Do you keep fresh fruit around?

[jld]

Do you serve it or just let people help themselves? Do you make a point of buying locally-grown, seasonal fruit, or does that not matter at all to you? Is fresh fruit a significant part of the budget, or not at all? Do you think fresh fruit is important to maintaining health, or an extra?

 

Fruit on the brain here, I guess!:)

[The Girls' Mom]

We keep it on hand, and I try to buy organic when possible. Local has proven to be more difficult than I care to pursue. We belong to a CSA so that has helped. Yes, I think it's essential for good health.

 

I serve it with meals, and it's available for snacking.

 

The only drawback is fruit flies :glare: I do not like to keep it all in the fridge (and frankly don't have room) so we are constantly battling fruit flies.

[GoVanGogh]

DH and I are on a mostly raw diet so we have a lot of fruit (and veggies) in the house. Right now there are grapefruit, bananas and oranges on the counter - blueberries, apples, pears and watermelon in the fridge. More in the freezer for smoothies.

 

I do try very hard to buy local, in season, organic whenever possible. I almost never buy produce from Mexico, with the exception of watermelons and avocado.

I always buy organic bananas, simply because they are readily available here and not much more than conventional. I almost never buy strawberries unless I can get organic. I have my own little "chart" in my head - or some sort of method to my madness. :tongue_smilie:

 

I wish my child would serve himself. I think he is way too dependent on me for snacks but I have been unable to convince him that he is old enough to make his own snack decisions.

DH generally doesn't serve himself, either. If he is really hungry, he may eat a banana.

Otherwise, I serve fruit with most meals or hand them both a fruit smoothie.

[RoughCollie]

I buy fresh fruit and veggies. Of the categories in my grocery budget, that is the most expensive.

 

We live in a farm-rich area, so pretty soon I will be able to buy locally grown vegetables. They doesn't cost less, but I prefer to buy locally grown foods. It tastes better and it supports the small farmers around here.

 

We stopped at a farmer's market at a local farm on Sunday, and all the produce was from Texas and Florida, and cost as much as the grocery store charges, so I didn't buy anything.

 

I keep fruit out and everyone helps themselves. If the kids and DH don't help themselves enough, I serve fruit as part of the meals.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

Do you serve it or just let people help themselves? Do you make a point of buying locally-grown, seasonal fruit, or does that not matter at all to you? Is fresh fruit a significant part of the budget, or not at all? Do you think fresh fruit is important to maintaining health, or an extra?

 

Fruit on the brain here, I guess!:)

 

I keep 3-4 colanders of seasonal fruit on my kitchen counter at all times. All 3 dc are allowed to help themselves whenever they wish. I spend a huge portion of our grocery budget on fruit (and veggies, also keep trays of cut veggies in the fridge for self-serve) but it's worth it, for obvious reasons. I think it is crucial to maintaining health and so not an extra. My kids will tell you how much sugar fruit has. I tell them all the time. I think I've convinced them it's like eating fresh candy. :D

[Meriwether]

I try to keep fruit around, but the kids eat as much as I bring home. I bought two weeks worth of fruit once so that I didn't have to go back to the store. It was all gone in 5 days. Fresh fruit is between 1/4 and 1/3 of my food budget (but my parents give us our beef, so realistically it would be closer to 1/4). I try to buy mostly what is in season to defray costs, but it can easily get to more than $50 a week.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

I try to keep fruit around, but the kids eat as much as I bring home. I bought two weeks worth of fruit once so that I didn't have to go back to the store. It was all gone in 5 days.

 

:lol: I guess that makes it 5 days worth of fruit. :lol:

 

I have the same problem! I do also buy frozen berries. We like blueberries in our waffles and I make smoothies sometimes. If I hide them, they last longer.

[Chris in VA]

We keep a large bowl filled with apples, grapes, and tangertines/mandarin oranges/clementines (currently) on the table. We also have a bowl of bananas on the kitchen counter that are for random snacking and the protein shakes my hubby and one of my kids eat regularly after weight lifting.

And then there's the refrigerator fruit! Things I prefer cold--nothing at the moment, but often strawberries or other berries.

All is for snacking at will. If I put it out, they eat it. If they have to search for it, not so much. Stuff they can just grab and eat is eaten more quickly than stuff they have to peel.

 

I wash everything as I get it (except berries) and we don't have fruit flies. I also wash the bowl--I've found I get fruit flies if I put new fruit into an old bowl, even if I think the bowl is clean.

