In early 2022, as the phrase “cost of living” caught on and Australians were increasingly seeking value-for-money groceries, I started talking to grocers for a monthly Guardian Australia series.
The idea was to learn from the experts how to pick seasonal fruit and veg that was good quality and affordable.
Twelve months and 12 articles later, after rising inflation and widespread weather events, their advice through the seasons is tried and tested.
After my year of talking to grocers, here are five tips to improve your fruit and veg shopping.
1. If you can, steer clear of supermarkets and shop at grocers
As the cost of eating balloons and as major supermarkets come under scrutiny off an inflation crisis, shopping at small grocers can make difference to your wallet. Grocers often say the smaller they are, the better they know their produce, because they have to carefully consider what to stock on their shelves.
Grocers may also sell produce in smaller quantities – like smaller bundles of herbs, or bunches of three or four radishes – which can help with cost and food waste.
Many grocers are also likely to have special deals on the best picks of the weekfor produce at its peak – this is particularly true when there is a produce glut (see: avocados).
2. Don’t buy out of season
We’ve all done it – tried to buy berries year-round, or delicate salad leaf mixes even if the weather has been too hot, or too rainy, and results in a bad crop. But grocers know the reality – that it might be better to wait for Queensland strawberry harvest to come through, for example, or that perhaps you should avoid rocket this week because it is perishing quicker than usual. Ask, and they will tell you.
The most valuable players are bananas and Asian greens – they are nearly always consistent in supply and price.
Ahead of Christmas, grocers gear up for cherry fever, and then in February, they know lychees are in demand for lunar new year. Next, they’ll be ready for the feijoa fans in June. But they always warn not to buy summer favourites like stone fruit too early, or try to continue them too late. Listen to them, and you will be rewarded.
3. Make use of frozen fruit and veg when you need to
By the same token, often it’s not worth stretching your budget to produce that isn’t at its peak, or when severe weather leaves supply “up to the gods”. Instead, buy frozen fruit or veg – just as good even if not as pretty – to fill the grocery gaps. They work in smoothies, soups and spanakopita, as well as these excellent Ottolenghi creations.
4. Don’t be afraid to be different
If you’re stuck in a fruit and veg rut, find produce that is nice, different and unusual in your world – think custard apples, golden beetroot or red brussels sprouts. In April, a grocer tipped me off to grey zucchinis (more appealing than they sound), and in June there were kalettes, tiny kale balls best roasted until caramelised. A year ago, I’d heard of neither.
A good grocers will encourage you to try hard-to-get fruit or vegetables, or nudge you towards lesser-known varieties, like afourer or golden nugget mandarins.
5. Make friends with your grocer
Grocers are founts of knowledge on what produce is best now, and how to make the most of what you’re buying. Many businesses are well embedded in their communities; and it is not uncommon for groceries to be family-run over many generations.
This cumulative, intergenerational fruit-and-veg knowledge means grocers know when herbs will be waterlogged because of bad weather or to stock up on quinces in July and Seville oranges in September for jam-making customers. The most enthusiastic grocers will even give you a sample of their just-in new crop as you browse.
And if you go to them for advice, grocers will also share their favourite fruit-and-veg trivia: like when it comes to watermelons, the hotter the growing conditions, the sweeter the fruit; and that asparagus can grow 20cm in a 24-hour period – and the longest asparagus measured 351.7cm. Now that’s value for money.
