With the summer produce now in season, where are you finding your best produce deals? I chatted with Bill & Lynda on WRAL-FM this morning about produce deals. Here are some other ideas for saving that we did not get to talk about.  Please add any other ideas you have for saving on produce!

As I mentioned on the radio this morning, some of my best produce deals these days come from Aldi.  The produce deals here aren’t just good – they are ridiculous! Listen Now     Discovering cheap fresh produce

Here are some of the produce sales at ALDI good through tomorrow, Tuesday, May 5. And I am not making up these prices:

Zucchini or yellow squash, 24 oz package, .69! At that price you can stock up and freeze for zucchini bread for the rest of the year!

Iceberg lettuce, .49 per head

White mushrooms, 8 oz. package, .59 – great price!

Tomatoes on the vine, 24 oz package, .99 – great price!

Multi-colored peppers, 3-pack, $1.49 – another great price!

Those are crazy good deals!  This morning after the segment I bought 48 oz of zucchini, 3-pack of multi-colored peppers, 2 lbs of baby carrots (.99/lb), 1 cantaloupe ($1.69), 3 lb bag of onions ($1.69) a 9 oz bag of spinach ($1.69). I also bought a pound of salmon fillets, frozen, for $4.49. Although there is not an Aldi in Johnston County, where I live, I will be at the radio station in Raleigh twice a month now so I will be heading to Aldi after each of those segments!

Other ways to save:

Buy what’s on sale and what’s in season: Look for produce that comes in at $1 or less per pound (and that’s usually what’s in season).

Buy local at the local farmer’s markets and roadside stands. At the State Farmer’s Market in Raleigh you can buy in bulk and get an even bigger discount in the wholesale area. I love roadside stands in the summer – local produce and often at very good prices.

CSA – Community Supported Agriculture: Members buy a seasonal share of locally grown produce and receive a weekly box of fruit and vegetables. You can usually pick up the box at the farm or at designated locations at specific times. Some CSA’s let you pick what produce you will receive and some do not. Some allow you to buy a share that equals as little as $12 per week. For a list of CSA’s by county, visit the NSCU website HERE.

Grow your own garden. It’s not too late to plant some patio tomatoes in a container on the back porch. Six hours of sunlight a day, plenty of water and voila – homegrown maters! 'Cause really, there is NOTHING like a homegrown tomato and cucumber sandwich with light mayo on white bread!  Although we eat whole wheat bread at my house, that first tomato sandwich always goes on white bread! I had my first one of the season last night with a cucumber from a local CSA and a tomato from the local roadside stand. It was superb!  This year, we are growing a small container garden with tomatoes, cucumbers and basil.  I planted multiple types of tomatoes this year and we have already enjoyed a few grape tomatoes.

Are you growing a garden? If so, what are you planting?