’ll eat in a 9 month period and freeze it so we can enjoy it during the winter months when produce is overpriced and out of season.
At this point in the game I seriously doubt I’ll come in at one hundred dollars a month for the year but the reasons behind that are a whole other post entirely.
How about YOU? Do you stock up on fruit and vegetables when they are in season too? Or are you happy shopping in the produce and freezer section all year round?
Mavis wants to know. 🙂
Total Spent This Week $62.59
Total Spent This Year $1,167.83
Total Spent This Year on Garden Seeds/Supplies $893.99 {I bought a Meyer Lemon Tree, Rhubarb crowns, 6 Fruit Trees , 16 yards of soil}, Walla Walla Onions and 90 pounds of seed potatoes. Plus, supplies to make my own potting soil. I also picked up a boatload of heirloom tomato plants at the Seattle Tilth sale.
Read more Shopping Trip Stories.
How to Freeze Fruits and Vegetables
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Mary G says
I buy some seasonal fruit year round, but I also will stock up on things like summer berries when prices are good. We generally do pick your own for our blueberries, but I don’t think I’ve ever gotten 25 LB at one time before. Blueberries are so good for smoothies and baking that I like to have some in the freezer, too.
Vicki says
You know, Mavis, even if you come in at $100 a *week*, for a family of four you’d still be doing better than most of us!
Madam Chow says
Ditto! You have shown that you CAN live on $100 a month. You feed your family a healthy diet on amazingly little money every month!
Beth says
I do stock up when things are seasonal- I usually get alot of fruit (peaches, apples, plums, and cherries) from my Dad because he has a working fruit orchard but this year due to the weather issues earlier in the spring, there won’t be alot. I just bought a 5 pound bag of frozen blueberries at Costco this weekend for $10.99- we use lots of frozen fruit in smoothies and my teenage daughter will eat the blueberries right out of the bag.
Anita says
Hey Mavis, you should have come to PA while you were on the East Coast. You could have picked my blueberries! It’s so hot and sticky outside, I’m just dreading it (and the kiddos are too). 😉 BTW, even if you don’t make your $100 a month goal, I’m still impressed with everything you are able to accomplish! 🙂
Lorri says
I only stock up on things that are locally grown , not from the supermarket. There are many small family farms here and many pick your own type places. Strawberry season just ended and we are in the middle of cherry season with blueberry not far behind. I make a few special jam treats for the winter then freeze the rest. Blueberries bought in the market are heavily sprayed with fungicides, as are strawberries. I just don’t want to eat that way.
IC says
Yes – I am with you here. Plus when you buy directly from the farmer, it’s organic AND less than or equal to
conventional prices, plus it is so fresh. I do stock up because they are once a year deals. We freeze, jam and dehydrate for fruit rolls and fruit “chips.” I just finished up with cherries!
Cecily says
Have you heard of Charlotte’s Blueberry Park in Tacoma? It is a former blueberry farm that is now owned by the metro park system. There are over 3000 blueberry bushes in 5 varieties. The berries start to ripen about the end of July and go through September, are pesticide free and the best part…. they are free to pick! No limit! I go every year during the first week in September ( I live less than 3 miles away) and pick pounds and pounds of berries. Every third Saturday is a volunteer work day at the park if you want to show your appreciation for the free bounty.
sharon says
Any ideas how to go about finding fruit deals like you just found? I never find that good of deals!
JC says
Mavis – I may just not have found it yet but have you ever taken a look at where the most savings is coming from? I know you sometimes measure how different gardening methods work (e.g. – Raised bed vs. greenhouse) but do you have a sense how much savings comes from each piece of your plan (e.g. – 20% from Mr. Produce, 40% from Growing it yourself, 20% from deals found in stores, 10% groupon/coupon/Amazon, etc…)?
Laura says
I get apples in the fall and can apple sauce and apple butter. I freeze blueberries. I just might stop by Fred Meyer today for some to make jam! I don’t get the paper, so don’t get their ad, and rarely go there (even though it is the closed grocery to me!) because it is so expensive for day to day items. I love their day-old baked goods corner!
I hope to find some good deals on peaches this year. I live in an agricultural area, so it shouldn’t be hard!
I need to get a dehydrator.
Thanks for mentioning the sale!
Jamie says
“At this point in the game I seriously doubt I’ll come in at one hundred dollars a month for the year but the reasons behind that are a whole other post entirely.”
I am interested in reading this post…. 🙂