Those pre-selected bags of produce seem to save you money, but do they? Actually, it depends on a couple of factors.
This question was recently posed to me by a member, reader and fellow frugal person here at Families.com. She asks, “Is buying those pre-bagged fruits and vegetable really worth it? They seem less expensive, but I always wonder if they are really just bruised and rotten.”
Here are some tips to help you make the best choice when it comes to deciding between bagged produce and produce that you hand select.
With bagged produce you can usually expect some bruising or less than produce, but not always. It really depends on the store and the type of produce.
Bagged produce saves money when:
- You are purchasing produce that holds up well, such as potatoes or onions. I have never found a major problem with either of these two types of produce. Generally, they are bagged in wither clear plastic or mesh, so you can see if any eyes or roots are growing.
- When there is a buy one get one free sale on the bagged items. This can really pay off, and I always try to stock up when I see these types of sales.
- When you are buying in bulk and the cost per pound or item is at least 25 percent less than purchasing the items loose. Before I moved, a friend and I used to take our morning walk past a bulk produce place and make some purchases. Everything they sold was pre-bagged, and you couldn’t usually select through the bags. The prices were ridiculously low, bananas at 5 pounds for $1, green beans at 6 pounds for $1.50, etc. I knew that even if I wound up with half of the bag being unusable (which never happened), I was still very clearly at an advantage in my purchase.
- When you use all of the produce, even if there are a few items of less than perfect condition. A good example of this is with apples. Let’s say that after eating all of the good apples, there are two or three with bruises. You can cut off the bruises and eat the remaining parts of the apple, or you can used the bruises apples in baking or cooking. Chopped apple is delicious in muffins or when turned into crock pot apple sauce or apple desert.
Mary Ann Romans also writes for the Computing Blog here at Families.com where she shares everything from the latest news on technology to cool downloads and fun websites.
Related Articles: