Cheapest Produce to Buy in May 2023
Every month, I get asked what should I be buying for my family in the produce section that won’t bust the budget? My normal response is to look at your weekly sales flyer from your grocery store.
Most sales ads start on Wednesday every week and end the following Tuesday, but this is not going to work if you are trying to plan the next couple weeks or even a month ahead.
So, I decided to look at the last 3 years (2020, 2021, & 2022) sales flyers for some major supermarket chains, to see if I could see a trend of what is typically on sale. This list will give us a good idea of what is typically the cheapest produce to buy in May!
Cheap Fruits and Vegetables
These following is a list of fruits and vegetables that were typically on sale in the month of May for the last 3 years. Keep in mind that with any seasonal crop, that growing conditions, weather, and other factors can be different each year so this is not a firm list.
I also recommend that you check your own local sales flyers to see if they are offering a good deal or at least a reasonable price on these items. Every store is different so results may vary as far as possible savings.
1. Strawberries
Even though we see strawberries in the store year round, we really start seeing better prices at the beginning of May. These will continue to be at good or decent prices throughout the summer.
2. Red Cherries
The end of April is typically the beginning of cherry season, so we should start seeing really good prices on fresh cherries. If you are not seeing them now, the next few weeks should start to see better prices.
3. Blueberries
Similar to strawberries, we see blueberries all year round at the grocery store, but they are starting to hit their peak season now. This means the next few weeks will be the lowest prices. If you find an exceptional deal, blueberries are great to freeze with very little effort.
4. Raspberries
If you haven’t guessed it, May is really the beginning of berry season, so most berries will be cheaper now than in the wintertime. Raspberries are very easy to freeze as well if you find a great price!
5. Avocados
These have been going on sale a lot lately, and will continue to be good prices for the next few weeks. You can freeze avocados for future use, so if this is a favorite food it may be worth exploring!
6. Red and Green Grapes
Occasionally you will see grapes go on sale in May, but these are ones that are actually grown in Chile, Peru, and Mexico so they do have added shipping costs. These are not a bad deal if on sale, but you will see them even cheaper starting in July.
7. Nectarines/Peaches
It is still a little early for nectarines and peaches to be on a really good price, but you may start to see them going on sale at the end of the month. This is really dependent on how the growing season went. Last year was iffy so hopefully this year is much better!
8. Tomatoes
There are lots and lots of different varieties of tomatoes and different ones go on sale at different times. Recently I have been seeing Beefsteak, Roma, and Ripe on the Vine tomatoes go on sale regularly. Some have been as low as $0.99 a pound, but I expect to start seeing these prices go even lower as we get in to the summer months.
9. Pineapple
Pineapple usually goes on sale around Easter time, but you can occasionally catch them on sale in May as well. This one tends to vary a lot year by year, so only time will tell.
10. Potatoes
Potatoes are typically available at decent prices all year round, but they are actually only harvested at one time of the year. Last year’s crop appears to be a great one and I have regularly been seeing Russet potatoes and red potatoes on sale.
11. Bell Peppers
The last few weeks have been really good for colored bell peppers. I have seen lots of sales on the red, orange, and yellow peppers. Some have even been cheaper than the standard green ones! I love to buy these on sale and dice them or slice into long strips to freeze for later use. I have 2 big bags in my freezer right now, and I pull out a little every time I am making anything that could use a pop of color like chili, pizzas, or pastas.
12. Asparagus
Asparagus is a great Spring vegetable, and it is about now when you start to see it on sale regularly. If the growing season was good, we could potentially see a lot more sales on asparagus coming up over the next few weeks.
13. Corn on the Cobb
It is a still a little early in the season for corn to go on sale, but at the end of the month near Memorial Day, I expect to start seeing some sales. Corn on the cobb can get very cheap in the summer time, so keep an eye out for the next few months.
14. Yellow Squash & Zucchini
We are a still a little ways out for really good prices on yellow squash and zucchini, but by the end of May we should see some good prices. Squash and Zucchini are known as summer squashes and will be going on sale regularly over the next few months. Both are super easy to freeze and use later too!
15. Oranges
Oranges seem to be having a really good growing season, and I am starting to see Mandarin/Clementines, as well as Cara Cara and Navel oranges on sale regularly now. I expect this to continue for at least the next month or so.
16. Lemons & Limes
Since Oranges are doing well, it makes sense that lemons and limes will be cheaper too. I expect to see more sales on lemons closer to the end of the month.
17. Onions
Onions are typically available all year round, but springtime it is normal to see certain varieties go on sale. I have been especially seeing yellow onions super cheap and expect this to continue for the next month or so. We will also see Vidalia onions soon making it to the grocery store and those will go on sale too.
18. Mushrooms
I am starting to see some good deals on white button mushrooms for the last few weeks. I expect that this will continue for the next few weeks as well.
Low-Cost Produce to Buy in May
I hope this list gives you some inspiration on your meal planning for the upcoming weeks. If you want to see examples of low-cost meal plans check out “Week #11 Meal Plan” and “Week #12 Meal Plan.”
I am a huge fan of using in season produce in my meal plans, but if the prices are still too high, I have no problem utilizing frozen and canned fruits and vegetables.
I typically make a meal plan and budget $100 a month to feed a family of 4, but you may have a completely different budget than us. I always tell people that if you want to spend less on groceries, do price comparisons, cut out convenience foods, and get creative with your meal planning. It’s not always easy, but it usually is do-able!
