13 Easy Ways to Save Big on Fresh Produce All Year Long
Slash your grocery bill big time when you score cheap produce!
Give your grocery budget a boost and fill your kitchen with fresh, affordable produce using these practical tips! Even though fruit coupons can be rare, these simple tricks make it easy to feed your family healthy meals without overspending.
1. It doesn’t get any cheaper than starting your own home garden.
There’s nothing better (or cheaper) than growing and picking fresh, homegrown fruits and veggies! If you’re new to gardening, check out how to start a vegetable garden. You can also place vegetable scraps that can easily grow in water by a window, such as green onions, lettuce, or celery.
We tried a couple of these methods and they REALLY do work!
Keep the white part of the onion with any intact roots, and place it into a small glass with water. After a few days, green shoots will start to emerge from the tops of the bulbs. After that, they’ll grow very quickly. You can keep them in water for a while, but they will do best when transplanted into a pot with soil before they start to weaken.
Regrow Romaine Lettuce from a Stem
That’s right! Just cut off the bottom of the head of lettuce and place it in a bowl of water near a window with sunlight. Replace the water every 1-2 days. Within a few days, you’ll have small leaves sprouting up. With this method, you will not regrow a full-sized head of lettuce, but you can enjoy the smaller leaves on a sandwich, tacos, or in a personal-sized salad.
Slice about 2″ from the root end of a bunch of celery and place it in a shallow bowl of water. Place the bowl near a window with sunlight. After a few days, you should start seeing small leaves emerging from the very center of the top. In about a week, you may see small stalks and leaves. Plant the celery in potting soil or directly into your garden.
2. Store your produce properly so you’re not throwing money in the trash every week.
Storing your food properly can make or break how fresh it tastes and how long it lasts in your fridge. Here’s a list of
How to store common veggies & herbs:
- Avocados – keep on the counter, then fridge when ripe to slow ripening
- Bell Peppers – store in the fridge, or crisper drawer, and keep whole for the longest shelf life
- Broccoli – store in the fridge in a bag with no seal so it gets airflow
- Carrots – store in the fridge in water & change water every few days
- Celery – store in the fridge in water or foil to stay crisp
- Cucumbers – store on the counter for a few days
- Garlic – store at room temp in a dry place (but never refrigerate)
- Herbs (soft) – store in the fridge in a jar of water, cover loosely like a bouquet
- Herbs (woody) – store in the fridge wrapped in a damp towel for rosemary, thyme, etc.
- Lettuce – store in the fridge in a container with a paper towel to keep moisture down
- Mushrooms – store in the fridge in a paper bag to keep them from getting slimy (no plastic)
- Onions – store in a cool, dark, dry place (keep away from potatoes)
- Potatoes – cool, dark, dry place (but never in the fridge)
- Spinach – store in the fridge in a container with a paper towel & wash when ready to eat
- Tomatoes – keep on the counter & only refrigerate if overripe
How to store common fruits:
- Apples – store in fridge in the crisper & keep away from other produce (ethylene gas)
- Bananas – store on counter, separate stems & refrigerate only when ripe
- Berries – store in fridge, unwashed in a container with paper towel, wash right before eating
- Citrus – lasts the longest when stored in the fridge
- Grapes – fridge in a ventilated bag, then wash before eating
- Melons Whole – store on the counter; cut & store in fridge, wrap cut side
- Stone Fruit (peaches, plums) – store on counter to ripen, then fridge to slow ripening
Hip Tip: Check out our stacked herb garden to learn how to easily have herbs at home.
3. Join a community garden.
Have a green thumb but don’t have space to grow a garden? Consider purchasing a plot in a community garden in your area where you can conveniently grow your own produce.
Prices can range anywhere from $20-$150 per year, and they even include water and a rain harvesting cistern. Of course, just be mindful you will still need to weed and visit the garden to water once in and while, so it’s important to make sure it’s something you really love doing.
4. Shop locally or at farmers markets.
While farmers markets can vary greatly in regards to availability and pricing, you can often get really good deals and some of the cheapest fruits and veggies. Just visit near the end of the market, when a seller is more likely to lower prices to get rid of remaining items.
Plus, if you’re lucky enough to live near some farmers, buying directly from them is often even cheaper than the market itself, especially if you’re willing to buy in bulk or take slightly imperfect produce. Many farmers are happy to sell directly from their farms or set up weekly pick-up orders, saving you money while ensuring your food is fresh, local, and in season.
Hip Tip: View this map to find a local farmers market near you.
5. Yes, you can score cheap produce online.
I’ve had great experiences with Misfits Market, and many of our Hip readers love Imperfect Foods as another popular option to save on produce. Both online grocers take the aesthetically imperfect produce and surplus that farmers can’t sell, and offer it to you for a HUGE discount. Not to mention it’s delivered right to your doorstep! Even better, these sustainable options help reduce food waste, too.