[TravelingChris]

Yes, we keep fresh fruit around. Most of the kinds, we don;t serve but let anyone take them. Some kinds we tend to serve- watermelons, strawberries, pineapple, etc. We don't specifically buy local since we wouldn't have any fruit most of the year and never any citrus or bananas if we did. (ANd when we lived in FLorida, we would be limited to citrus, strawberries, mangos and a few others and no apples, peaches, cherries, etc.)

[Jen in PA]

We keep lots of fresh fruit around. I buy local when possible, but for fruit that's only a tiny portion of the year here. I usually have 2 or 3 big bowls out on the kitchen table and counter, and then bowls of other things in the fridge. Right now we have oranges, grapefruit, and apples on the counter, and grapes and kiwi in the fridge. My kids consider this panic level -- we are down to frozen berries and out of melon and bananas. But I am shopping today. I rarely buy fruit that is out of season or not on sale, so the price is not a huge factor. I suppose it is a statistically significant part of our food budget, but if the fruit wasn't around the kids would gorge on grain-based snacks, so this is worth it to me.

[LauraGB]

I buy fresh fruit and veggies. Of the categories in my grocery budget, that is the most expensive.

 

We live in a farm-rich area, so pretty soon I will be able to buy locally grown vegetables. They doesn't cost less, but I prefer to buy locally grown foods. It tastes better and it supports the small farmers around here.

 

I keep fruit out and everyone helps themselves.

 

This is pretty much us, too. I keep a big bowl out on the counter (until in a few weeks when it warms up and the fruit flies show up, then it goes in the fridge until the end of summer when if cools off again).

 

We can't get local fruit yet. Because we just pluck it out and eat it, I try to buy organic, and sometimes that means driving across town to the store that has the best prices on organic produce. This week I bought 2 3# bags of apples, 1 3# bag of pears, 1 big bag of oranges (no idea the size, and they are not organic), big bag of bananas (again, no idea the size - probably at least 5#) and 2# strawberries (those stay in the fridge). That will last about a week, and that includes anything I make from them (apple crisp, banana bread, etc). When the farmer's mkt rolls around again, we'll be eating a lot more berries and whatever else is in season.

[SilverMoon]

There's nearly always fresh fruit and veggies in our house. I serve it at some meals and let people help themselves. Fruit is the snack in our house, and it's the answer to any "I'm hungry" when a meal time isn't right around the corner. Our brekkies aren't considered complete unless they've had a fruit in them.

 

Along with the usual apples, bananas and such, I do stock up on the seasonal fruit. I've never tried separating it from the food budget to see what portion it is because I consider it a must have. :001_smile:

[KS_]

Do you serve it or just let people help themselves? Do you make a point of buying locally-grown, seasonal fruit, or does that not matter at all to you? Is fresh fruit a significant part of the budget, or not at all? Do you think fresh fruit is important to maintaining health, or an extra?

 

Fruit on the brain here, I guess!:)

 

I try to keep some type of fruit available - sometimes there isn't anything on sale or that looks good at the store - I do try to buy organic, or at least the items listed on the Dirty Dozen list:

http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirty-Dozen-Foods

 

Depending on how fast the kids are going through it, I may limit it somewhat (they can polish off pounds of strawberries in a day or two, or a whole cantaloupe or honeydew in a day). Dh doesn't care for fruit (except in pie, or fresh cherries) and I don't force the issue with him.

[littlebug42]

I buy it but it usually doesn't get eaten. My dh will eat apples, bananas and grapes. My dd8 won't eat any fruit except in smoothies so for that I buy organic frozen. DD6 goes in spurts with what she will eat so I buy it for her when she wants it. If I just bought a bunch of fruit though, it would go to waste.

[Karen in CO]

I buy local and in season when that is possible. When fruit is available, I serve it with dinner (and breakfast and lunch) just like a veggie. Berries have been on sale lately so there has been a big bowl of berries on the dinner table every night along with the salad - both are self-serve. The kids eat them for a snack if they think of them but we don't snack much so serving them with meals is the best way to get them eaten just like the carrots and kale. I aim for as many different colors of fruits and veggies in a day and in a week as I can get into the kids. Variety helps us to meet all of our nutritional needs.

[Tap]

Do you serve it or just let people help themselves? Both, but I offer it, not just serve it to someone without them asking. Right now we have fresh: Bananas,(grape tomatos), and pinapples. We were planning to go to the Farmer's Market this afternoon. In the pantry for ds15's school lunch we have pears, applesauce, peaches in small containers- he has it as his dessert. In the past few days, we finished off the fresh grapes, strawberries, pears, pinapple and apples. In the freezer, for smoothies, we have: strawberries, raspberries, mango, pinapple, blueberries, maybe marionberries, peach puree (I made it) banana, and misc other bits and pieces like a few slices of pear (I save dd3's left over-not bit off of- pieces and throw them in her smoothies.) Wow, I hadn't really thought about how much fruit we go through in a week. It is a lot. LOL We also have Odwalla Super Food (thick fruit juice for those who don't know what it is) mmmmmm.

Do you make a point of buying locally-grown, seasonal fruit, or does that not matter at all to you? If it is available locally, I buy locally. I really try to avoid anything not grown in the USA. Many 'locally grown' fruits/vegs are not available in the PNW due to our chilly climate. Even the things that are available often have a short season. I like to buy at famer's markets or fruit stands, but you still have to pay attention, because many are still shipped in.

Is fresh fruit a significant part of the budget, or not at all? Do you think fresh fruit is important to maintaining health, or an extra? I guess so, I haven't really thought about how much of my grocery bill goes to fruit. Yes, I think fresh fruit is important. We all have a few servings of fruit each day.

Fruit on the brain here, I guess!:)

.

[Firefly]

Always. And always organic and/or local when available. We do like tropical fruit as well and obviously can't get that locally! It is served up in different ways (in smoothies, on pancakes, etc etc) and also is just up for grabs as a snack whenever the kids want it-- they don't have to ask.

[Greta]

I just signed up for a wonderful service where locally, organically grown fruits and veggies will be delivered to my doorstep once a week. I'm so excited! Yes, it's expensive. But it's also important. I've tasted these fruits and veggies at friends houses and they are just wonderful. So fresh, such good quality, and so delicious. It's taking a tremendous chunk out of my food budget. But really, what is more important than our health? I'll make budget cuts elsewhere. We can give up luxuries without having to sacrifice good quality food.

[Lightly Salted]

Do you serve it or just let people help themselves? Do you make a point of buying locally-grown, seasonal fruit, or does that not matter at all to you? Is fresh fruit a significant part of the budget, or not at all? Do you think fresh fruit is important to maintaining health, or an extra?

 

Fruit on the brain here, I guess!:)

 

I buy fresh fruit each week, but it doesn't stay around long! :D The kids are welcome to serve themselves, but I find myself limiting to one piece of each kind per day (ie, 1 banana, 1 orange, 1 apple, etc.) or else they'd eat it all in one day - seriously!

[MyLittleWonders]

We keep fresh fruit around too - usually all organic. The boys help themselves usually to what is on the counter: apples, oranges/mandarins, bananas, pears. We keep seasonal berries in the fridge, and try to buy locally/in season when possible. I usually serve fruit for breakfast and lunch, and it is what I tell them to snack if it is close to meal time. They love fruit (take after dh more than I - I love apples, oranges, bananas and pears, but berries I prefer in smoothies). We also have four fruit trees out back, and grow strawberries, blueberries, boysenberries, and watermelons. So, yep, we are a fruit family. ;)

[abbeyej]

Yes, we eat lots of fresh fruit. I buy organic, local when I can. But when it's not available, I don't fret too much. I serve fresh fruit with meals (a bowl of washed grapes still on the vine, or a bowl of clementines, or any type of sliced fruit ready to eat), and fruit is always available for snacks.

 

Yes, I consider fresh fruit a vital part of a healthy diet. We eat lots of fruits and vegetables here, along with beans, whole grains, and some fresh, local, mostly organic eggs and dairy, and a little meat.

[Holly]

We have quite a bit on hand. I cut out almost all the junk food I was buying (and simplified) and replaced it with fruit and veggies, so it didn't really change our budget. It's gone up an average of $10 in winter, but we save in the summer when produce is so cheap. We also quit buying sugary cereals and I now get plain generic cheerios or corn flakes so that saved a bit too...and DH and I drink tea instead of soda.

 

While it is a significant part of our budget, I made a few changes so we could fit it in. IMO, fruits and veggies should be the biggest part of our grocery bill anyway. I figure if we do spend more on good food, we'll be spending less at the doctors down the road (as will our children).

 

I do try to buy local when possible. I pick local over imported at the store if it's an option, and I try to get to the farmer's market whenever possible. However, we live in the midwest, so there's no local produce for much of the year.

[Laura Corin]

I serve it at most meals and also leave it lying around. I think that fruit/vegetables are essential for a healthy diet, but I'm not sure if the balance between those is crucial.

 

Laura

[myfunnybunch]

We keep fruit on hand.

 

We have a help-yourself fruit bowl on the counter and usually fresh fruit and carrots, celery, broccoli in the fridge. We help ourselves for snacks. I also serve fruit for breakfast and lunch.

 

We try our best to buy local and organic. We shop at the Farmer's Market often. In summer, I pick and freeze or can a LOT of fruit so that we've got lots of local organic (when available) fruit for the rest of the year. I do buy organic bananas and apples at the grocery store year-round.

 

The largest part of our grocery budget is fresh fruits and veggies. Good for our health and tastier.

 

Cat

[Pretty in Pink]

Yes, I buy tons of fresh fruit (and vegetables) and the kids can pretty much snack at will on apples, oranges, and bananas. Berries, melons, and such can get very expensive so I buy those for specific meals and the kids know that and don't eat them without permission.

 

I try to organic (dirty dozen), then local, then domestic. Bananas are always imported but what are you going to do, ya know?

 

I make a minimum of two stops per week for produce and it is a significant portion of my weekly food budget, between 20 and 30%.

 

ETA: Somebody mentioned shopping for fruit to last for two weeks. How does that work? Does it stay good for that long? I'm assuming you refrigerate all of it?

[DaffodilDreams]

Yes, we keep it around. We grow as much of our own as we can. What we don't grow, we look for at farmer's markets first. Stores are last choice. Stores win out in the winter, though.

 

We have an "eat all the fruit and veggies you wish" policy in our home, so growing as much as possible has been good for the budget.

[caitlinsmom]

Uh yeah. We keep A LOT of fruit here. Fruit and veggies make up 80% of our food budget. I buy locally and organic if and when it is available. I hate seeing "from Chile" (or any other foreign country) on my produce. It drives me nuts considering we live in a rural farming area. Not to mention it means the produce is old and most likely falsely ripened with petroleum products. Kinda ruins my appetite. That said I do buy it if its what I can get.

 

My kids love fruit and will pick it over candy or junk anyday.

[Daisy]

I get organic fruit in my weekly co-op box.

 

We also have fruit trees; orange, grapefruit, nectarine, apricot, lemon, mandarin orange, tangelo.

 

So we have a lot of fruit around. That and veggies are the only snacks I usually allow my kids during the day.

 

Right now I have

 

grapefruit

bananas

mandarin oranges

watermelon (cut up and ready to eat)

strawberries

frozen cherries, grapes, blueberries & blackberries (we bought it organic and froze it ourselves)

 

Yeah, I can't imagine not having fresh fruit in the house.

[Meriwether]

 

ETA: Somebody mentioned shopping for fruit to last for two weeks. How does that work? Does it stay good for that long? I'm assuming you refrigerate all of it?

 

 

I was going to try to make it last two weeks, but it only actually lasted 5 days. If I limited how much my kids ate, I could make it last two weeks - if I buy bananas x 2, grapes x 2, strawberries, blueberries, bag of pears, bag of apples, and clementine orange bags x 2 or 3. I refrigerate everything except the bananas. I would serve/set out/offer the bananas, berries and grapes first. The apples and oranges I would offer later. The pears (which I often have to buy hard) ripen in the refrigerater 1-2 weeks after I buy them. Since I buy these things in bulk at Sam's Club, they could last two weeks, because I would normally buy half that much for 5-7 days. They just don't. If it is in the house, it gets eaten.

 

My kids (that eat table food) are 7, 5, and 3 and can eat a large bag of clementine oranges for a snack. If I precut the fruit into a fruit salad, our family can easily eat 10 pounds of fruit in less than 24 hours. I shudder to think what my grocery bill is when they are 17, 15, and 13. My mom always said it is better to pay the grocer than the doctor.

[nmoira]

Do you serve it or just let people help themselves?

Both.

 

Do you make a point of buying locally-grown, seasonal fruit, or does that not matter at all to you?

It matters tremendously, but we're fortunate to live in an area abundant with local fruit for much of the year -- though selection through winter consists of essentially apples and pears.

 

Is fresh fruit a significant part of the budget, or not at all?

