Fruits and Vegetables: A Buying and Cooking Guide

Besides having your pantry sorted, the next biggest challenge to cooking healthily and economically is to have a regular supply of fresh fruit and vegetables. Here are a few tips on what to consider and how to get the most out of your fresh produce.

Shop seasonally
It is usually cheaper (and environmentally friendly) to buy fruits and vegetables that are in season, so forgo the strawberries from Mexico in the dead of winter and opt for different varieties of locally grown apples, which are available year-round, at least in Canada. See the Foodland Ontario website for a guide to what's available according to season.

Shop organic (or not?)
Is it really worth the extra cost to buy organic? No, according to a recent scientific study, whose findings claim there is no nutritional benefit to eating organic foods compared to non-organic foods. As a dietitian and mother of two young children, my concern is more with regards to contaminants, mainly pesticides, found in commercially grown, non-organic foods. Consider this: the level of toxicity per kilogram of body weight for a toddler is far greater than it would be for a grown adult. Now I know it is not always feasible to shop organic- paying 30 cents more for organic apples hurts when you’re trying to be the ‘queen’ of frugal, but there are ways to get around this:

• Compare prices at different stores- larger stores tend to be cheaper and have greater variety of organic produce.
• Consider joining a co-op where you are able to order a regular supply of organic produce- it can work out cheaper than a grocery store especially if you are prepared to collect it yourself rather than have it delivered.
•  The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has provided a useful list that ranks 47 of the most popular fruit and vegetables according to their level of pesticide contamination. You’re able to see which are ‘the dirty dozen’, that is, which products are most contaminated (and should be bought organic), as well as those that are least contaminated and can thus be bought non-organic. An easy way to remember this list: pests tend to like sweet things, so more pesticides are used to keep them away from sweeter foods such as tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, berries, apples and peaches.

Then again, consider this: a diet that includes some form of fruits and vegetables (organic or not) will be far better than eating no fruits and vegetables at all.


Shop locally
Support local farmers’ markets, then you’re sure to find things in season, and find a variety of organic produce.

Shop for variety
Aim for a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables. Firstly, the nutritive value will most likely be higher- not only in vitamins and minerals but also in phyto-nutrients. Secondly, a colourful plate is far more appealing and appetizing (especially for fussy eaters) than a monotone of mush. Think roasted baby beetroot and butternut with baby spinach drizzled with balsamic vinegar (delicious!) versus over-cooked cauliflower with a gloopy white sauce.

Cook creatively
By varying your cooking methods, not only do you avoid boredom (and leftovers), but you also increase the nutritive value depending on your method of preparation. Raw vegetables are not always healthier.  Some examples:

• Cooking vegetables, such as carrots, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, cabbage, and peppers, releases more antioxidants such as beta carotene and ferulic acid than when eaten raw. 
• lycopene, a powerful antioxidant linked with lowering cancer and heart attacks, is most available when tomatoes are cooked (even ketchup is a good source).
• vitamin C is highly unstable, is destroyed by cooking and dissolves in water, so make sure you include some raw vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables, such as oranges, kiwifruit, and sweet peppers.

Don’t buy in bulk
Fresh fruit and vegetables bought in bulk often gets wasted, otherwise freeze it. I recently bought two punnets of organic blueberries (they were on sale) thinking they would be gobbled up. The girls soon lost interest halfway through punnet #1, so I threw everything into a freezer bag and into the freezer. A week or two later, the frozen berries made a wonderful afternoon snack on a rare warm Spring day- frugal and nutritious! Berries, mangoes, pineapple, peaches, spinach, corn, and peas freeze well. Starchier vegetables such as carrots and potatoes don’t hold as well.

Plant your own
Herbs like basil and parsley grow easily on a sunny porch and taste best fresh rather than dried, but oregano is actually better dried. Vegetables such as peppers and tomatoes are also easy options if you’re just starting out.