Why Skipping The Produce Aisle May Save Money At The Grocery Store

In the last few months, the cost of inflation has affected everyone. Not only are trips to and from the grocery store expensive due to high gas prices, but supply chain issues have also caused your grocery bills to be higher than ever before. Thankfully, we're here to help you finesse your grocery list. There are ways to save money while still ensuring you and your family and making healthy food decisions with satisfied and full tummies by shopping smarter.

One of the best ways to cut costs on your grocery bill is to avoid the produce aisle. When shopping at a supermarket chain, you'll likely see every-which fruit and vegetable under the sun. Unlike Mother Nature implied, you're buying produce all yearlong that is not in season — meaning it was sourced from another part of the world and may be up to a year old and full of unwanted chemicals (via Delish).

However, we know the importance of stacking your diet with rich, hearty produce options. We suggest more cost-effective routes to take when stocking your home with fruits and vegetables.

Shop local! Buying foods in season and from your local farmer or fresh markets can shave dollars off your produce purchases (via Eat This, Not That). While it may not seem like much, this can mean a car payment or two over time. Not only are foods purchased at local farmers markets traditionally cheaper and fresher, shopping in these markets can boost local economies and support regional farms (via the Colombia Climate School).

Browse the frozen aisle. There are so many benefits to buying fruits and vegetables from the frozen aisle — one of the top being that they tend to be the cheaper options over fresh produce. Frozen vegetables are also wonderful options to stock up on because they won't spoil within days; they're also newer than ingredients in your traditional produce section. According to Health, frozen produce is frozen and bagged shortly after harvesting. This keeps their vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in a prime stage, ready to be consumed whenever you eat.

Avoid pre-cut. If you're in a time-crunch and looking to shed some time off your meal prep, pre-cut and assembled vegetables and fruits from the produce aisle seem like an excellent time-saver. However, these items can mean the difference of several dollar increases per item. While Taste of Home highly discourages purchasing pre-cut produce due to its price point; this is where you'll have to weigh the variables of time versus money — and whether or not you can skip the produce aisle the next time you shop for groceries.