Tossed Salad Veggies for less than $5

People tend to say that eating healthy can be expensive. Organic fruits are higher priced than regular fruits. There’s a “health” section in grocery stores, such as Safeway, that are priced more expensive. But did you know that there is a way around this? If you’re like me whose dinner menu consists of tossed salad topped with your fave meat, you can eat a healthy dinner for less than $5!

My tossed salad is made up of:

• romaine lettuce
• long english cucumbers
• green peppers
• spinach
• topped with either canned tuna, salmon, or chicken

I used to buy pre-made salads from fast food chains, restaurants, or even grocery stores. Hey, it’s convenient. Some may even say it’s an affordable meal – 1 serving of salad from $7 t0 $10.

But let me tell you one of my best finds – tossed salad that can last me up to 4 days for less than $10! Isn’t that amazing? How? Well, instead of buying prepared salad, I decided to buy the veggies individually, then chop them myself. And let me tell you where you can find cheap veggies!

WHERE:

One day, I decided to check out the local corner produce stores along Robson, Denman, and Davie (downtown Vancouver). What caught my attention is that they marked their vegetables at a much lower price than in Safeway. In particular is this corner store Davie St. Market on Davie, along Bidwell. Their veggies are priced at 50% cheaper, or more, than in Safeway! Not only were the prices cheaper, but the sizes and bundles were also bigger. My veggie purchase was less than $10 – and that gave me 5-7 servings!

I used to shop for my ingredients at Safeway in Davie St. (and Cardero). Who doesn’t? Safeway is a very well established grocery store with a good reputation! I would spend about $10 or more on my veggies plus a can of tuna. This would give me 2-3 servings of tossed salad.

When shopping for produce, check out your local corner produce stores. Not only are you supporting your local small businesses, but you’re also saving your money – and getting the most out of your dollar! Check out Davie St. Market (along Cardero). I’ve also done some comparative pricing between 3 other local produce stores in Robson and Denman. And by far, this store has the cheapest price tag when it comes to produce!

Compare:

Safeway @ Davie (and Cardero):

• Green Pepper:
• Romaine Lettuce:
• Red Leaf Lettuce: not available at this time
• Bundle of Spinach:
• Long English Cucumber: $1.99

Davie St. Market @ Davie (and Bidwell)

• Green Pepper: $0.49/lb
• Romaine Lettuce: $0.99 ea
• Red Leaf Lettuce: $0.99 ea
• Bundle of Spinach: $0.99 ea
• Long English Cucumber: $1.99 ea