We spend far more on fresh fruit than meat, but then we don't eat much meat. *Lots* of berries, peaches, plums, cherries, etc. in the summer. Mangoes in the spring and fall (not local of course). Citrus in season (also not local). We buy mostly organic, but do buy conventional for no-spray or low residue fruits. FWIW, I have yet to sample a tasty organic mango.

 

Do you think fresh fruit is important to maintaining health, or an extra?

Essential, especially for children. We have a higher fruit to veg ratio for the kids and the reverse for the adults in our family.

[Mrs Mungo]

I buy fresh fruit and veggies. Of the categories in my grocery budget, that is the most expensive.

 

I agree. We currently have the following fruit in my house: pineapple, tangerines, blueberries, two kinds of apples, bananas, pears, mangoes, limes and cantaloupe.

 

Some things I buy organic and others I do not. I buy what I can locally, but local produce is limited.

 

Some things people just eat and some things I serve with meals.

[abbeyej]

I buy fresh fruit and veggies. Of the categories in my grocery budget, that is the most expensive.

 

This is true for us too. By far the largest portion of my grocery budget goes to fruits and veggies. I do pay more for local (as local as I can get, and sometimes that means from a neighboring state) and organic, but even if I were buying the cheapest fruits and veggies, it would still likely be more than everything else combined.

[Carrie12345]

It's important. I serve and they self-serve. I prefer local and organic, so I lean toward seasonal, but I'd rather have non-organic that's been shipped than go without bananas or oranges (which will never be local).

 

I can't buy too far ahead b/c my kids will eat it double time. I hate canned fruit, but I will buy frozen. Still, they've been known to find the bags and skip defrosting.

 

Ditto for most vegetables (minus the eating frozen part!)

[Daisy]

Any berry can be bought when it is on sale and frozen. Mangoes freeze well also. I just throw it into a gallon ziploc bag and my kids go in and grab it. They'd rather eat frozen grapes than ice cream during the summer.

[LaissezFaire]

We always have fresh fruit available and it's one of the few things the kids do not have to ask for. The kids have a saying, "Fruit is Free!" :lol:

 

As far as fruit flies go. Take a canning jar and put about an inch of cider vinegar in the bottom and a squirt of dish soap. Then cover the top of the jar with wax paper and poke a few holes in it. Catches fruit flies wonderfully.

[LauraGB]

As far as fruit flies go. Take a canning jar and put about an inch of cider vinegar in the bottom and a squirt of dish soap. Then cover the top of the jar with wax paper and poke a few holes in it. Catches fruit flies wonderfully.

 

So trying that if we get them this year! Thanks!

[angela in ohio]

We always have apples, oranges, bananas, kiwi, grapes, blueberries, and strawberries. I buy more of one or the other, or buy other fruits (mango, pineapple, raspberries) as they are in season. We have fruit with most meals. I think it is important, as are vegetables, and we try to get 3-4 servings of each per day. Fruits and vegetables are a large portion of our food budget, then meat and dairy, then everything else.

[4kiddies]

Fruit such as apples, clementines, banana's are always available on the counter for the kids to help themselves.

 

Items such as canteloupe, strawberries, blueberries and grapes are kept in the fridge and served with meals.

 

Fruit and/or vegtables are served with every meal and are eaten as snacks and I buy local and in season when available and freeze large quanities for when they are not available. Most everything is local except for the clementines and banana's.

 

ETA: About the budget part, it is not unusual for me to spend upwards of $100 a week on fruit/vegtables only during the spring/summer months when the fruit is available locally. I then freeze it and eat it the rest of the year.

Edited May 19, 2010 by 4kiddies

[cjbeach]

Yes and I could be totally raw but help me.....

 

what about fruit flies?:confused: I had a fruit fly invasion so now everything is the frig :(

[DarlaS]

ETA: Somebody mentioned shopping for fruit to last for two weeks. How does that work? Does it stay good for that long? I'm assuming you refrigerate all of it?

 

It would never last here unless I could somehow hide it. My kids are big-time fruit eaters--and my fridge is WAY too small for that.

 

Maybe someday when we get the monstrosity dream fridge I'm planning for the new kitchen. :001_smile:

[Parrothead]

Do you serve it or just let people help themselves?

Fruit sits in several bowls on the desk in the dinning room that is utilized as a server. Grapes are in one small bowl, Bananas in another and apples, oranges, pears, avocados, lemons, limes, mangoes (that is what is in there irght now) are in a huge bowl.

 

 

Do you make a point of buying locally-grown, seasonal fruit, or does that not matter at all to you?

