Buy Local: Save $$$ By Buying Fresh Fruits And Veggies

Consider these tips from the experts at Healthy Family Project along with its produce partners, which are on their 2023 Mission for Nutrition to improve access to fresh produce that's essential in alleviating many public health and personal wellness challenges. This year's partners are striving to be part of the improvement efforts by donating funds to increase the accessibility to fruits and vegetables in schools through the Foundation for Fresh Produce.

Make A List And Stick To It
When buying fresh produce, remember some items have a shorter shelf life. Limiting purchases to items on your list can help lower grocery spending while alleviating food waste.

Buy Local
Transportation cost is one of the biggest factors in the price of produce, meaning buying local, when possible, can help reduce your total at checkout.

Here are a few options where you can find locally grown produce that is not only fresh and tasty but also can save you a few dollars.

Every Wednesday at Gateway Park in Sunny Isles Beach you can shop for local produce at the Gateway Market in Gateway Park, 151 Sunny Isles Blvd. The Market is the place to be to find local produce and artisanal foods every Wednesday night from 5:30 – 10 PM.

For those of you who would rather shop indoors for local produce you can visit, The Aventura Market. The largest indoor market in South Florida, The Aventura Farmers Market has shown local love to South Florida farmers and artisans for more than 20 years. Representing the region’s talented culture melting pot, The Aventura Farmers Market open all weekend long, showcases a diverse array of exotic foods, fresh produce, and desserts. To check the schedule of the next Aventura Farmers Market visit: https://aventuramall.com/aventura-market/

If you live closer to Hollywood you can stop at the Yellow Green Farmers Market, 3080 Sheridan Street. The Yellow Green Farmers Market is dynamic outdoor venue that connects local producers and artisans with the community, it's a one stop shop for local produce.

Befriend the Produce Manager
If you prefer to get all your produce and groceries at one store, get the know the produce manager at your store. Throughout each week, a "hot buy" may come into the store that didn't make it into the weekly ad. This happens with items at the end of their seasons, in particular, or if a crop is doing well. Chat with the produce manager at your local store and he or she may inform you of special prices.

Know Your Produce Department
The front or feature table of the produce department often offers the best deals. Don't forget to look at the end caps on each produce aisle, which sometimes display seasonal items.

Stock Up on Seasonal Produce
Although you can generally find any produce item at any time of year, this isn't always an affordable practice. Knowing when your favorite fruits and veggies are in-season can save you money and allow you to use the freshest ingredients in family breakfasts like Protein-Packed Sausage Breakfast Muffins and Savory English Muffins.

Protein Packed Diced Onion Sausage Breakfast Muffins

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 Sweet Onion, diced
• 1 Pound of Turkey Sausage
• 4 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup of shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Cup of Protein Pancake mix

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 12-Cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.

In a skillet over Medium Heat, cook the Sweet Onion until it is translucent. Add the Turkey Sausage and cook it until it is no longer pink and remove it from the heat.

In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the Eggs. Add the shredded cheese, the Pancake mix and the cooked Sausage and mix it well.

Fill prepared muffin cups about 3/4 full with the mixture. Bake them for 18-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top.

Savory Cherry Tomato English Muffins

• English muffins
• Guacamole
• Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon of Cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon of Light Cream Cheese
• 1 Tablespoon of crumbled Turkey Sausage, sauteed
• 1 Egg
• 1 Tablespoon of Basil, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon of Balsamic Glaze

Toast the English muffins and top them with the desired combinations of toppings, such as: Guacamole, Tomatoes and Cilantro; Cream Cheese, Tomatoes and Turkey Sausage; or Egg, Tomatoes, Basil and Balsamic Glaze.

Find more grocery savings strategies and family-friendly recipes at: www.HealthyFamilyProject.com