Hip Tip: Consider asking your local in-store grocer for “seconds”. This is a term used for produce that’s unsellable, such as a bruised peach, misshapen pepper, and they will likely sell it to you for huge discounts instead of taking the loss.
6. A food co-op or CSA could be your golden ticket to cheap produce.
If you’re lacking in gardening skills or don’t have space (or energy) to grow fresh foods yourself, food co-ops and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Groups are a great way for you to purchase produce from area farmers. Either option allows you to have great, local food while supporting your local farmers.
Community Supported Agriculture:
Under this model, a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Typically, the share consists of a box of produce, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (“membership” or “subscription”) and, in turn, receive a box (or bag/basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.
Find a local CSA near you. You can also try searching “community supported agriculture” or “CSA” plus your city/state.
Food cooperatives are worker-or customer-owned businesses that provide high-quality grocery items to their members, usually at good prices. Co-ops can take the shape of buying clubs or even retail stores. Food co-ops are committed to consumer education, product quality, and member control, and they usually support their local communities by selling produce grown locally by family farms.
Check Local Harvest or this co-op directory to find a food co-op near you.
7. Pick-your-own produce spots make for the cheapest fruits (& most fun too!)
No farmers market nearby? Look for local pick-your-own farms—it’s quicker than growing your own food and often cheaper than the grocery store. It’s also a fun family activity!
Search farms by your city and state, and call ahead to confirm hours, seasonal availability, and accepted payment (some may only take cash or check). Bring your own containers, dress for the weather, pack sunscreen, bug spray, water, and a wagon if you’ve got one.
8. Remember to only buy produce that’s in season.
Seasonal produce is often fresher, tastier, more nutritious, and typically cheaper because it’s at its peak and most plentiful. Unlike out-of-season crops harvested early for shipping, in-season fruits and veggies ripen naturally on the plant—boosting flavor and nutrient content while making them softer and sweeter. For the best taste and savings, buy fresh produce directly from local growers shortly after harvest. Use this helpful Seasonal Food Guide to see what’s in season where you live.
9. Freeze your produce if you can’t eat it all in time.
Freezing fruits and vegetables is a great way to extend their shelf life and reduce waste. If you can’t use fresh produce in time, just freeze it for later! Buying frozen can also be a more affordable option, often costing less while still offering similar nutrients and convenience.
Our team loves Stasher bags for freezing foods, and they’re endlessly reusable for much more!
10. Use coupons and cash-back apps to score cheap produce.
A great way to score cheap produce is to keep an eye out for ALL printable coupons for fruits and vegetables. Print them as soon as they pop up since they’re rare and never last long!
Save on fresh produce by checking store apps and digital deals. Retailers like Target, Whole Foods Market, Amazon Prime Grocery, Kroger, Safeway, Ralphs, and Sprouts often offer rotating discounts on fruits and vegetables, with extra savings available for loyalty or app users. Always browse their apps or websites before shopping to catch the latest offers.
Plus, earn cash back on fresh produce with apps like Fetch Rewards, Checkout51, and Makeena. These platforms offer points or rebates for grocery purchases, including fruits and vegetables—sometimes even at any store. Just scan your receipt to start saving.
11. Shop at discount grocery stores.
If you have a discount grocery store nearby, such as ALDI or Grocery Outlet, you can usually find great deals on cheap produce if you keep your eyes peeled. For instance, at ALDI, you may be able to find fruits and vegetables on a BOGO sale (buy one, get one free) whenever they’re about to remove them from the shelves. Just be sure to examine the packaging and produce items closely to ensure they’re good quality.
And, if you end up buying a product from ALDI and not liking it, not only will they replace your product, but they’ll also refund you the money for that purchase as part of their Twice As Nice guarantee!
Hip Tip: Most grocers discount their old produce when new shipments arrive mid-week. So, as a general rule of thumb, if you’re looking for the cheapest fruits and veggie deals, it’s smart to shop on Wednesdays!
12. Score cheap produce with pre-bagged options– but be sure to weigh it first!
To get the most bang for your buck, be sure to use the produce scale to weigh the bags of produce you plan to buy (apples, potatoes, etc). For instance, a 5 lb. bag of apples actually may weigh more than 5 pounds since it is packaged by volume and not necessarily by weight.
Producers won’t put half an apple in the bag to get it to reach at least 5 pounds, so you may save a little by purchasing a bag, rather than choosing individual items and paying by the pound.
13. Don’t pass by your local Asian Market without scoping out their produce section.
You’d be surprised how deeply discounted produce can be at your local Asian market! Plus, they often have a wide variety of unique fruits and veggies like lychees, persimmons, lemongrass, and more exotic produce to choose from!
We’ve got even more helpful tips on how to save at your local Asian market!
How do YOU score cheap produce? We’d love to hear your ideas! 🥕🍊🌽
Thank you for all these awesome ideas, I will definitely be taking advantage of some of them ASAP!
You are SO welcome, Mendy! Glad these tips will be helpful!
Check with your health insurance company for ‘Wellness Reimbursements’ too! We have a plan that gives up to $100 per person over 18 in your house to make healthy choices. We use it for our CSA which we split with another couple. After our reimbursement, we spend about $6.00 a week to get 20 weeks of fresh veggies in the summer!
What a great tip! Thanks for sharing, Bethany! Good to know!
I use imperfect produce (imperfectfoods.com), and it saves a fair amount on groceries! It forces us to try new veggies, to eat what’s in season, and to actually meal plan around our produce!
Very thorough article, thanks so much!
I purchase most of my veggies at my local Asian market. The produce is simply beautiful and much cheaper than my local Kroger, Lidl or Aldi. Plus they have a huge variety of fresh herbs for very little money.
In addition, they have very interesting items that I have never seen before so it’s always a great education. I end up asking nearby shoppers for advice so it’s always a great learning experience too!
So wish there was an ALDI in Boulder, CO. I used to go all the time when in Memphis………miss it
I order from Imperfect Foods and love them. 20-30% off what I usually pay for produce and lots of it isn’t ugly!
Great article written by this author – great shares from our Hip community – thanks!
You’re so welcome, Mary!💞 I’m loving this list too! Thanks a bunch for the super sweet feedback! 🤗
Thanks for the tips! I’d add that roadside farm stands (if you live in an area where they’re available) can be a great way to get affordable produce, especially if you get to know the grower and let him or her know that you’re willing to buy less-than-perfect fruits and veggies.
You’re so welcome, Beverly! Thank YOU for the helpful tip! Great idea. 🥰
Loved this post and all the suggestions in the comments too. Thank you so much H2S!
You’re most welcome, Elsie! 🥰
One thing I always try to remember is produce is expensive at times, but if your budget can handle it, it is so, so good for you. I try to say “no” more to the treats and sweets and “yes” to as many fruits and veggies as I can afford. Good produce is a good investment for your health.
– Along with Asian Markets, look up Hispanic Markets or any other international markets in your area. Many people don’t even know they exist, because of their “hidden” locations, so us Google to discover some gems in your area 😉
– Join a local Facebook group for plant lovers, where you can swap edible plants. In my area we have several Take a plant Leave a plant stands as well, and people even leave produce there.
– Check Facebook Marketplace for local people that sell produce. Some have gardens that produce more than they can eat, so they sell or even give away produce. You can also offer to barter. Like homemade baked bread in exchange for fresh tomatoes 🙂
– Learn how to preserve seasonal produce so you can buy more when you find a great deal. A dehydrator is a great investment, along with a pressure cooker for canning, a food saver, a deep freezer.
– Check the produce section for heavily discounted packaged produce that is no longer 100% fresh. I have gotten really good deals at my Winn Dixie.
– Frozen is often cheaper and depending on how you prepare the veggies, they can taste just as good. And you don’t have to worry about them going bad in the fridge.
– Potatoes are supposed to be very easy to grow as well. I haven’t had any luck with anything lately. Pests have been awful in Florida and every single plant I had was attacked by insects 🙁
Thanks so much for sharing your helpful tips and tricks, Roxy! I agree on the frozen produce option, I always like to have a few on hand to toss into a meal! 💖
Thanks so much for all of this great information! This is such a great post with so much useful information, and so many helpful comments, especially right now, when everything is priced higher. I really appreciate all the time and work put into this site! Thank you all!
You’re SO very welcome! 🤗 Thanks a bunch for the sweet feedback. 💞
Adding to this, freezing veggies helps me a lot as a single person who can’t go through food fast enough. I have less prep for meals and as long as I’m cooking the food, I don’t care if it’s frozen.
Also, I LOVE my dehydrator! Dehydrated spinach and kale are game changers for soup making because they don’t get as slimy, they keep their crisp shape and they are shelf stable. Also having things like dehydrated apples are great to throw on salads or snacks.
YES! GREAT tips, Caitlyn! 🎉🙌Thanks for mentioning these. I like to freeze veggies too if I can’t get through them before they might start to go bad. 🥰
Buy at farmer markets 30 minutes to close sometimes they sell perishables at striking a bargain price if you ask rather than transporting it back to farm.
Thanks for sharing this helpful tip, Dina! Glad to hear that you’ve been able to negotiate a good price on produce near you with this! 🤗