[mandalinn82]

Hey folks,

If you include strawberries in your diet, you might consider buying some up now and freezing or canning them. Nationwide, there's a "glut" of strawberries, due to climate conditions in Florida that pushed their crop to coincide with CA's big crop. You can get strawberries cheap at farmer's markets in either area, or nationwide in grocery stores.

Not sure if the prices are super-low country-wide, or just in growing areas, but for those of us watching our budgets, this is a great time to pick up a lot, stick them on a sheet tray to freeze individually, then bag them up for use when they're more expensive.

Some farms are even opening up their fields for "pick your own" for free, or at very low cost, to avoid dumping fruit.

I bought a flat, and will freeze some and can the rest into reduced sugar strawberry jam.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/mone...-gleaning.html

[angelskeep]

Manda, I just bought some today in the rectangle...quart size maybe...was almost $4 just a week ago or so and today I paid $1.13. YIPPEE! I was thinkin' about buying a bunch of extras to freeze....

Barb

[nelie]

If you can, buy organic. I bought some organic strawberries today that were on sale. I bought some non-organic ones the other day but I try to mix it up because I believe they are one of the foods that tend to have the highest pesticide count.

[mandalinn82]

Yep - strawberries are one of the "dirty dozen" fruits that shows the highest pesticide residues. So, since the prices are low, you may be able to get organic strawberries for the same or lower cost than conventionally grown ones might otherwise be sold for...I try to spend the extra money if I can afford it since the pesticide residues are so high.

[nelie]

I am going back to the store today to get more strawberries because the ones I bought are sooo good.

[yooperfinn]

Good idea...love strawberries.

[luckymommy]

I always buy organic, but when I go to my parent's house (who don't buy organic), I notice that theirs are much sweeter and just taste a whole lot better. However, I always give my kids the organic only.

[kaplods]

You know I was shocked at the low strawberry prices just yesterday in the grocery store. Now I know it wasn't just my imagination.

[nelie]

luckymommy - the ones I bought yesterday from Whole Foods were the best strawberries I ever had and they were organic.

[angelskeep]

Just got home from walmart and they had 'em for 75 cents for a 1 lb pkg. Bought 10 packages to slice and freeze and thinking about buying more. The ones I got yesterday are just incredible. Ho[e these are too. They smell like they will be.

I ate them for "dessert" last night with 1/2 cup of mtn high brand low fat yougurt and 1/2 cup of fiber one cereal. It was so GOOD!

Barb