For those of you in northern states

Laurend224

I'm originally from the north, currently living in Alabama. I never noticed a lack of fresh produce where I lived up north. Most of it is shipped in. Down here though, I can get fresh peaches picked in an orchard 4 miles from my house. Also things I had never heard of, like muscadines that the farmer grows on his fence behind my house.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

It just sounds like your store's produce section is poorly tended. If it is out of several common items (broccoli, cauliflower), and the zucchini is limp, then that is a sign of a poorly tended produce section.

Try a different store.

SingRunTing

We do a lot of frozen veggies in the winter. My husband will also get frozen berries too.

But for fresh produce, we tend to have good luck at Market Basket or Hannafords (Massachusetts).

lohkin

LoneWolfRunner wrote: »

I live north of Pittsburgh. Between Aldi and Sam's Club, I usually don't have a problem getting fresh produce.

I also live in Omaha and have found the produce prices at Aldi to be the best (for what they carry). Because Aldi doesn't carry everything, all the time, I do shop a little more often. It's worth a try. I agree with the OP, and do not think our local Target / Bakers / Whole Foods have very good prices for produce during the winter.
To the OP - for variety, look up the cookbook "The Best Vegetable Recipes" by Cooks Illustrated / America's Test Kitchens. I think OPL carries it. The book has recipes and preparation tips for just about every vegetable you can think of. I love that cookbook and it has helped my family eat more veggies.
- Good Luck! -

chouflour

tracyhodgewaugh wrote: »

But really this thread was to get ideas of where and how people get the best produce during the off season.

Know your local stores. It isn't something that anyone non-local can tell you, and it's something that will probably take at least a year to learn. I'm in Northern California, and my year goes something like..

Winter - Costco
Spring/Summer - local farmer's market
Fall - local produce market

There's an awful lot of mixed bag weeks as the seasons change and the growing regions move. Right now, Costco doesn't have the best stuff (although we're about to hit berry nirvana) , and neither does anyone else. We're pretty opportunistic, eating implosion packed guacamole instead of avocado and citrus instead of pineapples. In addition, the week after Christmas seems to be lousy everywhere with a mix of low stock and old as the grocery stores swing from holiday staples to indulgent NYE party supplies.

SToast

Best you can do for things like pineapple in mid-winter is Costco frozen. They have a good selection of high quality frozen fruits and veggies. But there is a good chance you'll just have to settle for what you can find. I mean, I'd love a big ol' slice of watermelon right now but that's probably NOT going to happen. Unless someone on here has a hydroponic green house and is growing watermelon in the winter, in which case...

optimaltouch

I agree produce isn't nearly as attractive in the winter months here in Maine. Instead of deciding on specific veggies in advance, I'll work with whatever looks the most acceptable at the time I'm shopping. Also definitely helps to shop around at different markets this time of year as some are kept up better than others.

leggup

I've been roasting frozen veggies using these instructions: http://lifeonthefoodchain.blogspot.com/2013/05/yes-you-can-roast-frozen-vegetables-yes.html I use the sink-hot-water method because then you don't have to pat the veggies dry.

dbmata

goddessofawesome wrote: »

My local grocer sells tons of stuff that is out of season. They obviously get it from Florida or California and most of the time the prices are reasonable and it's not horrible looking so it's not that far fetched an idea to have out of season produce. But then again I'm spoiled this year due to an abundant garden and a freezer full of the produce we reaped.

Lucky you. OP obviously doesn't live where you live and was complaining about quality and cost. So, yes, tell us about how where you live is so fabulous.

I can wax poetic of the food quality and prices even for out of season stuff from my little neighborhood stores in San Francisco, but I won't because it's not relevant.

I swear, it's like you're just tempting people to get warnings.

BarbieAS

I'm in Northern IL. My produce buying/eating habits are definitely a LOT different as the seasons change.

In the winter, I try to do a few things - first, there are some fruits and vegetables that are still somewhat in season this time of year - citrus fruits, hard squash, etc. So, in the winter, my fruit serving(s) for the day tend to be oranges, clementines, and grapefruit. There are also some fresh vegetables that travel better than others and are still decent (and not astronomically priced) even when you're buying them out of season - I have good luck with lettuce, bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, and celery in the wintertime. Finally, I definitely mix in more frozen vegetables in the winter - typically the quality ends up being just as good as the out-of-season fresh stuff and the price is lower. I don't go 100% frozen, but several servings per week will be.

And then, I dream of summer when I can go to the farmer's market and eat 10+ servings of fresh produce per day....ahhhh.....

goddessofawesome

dbmata wrote: »

goddessofawesome wrote: »

My local grocer sells tons of stuff that is out of season. They obviously get it from Florida or California and most of the time the prices are reasonable and it's not horrible looking so it's not that far fetched an idea to have out of season produce. But then again I'm spoiled this year due to an abundant garden and a freezer full of the produce we reaped.

Lucky you. OP obviously doesn't live where you live and was complaining about quality and cost. So, yes, tell us about how where you live is so fabulous.

I can wax poetic of the food quality and prices even for out of season stuff from my little neighborhood stores in San Francisco, but I won't because it's not relevant.

I swear, it's like you're just tempting people to get warnings.