There are very few seasonal fruit we get here. Apples in fall, strawberries in summer and blueberries are mostly wild. So, we don't do locally-grown seasonal fruit or we wouldn't have any 9 months out of the year.

 

Is fresh fruit a significant part of the budget, or not at all?

Yup, I spend about $75.00 a week on fresh produce

 

Do you think fresh fruit is important to maintaining health, or an extra?

I think eating and cooking with as-fresh-as-I-can-get-it produce is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

[lynn]

I always keep bananas and apples around. Grapes and pears when they look good, berries when they are on sale, melons and cherries when they are in season. Or if I am really craving a certain fruit, I'll just buy it. Publix sells fruit already cut up in bowls and sometimes dd and I will share that for lunch. I do buy frozen berries regularly. Target sells a large bag for a decent price, I put them over oatmeal, yogurt or make smoothies.

 

Everyone just grabs what they want. My 2 youngest children are the big fruit eaters in our house and the others only occasionally will grab something.

[Aggie]

We keep mass quantities of fruit and vegetables here. All but the bananas stay in the fridge and the kids help themselves all day. Fruit is also considered dessert after all 3 meals. :001_smile: Currently we have oranges, pineapple, pears, strawberries, blackberries, and several types of apples, plus fresh veggies.

 

I try to buy organic and local when possible, but they're rare around these parts.

 

Our garden should provide much of our vegetable portion for the summer, at least.

 

Fruits and veggies are a huge part of our grocery budget, and I try to get only fruits that are under $1/pound.

[Dawn in OH]

We always have fresh fruit in the house. I guess it is a significant part of the budget.

 

We generally buy our favorite fruits as opposed to seasonal.

Some of our fruit we buy at a local Orchard, so it is locally grown. With other favorites that is just not possible.

 

Fruit, for the older 2 kids, is generally a help yourself thing as long as its not too close to dinner time. Some things are planned to be part of something else and I prefer to make it known before someone ruins a meal or dessert that I've planned.

[FrogMom5]

I offer it to people. It's out on my counter or table for my kids to eat when they want. I buy organic when I can but it's not so available here.

[Slartibartfast]

I keep fresh fruit in the house. It is something people can just grab whenever they want some. I don't limit fruit like I do unhealthy snacks.

 

I try to buy local and organic but if it isn't in season then I do make allowances. I can't afford all organic fruit/veggies in winter

[happyWImom]

There's nearly always fresh fruit and veggies in our house. I serve it at some meals and let people help themselves. Fruit is the snack in our house, and it's the answer to any "I'm hungry" when a meal time isn't right around the corner. Our brekkies aren't considered complete unless they've had a fruit in them.

 

:iagree:I am always okay with my dc having fruit for a snack. Or, if they've eaten the meal and still say they're hungry, I tell them to have more fruit.

 

We always by organic; I just wish we lived somewhere where we could get local fruit more than just a few months of the year! I am thrilled because our CSA has finally added fruit, and all of it is either our state, or one of the neighboring ones.

 

I leave the fruit out, other than grapes, but my dc like their apples and pears cut up, so it's not self serve yet. But, if they want pineapple or melon thats cut up & in the fridge, they help themselves.

 

I hate to admit it, but I am not a fruit person at all.:blush: I love grapefruit, and I put blueberries on my cereal, but otherwise I have to choke it down. So, I try & make smoothies so that I can get my daily dose. (Not as often as I should though). I'm just glad my dc love fruit.

[lllll]

..

[Corraleno]

We belong to a CSA, so we get an organic fruit & veg box every week, plus they have an "extra fruit" option for $10/wk more, that provides extra goodies like organic strawberries, tangerines, mangoes, and kiwis. Fruit & veg together are probably about 40% of our food budget, but that's only because we have the CSA ~ if I had to pay Whole Foods prices for organic produce, it would be about 80% of our budget!

 

DD7 and I both love fruit and snack on it all day. DS12 and DH are not big fruit eaters, so I make a lot of smoothies and fruit sorbets (just frozen fruit, run through the Vitamix), which they love. I get big bags of frozen organic cherries and blackberries from Costco, and frozen organic strawberries and blueberries from Trader Joe's.

 

Jackie

[momof2girls]

We keep lots of fruit around. Tomorrow is grocery day or I'd have more than just the berries in the fridge right now. We've got strawberries, blackberries and raspberries in the yard on the vine, cherries and apples coming in later in the year, and watermelons (I hope) later too.