I started slicing and freezing many of the veggies from my garden and putting them in freezer containers or bags. Then I noticed most of the chains have clearance sections on vegetables and started scooping up the items. If I did not cook them that day or the next, I added them to the freezer. I have chopped onion, celery, every variety of squash, peas and the like that are ready for a soup, stew or other dish. Saves time and money! Do you find bargains on vegetables and do you store them for a rainy day?
An excellent way to save money on vegetables is to buy frozen vegetables. Frozen vegetables are just as good for you as fresh vegetables and in some cases they are even better than the fresh version, like frozen peas for example. Another good way to save money is to shop at your local food market just before it is shutting down for the day.
You can also can them and pickle them for something different. Pickle some carrots, cauliflower, peppers and celery for a homemade giardiniera. Or just pickle some cucumber strips or chips for homemade pickles. I like to freeze all my leftover vegetable scraps for veggie stocks or meat stocks. Depending on what veggies I have on hand that I need to use up, another good way to use them up is to make a batch of homemade veggie burger patties. Then freeze them individually and all you need to do is thaw them one at a time and pan fry them in olive oil for veggie burgers.
It depends on where you live. There are places you can buy vegetable all year round at relatively cheap prices. For those who live in the country they can even have their own vegetable patch so all they have to worry about is planting, weeding and harvesting! I live somewhere in-between the country and a town. So vegetables, in town, are cheap most of the time and if you can't get them you just drive twenty minutes down the highway and buy straight from the farmers.
You can also ferment your vegetables, it preserves them and it is very good for you. I am currently fermented some cabbage on the window ledge. It's easy to prepare, all you need to do is squeeze the cabbage with salt to break it down and compact it tightly in a jar. The natural juices should cover the cabbage and then you just leave it to ferment.
Most of my supermarkets do a clearance section where they just bundle different fruit and they give a discount on it. I always take advantage of this deal just because I love to make smoothies as well as soft drinks so these deals are never to be missed by me.
I would love to save on food this way, but the nutritional value starts depleting the minute they're picked.. they aren't even vegetables anymore at that point in my opinion and I eat vegetables for their health benefits as much as the taste. My veggies are all recently picked at local farms.. I can't bring myself to eat something that grew on a truck and sat in a grocery store for who knows how long. If it's taste your after though, good deal and I agree with frozen veggies as well. Other than whatever conditions they were grown in, they're flash frozen to keep that freshness as much as possible.
I do this with grapes too. They are great for snacks and desserts, you only need to thaw them out for a while, and the ice bits that are left inside when they thaw actually add some extra texture to it even.
I don't really buy vegetables, but my dad does. He does buy lots of vegetables when it's peak season, because according to him, vegetables are much cheaper if they're in their peak season.
I freeze my own garden vegetables in freezer bags. They last me through the winter months. I also freeze grapes and blueberries. Frozen blueberries make a great snack! I don't like to purchase clearance vegetables. I worry about how long they have been sitting there. I would rather pay more when they are fresh.
