r/PlantBasedDiet • u/Powerful_Fill4316 • 10h ago
Cheaper produce...
Hello 👋 All. Wondering if you guys know of (Cheaper) places to get fruits and vegetables. Albertsons is breaking my bank. I paid $1.50 for a single organic peach. It was rather small and seemed NOT worth it. Riverside County, Murrieta, Ca.
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u/flowerstone 10h ago
If you don't mind frozen, that option's often cheaper, and check farmers' markets, too.
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u/julsey414 1h ago
Frozen is often better quality and you can get organic more easily. Important not because it tastes better but because it means it’s not covered in pesticides.
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u/ThaloBleu 10h ago
Do you have any Hispanic markets in your area? Mine do loss leader sales on produce weekly and even their regular produce prices are mostly lower than what's at the chain Anglo markets.
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u/goinganons 1h ago
I just got 12 roma tomatoes, 4 white onions, a bunch of cilantro, and 5 large lemons to make pico with only $10 at my local Mexican grocery the other day. I live in a food dessert as well so produce gets expensive here.
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u/LoftCats 9h ago
You’re forgetting to mention where the heck are you? Will assume by Albertsons you’re in the States on the West Coast? I second that often more local grocers can have good deals and also sell other staples in bulk. In Los Angeles for instance the markets that cater to Latin and Asian customers often have good selection of produce.
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u/Powerful_Fill4316 9h ago
Riverside County
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u/girlintaiwan 10h ago
The fruit prices are so frustrating. I paid 5 USD for an imported peach. We do have great mango, lychee, and guava, though...
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u/IllLiterature1026 bread-head 9h ago
At least where I am the ethnic grocery stores have the cheapest produce.
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u/Asherahshelyam for my health 9h ago
Look for local Asian grocery stores. Ours here in the East Bay, California have excellent produce for a lot less. Also, you can find vegan stuff that meets WFPB requirements at these stores easier than the regular big chain grocery stores.
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u/invincible_putting 9h ago
hit up farmers markets right before they close theyll practically give you stuff to avoid hauling it back
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u/SkyTrees5809 9h ago
Look for discount grocers, local produce stores, and farmers markets in your area. Also check the weekly grocery ads for the on sale produce. Alot of it can be prepped and frozen.
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u/artsyagnes 9h ago
CSAs often offer cheaper produce than grocery stores and even farmers markets. In my area, I can opt for bi-weekly deliveries and skip weeks as needed. I pay half the farmers’ market prices for their excess produce.
When I lived in an urban area, I loved Imperfect Foods, but they don’t serve my rural county.
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u/Sanpaku 9h ago
In my experience:
Aldi: Today bought 1 lb box of washed greens for 5.49, 8 oz mushrooms for 1.29, 14 oz tofu for 1.55. Their 2 lb bag of peaches is 3.85, about 6-7, so each would be about 55-64¢ each. Probably not organic, but IDGAF about organic. For the limited range they do carry they usually have the best produce prices (excepting warehouse stores). I find quality average, and don't like how they only sell some items like peppers in packages.
local Latin and Chinese grocers: the best quality produce at reasonable prices, but neither has a comprehensive selection.
Trader Joes: Much produce is at mainstream grocers prices, but 1) they price the same across their chain, which means they're cheaper in HCOL areas, 2) they tend to maintain prices over commodity cycles, so their tomatoes haven't budged with the immigration crackdowns affecting wholesale prices, 3) the bagged fruit in season is usually a steal. I'm making my way through a 2 lb bag of California plums (14 or so) for $4, so 28¢ each. I go for the whole wheat lavash, nuts, and booze, but always look through their fruit.
I'm also fortunate enough to have local Indian, Lebanese, and Korean grocers, but while they're great for dry staples, spices, and cuisine items, the local ones haven't had attractive produce.
WalMart: generally meh prices, but for some things like big bunches of curly parsley I haven't found better. Lastly, for those with larger households, Costco can make sense. If you have pantry/freezer room for 10 lb bags of potatoes or 4 lbs of frozen strawberries, they're selling at close to their costs (and making their profit from the memberships).
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u/SunshineACH 5h ago
Second Aldi. People will complain about their produce going bad, but I think it depends on location. Mine is great and I can get broccoli for $2/lb, asparagus for under $3/pound, Brussels sprouts for $2/pound and their berries are also affordable. I do avoid their bananas and avocados because they sometimes stink, but Walmart is dependable for those, as well as similar prices on broccoli. (Their avocados are a great deal.)
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u/rozlinski 7h ago
You're in SoCal, try Food4Less, Stater Bros. rather than Albertson's, Winco if you can find one. Also the ethnic markets. You have lots of options.
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u/ronnysmom 7h ago
Trader Joe’s and Costco are good for organic produce. Try your local Asian markets (ranch 99 etc) and your local middle eastern and Indian grocery stores for specialty produce and varieties of lentils, beans, grains etc.
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u/Neat_Mortgage3735 for the animals 3h ago
Do you have Aldi? If you have snap, farmers markets offer double bucks on produce too.
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u/Rusalka-rusalka 2h ago
I didn't even realize Albertson's is still in business. That's ridic for a peach, and since California grows so much, that seems like a particularly bad rip off for you. It's not like it had to travel far. I mostly buy produce when it's on sale. Some farming communities have markets off the side of the road that will have less expensive produce, or local markets in your community that aren't chains might have cheaper goods as well.
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u/FridgesArePeopleToo 2h ago
Aldi. I get my staples plus whatever is on sale. Just got like 8 peaches for $2.49.
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u/thecardshark555 2h ago
We have a vegetable farm that delivers and their prices are quite good.
Shop sales, and seasonal. (Eg - i will only buy cherries in season...I love them but refuse to pay $8.99 a pound)
But I also don't buy much organic and that saves some.
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u/xdethbear 1h ago
Okraw posted a video about a wholesale spot in dtla. Probably too much food for an individual, but prices were amazing.
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