The OP obviously needs to look at other food stores for her produce. I'm sure there are stores that provide fresh produce for a reasonable price.

dbmata

Define reasonable. My mom lives in podunk, 'Murica and you can't get anything decent if it's out of season, and the price is astro.

Ever pay $4 a pound for an orange that goes bad the next day?

goddessofawesome

Yes, many times and I've taken them back to the store and either got my money back or exchanged it for better looking produce.

dbmata

goddessofawesome wrote: »

Yes, many times and I've taken them back to the store and either got my money back or exchanged it for better looking produce.

but not for a steak that was made wrong... lol.

This amuses me, because I would never take the produce back. hahaha.

goddessofawesome

dbmata wrote: »

goddessofawesome wrote: »

Yes, many times and I've taken them back to the store and either got my money back or exchanged it for better looking produce.

but not for a steak that was made wrong... lol.

This amuses me, because I would never take the produce back. hahaha.

Obviously you misread my posts on the steak. I said that I personally rarely, if ever, will return food. In many instances I don't even have to show the server because they know how I get my steak cooked and they can see whether or not it has been done right as I cut into it and if not then they take it back. I have even had the chef come out and apologize for improperly cooking my food. If the steak is more on the rare side it's not as big a deal. My husband had steak Christmas eve and while mine was prepared the way I asked his was a bit more done than he had wanted. Did he send it back? No because it was still edible. Did he let the server and the chef know it was a bit over cooked? Yes.

I'm really not quite sure what the big deal is. For some reason -- based on your posts -- you feel the need to be very combative and snarky towards people.

dbmata

goddessofawesome wrote: »

I'm really not quite sure what the big deal is. For some reason -- based on your posts -- you feel the need to be very combative and snarky towards people.

QQ

I'm old, I have no time left to sugar coat things. I don't like things sugar coated, and generally feel sugar coating is disrespectful to others. So out of respect to your humanity, I do not patronize you with sugar coated commentary and validation.

You are quite welcome.

yoovie

nebraska is in the north?

dbmata

apparently. I see it more as central midwest/cornbelt. but whatevs. They have super cheap gas.

gardenpixiepdx

tracyhodgewaugh wrote: »

I live in Nebraska and I'm having a heck of a time finding decent fresh produce. And what little I find is very expensive. For those of you also living in an area where your fresh stuff is coming from somewhere else, do you have any tips? Any stores where you find better quality or selection? Any favorite frozen brands/varieties?

Do you have a Costco close by? They often have excellent produce sections, and organic varieties too boot!

yoovie

dbmata wrote: »

apparently. I see it more as central midwest/cornbelt. but whatevs. They have super cheap gas.

and make corn syrup.

iheartinsanity

I live in Washington state, so it helps that lots of farms are in the area, but I too have struggled finding fresh stuff. I've been sticking with squash, romaine lettuce, and spinach from Costco. The rest I eat frozen. Normandy blend veggies, blueberries (all frozen from Costco as well).

LeannJeffers

I'm in Minnesota and in my town we have the "fruit club" basically it's a club that anyone who is interested in the "fruit of the month can purchase a box. The club ships in a truck from California/Florida depending on the fruit. It's not terribly priced, the only problem is the quantity is sometimes to much. I often times split a box with a friend to avoid the fruit from spoiling. Our "fruit club" is on facebook. We also have something called the "Bountiful baskets" that is a mixture of fresh fruits and veggies

dbmata

iheartinsanity wrote: »

I live in Washington state, so it helps that lots of farms are in the area, but I too have struggled finding fresh stuff. I've been sticking with squash, romaine lettuce, and spinach from Costco. The rest I eat frozen. Normandy blend veggies, blueberries (all frozen from Costco as well).

You a wetsider? You guys get all the good stuff. We have lentils, wheat, and squash. Meh.

iheartinsanity

dbmata wrote: »

iheartinsanity wrote: »

I live in Washington state, so it helps that lots of farms are in the area, but I too have struggled finding fresh stuff. I've been sticking with squash, romaine lettuce, and spinach from Costco. The rest I eat frozen. Normandy blend veggies, blueberries (all frozen from Costco as well).

You a wetsider? You guys get all the good stuff. We have lentils, wheat, and squash. Meh.

Yep! I'm still pretty northern though

dbmata

I'll lament your ability to get fresh stuff including seafood while I cry into our local moonshine.

vixen0babs

I'm in MN. I buy frozen fruit for smoothies or baking. I have thawed them out for cereal/oatmeal, but they seem to be much softer and had a little bit of the "freezer" taste. I like frozen vegetables for steaming in the microwave. I feel that the quality of the vegetables is better than fresh when buying out of season. I think the prices are reasonable, but I'm buying for just me and not a family. I buy my frozen produce at Cub or Target. Good luck!

snowflake930

I live in Minnesota. No problem here getting great quality fresh produce. Onions, sweet potatoes, winter squash bell peppers, celery, carrots, all of which I love oven roasted or grilled. No problem getting fresh fruit either. In fact, just last week they had fresh raspberries on sale for $2.00 I always get my banana's at Kwik Trip. They have them for .29 cents/lb all year. Whole fresh pineapple is on sale this week. Apples, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, kiwi, pomegranates, really whatever you want.

fvtfan

I have found ALDI to be the best - but there selection is limited. They always have broccoli and zucchini, last week they even had brussel sprouts and aspargus.