If grocery costs are straining your budget as the end of summer approaches, add more late-summer produce to your shopping list. Plentiful, delicious and high in nutrients, seasonal produce is a cost-effective way to feed your family.
Seasonal eating is the practice of eating local produce that has been harvested at its peak. This guarantees the freshest fruits and vegetables, the best taste and optimal nutrient content. For those looking for savings on food, abundant and convenient in-season produce is generally the cheapest option at the store.
As you plan weekly menus and shopping lists this August and September, intend to incorporate seasonal produce from your area. In most of the U.S., late-summer produce includes tomatoes, corn, zucchini, green beans, peaches, blackberries and watermelon for a distinctive variety of fruits and vegetables.
Cost benefits of seasonal produce
While grocery stores will often carry produce all year long, out-of-season produce must be shipped in from other parts of the world. To make this possible, farmers must often pick produce early and let it ripen in transit or store produce in cold storage.
In-season produce comes from local farms. It doesn’t have to travel as far to reach your farmers’ market or grocery store, minimizing transportation costs. Produce is also more plentiful when in season, increasing supply. This combination brings down produce prices at the grocery.
For an idea of how much savings in-season produce can provide, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis collected pricing data for a pint of strawberries. In 2022, out-of-season strawberries cost up to 90 cents more than in-season strawberries.
Local farmers can also pick and deliver seasonal produce at the height of ripeness. Picking produce early limits the time that nutrients and flavors can develop. Time in transit or cold storage will also cause water-soluble nutrients to dissolve. By eating seasonally, fruits and vegetables taste great, are packed with vitamins and will also reach their maximum size. As a result, you get better quality produce for less money.
Budget-friendly shopping tips
Beyond the savings from eating in-season produce, there are additional ways to reduce costs when buying late-summer produce. As you source your produce at the end of summer, consider these tips for finding the best deals.
Farmers’ market and local grocery stories
Shopping for fruits and vegetables at a farmers’ market in your city is a great way to guarantee you are getting local produce. For extra savings, visit farmers’ markets later in the day. As the market winds down, vendors will often be looking to clear their stock and might offer discounts.
If you buy produce from the grocery store, check the weekly ads for sales featuring seasonal fruits and vegetables. Flyers, online deals and the store’s app can help you find sales.
Buying in bulk
Take advantage of the abundance of end-of-summer produce by buying in bulk. Large quantities can bring down the price per unit. A crate of tomatoes or a bushel of corn is an affordable way to stock up. If you can’t eat everything before it spoils, split the cost and produce with family or neighbors.
Maximizing value with preservation
While it is best to buy fresh produce when it’s in season, you can enjoy late-summer produce throughout the year with preservation. Canning and freezing can make extra produce last for months.
Canning summer produce
Canning locks in nutrients and removes the microbes that cause vegetables and fruit to spoil. Tomatoes and peaches are ideal for canning, preserving their flavor for months. You can also turn end-of-season tomatoes into a flavorful tomato sauce or make jam from late-summer berries. Safely preserving produce by home canning requires the proper equipment and skills, but learning how preservation can be an effective way to make your grocery money go further.
Pickling is another option that adds vinegar and spices. This creates a briny, sweet flavor and crisp texture, making pickled vegetables and fruits perfect for snacks, toppings and more. Pickles from cucumbers are traditional, but pickled jalapenos offer an incredible tang as well. Refrigerator pickling can preserve produce for two to three weeks.
Freezing your own produce
You can also freeze the produce you buy in late summer. Berries, corn and green beans all freeze well, as do many of your other favorite fruits and veggies. For berries, wash and dry them before putting them in freezer bags. Frozen berries are perfect for smoothies or baked goods.
To freeze vegetables, blanch them for a few minutes to preserve the texture and lock in nutrients. Drain and dry the veggies, spread them on parchment-lined baking trays and place them in the freezer until frozen. After that, you can store frozen vegetables in freezer bags.
Meal planning with seasonal ingredients
Cooking with seasonal produce can be as simple as picking up your favorite vegetables for roasting or tossing in a salad. Fruit cobblers or sliced fruit make a refreshing summer dessert. You can also plan a seasonal menu to optimize your shopping list.
A weekly meal plan with seasonal ingredients
With the plethora of late-summer produce, you can create a colorful, seasonal menu filled with a variety of tastes and textures. Try a grilled corn and zucchini salad or a tomato and basil Caprese salad. These make great sides or refreshing main dishes on hot summer nights.
Avocado toast with late-summer tomatoes makes for a savory breakfast or snack. For dessert, a peach and berry crisp showcases summer flavors and is a must for a weekly menu.
Reducing food waste
By planning your menu ahead of time, you can save more money by ensuring no food goes to waste. Get creative with your leftover veggies. Leftover corn brightens up a weekend corn chowder and extra veggies are a healthy addition to fried rice.
You can also use every part of the vegetables you buy. Save peels and scraps in a bag in the freezer. When the bag is full, add all the scraps to a pot and fill it with water. Simmer the pot for several hours to make a homemade vegetable broth, saving you even more money.
Eat seasonally through the end of summer for grocery savings
When it comes to produce, late summer promises delicious flavors, vibrant colors and nutritious ingredients. Above all, seasonal produce is an affordable way to eat. Add late-season produce to your shopping lists to make the most out of the summer harvest and your grocery budget.
Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju is a food and travel writer and a global food systems expert based in Seattle. She has lived in or traveled extensively to over 60 countries, and shares stories and recipes inspired by those travels on Urban Farmie.