I had all three children when I went out shopping today, so I almost didn’t make the extra stop at the health food store. But since I was going to be driving right by it and I’d not been there in a week, I decided to go ahead and stop and unload everyone and see if there were any markdowns or other bargains to be had.
Well, imagine my surprise and excitement when, as soon as I walked in the door, I found 3-lb. bags of apples on sale for $0.99! I had to read the sign three times before I was sure that’s what it said.
I got ready to load up my cart, but then I saw the crate where they put marked down produce. Guess what it was full of? 3-lb. bags of apples marked down to $0.59 per bag!!!!
You can just envision my happy dance, can’t you?! I restrained myself and only bought six bags as I didn’t want to take all of them and I also wanted to make sure I didn’t buy more than I can use.
Without a doubt, this is the best deal I’ve ever scored on apples. I’m having visions of apple butter, Homemade Crockpot Applesauce, Slab Apple Pie, Mini Apple Pies, and so much more!
What are your best suggestions for using up a bunch of apples? I’d love to hear!
Tamela Harris says
Ladies,
Do apples freeze well, just cut them up or add some lemon juice or what?
Thanks!!
Tamela
Nicole says
I dehydrate them in my food dehydrator. They last quite a while once you do that and I they make awesome on-the-go snacks.
Ruth Shain says
Hey there! What an awesome deal!!! I was just wondering if you had a really good, easy apple butter recipe? I am always looking for these, and my kids love apple butter. I also have a neighbor that gives me a ton of apples ever fall, and I would love to put them to use. Thank you so much.
Tracy K in Illinois says
We have a tree in the backyard and were blessed with an abundance this year. I make up as many pies as I have room in my freezer, applesauce (which is usually consumed by my husband and children before it makes it to the jars), and apple butter. I buy cute canning lids and labels and give the apple butter as gifts throughout the holiday season. Affordable and homemade with a pinch of love and laughter!
Michelle says
We just went to the orchard and picked our own. I made crockpot apple butter and apple muffins so far. The apple muffins were done using the same recipe for zucchini bread only substituting apples instead and put in muffin tins. Really good! I still have a bunch left and I think that I am going to get the filling ready for apple pies so that when the crusts go on sale (yes, I cheat at that…using a rolling pin is so much harder than it looks) I can fill them with homemade apple pie!
Sabrina says
I’m excited about buying 2 bushels of apples this year from a local organic farmer. He charged me .95/pound so not as great of a deal as you but much better than what I pay at the grocery store for the wax covered ones. What I am craving (and someone might have already thrown out there since I didn’t read all the comments) is caramel apple parfaits. The ones McDonalds make are to die for but the price is ridiculous!
Here’s my plan: buy a container of vanilla or plain yogurt, boil a can of evaporated milk for 3 hours to make caramel and chop up an apple. I am salivating just thinking about it!
I also plan on chopping up several other apples to throw in the freezer for when I have caramel apple parfait cravings. I hope they will thaw well. Does anyone know if they do?
Emi says
I chop up apples and add them to beef stew or chicken curry and it sweetens it up enough for the kids to like it.
scatterbrainmom says
apple bread is also DELICIOUS! Especially when served cold w/cream cheese spread on a slice!
Jenn says
I did a similar happy dance on Monday. I asked the produce guy if he had any slightly damaged apples in back he would sell me, and walked out of the store with 35 pounds of Golden delicious apples for….wait for it…..$2.00. TOTAL. It was amazing, I almost cried!
Sabrina says
Congratulations! I’m headed in to town tomorrow so I’m stealing your idea. (Hope you don’t mind!)
Amy says
That is AWESOME. I am totally jealous!
Living So Abundantly says
Slow Cooker applesauce(uses 12 apples)–easy peasy! http://livingsoabundantly.blogspot.com/2011/10/homemade-applesauce-slow-cooker-style.html
Vale says
Cute them up and freeze them for later baking use – that what I do! 🙂 Got my apples free this year from a neighbor who had a bumper crop and they are delish!!
Heather says
Well, it won’t use all of your apples but I have now made several batches of these sweet potato apple muffins and we can’t get enough of them .. (and they do freeze well but we seem to eat them all rather quickly)
Sweet Potato Muffins
2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup melted unsalted butter
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup pureed or mashed cooked sweet potato
2 cups chopped apples
1 egg beaten
½ cup buttermilk
Heat oven to 375 Grease 12 muffin cups or add paper liners. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, and salt. In bowl, whisk butter, oil, sweet potato, egg, and buttermilk. Fold wet mixture into dry; stir until just combined Fold in apples Fill muffin cups ¾ full. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
I’m sure you could play around with this if you don’t like the oil or want to use turbinado
Alicia says
I’ve never tried making applesauce in the crockpot! I will have to give it a shot. This is the method which I normally use:
http://www.everydayhomecook.com/2010/02/homemade-applesauce/
I love apple season 🙂
Karen @MSEnthusiast says
Holy apples? What are you baking? You will surely keep the doctor away.:0)
Faith says
I saw this idea on pinterest….Jarred apply pie filling. It would make for great Christmas gifts or to keep around the house and use to on top of pancakes, ice cream, or make up a quick pie. You scored an awesome price! Have fun with your apples 🙂
http://pinterest.com/pin/125345953/
JoannaTopazT says
Peel/slice/core them (with one of those things that you can do all of this at once while turning the crank handle around — definitely worth it). The kids can help with this process, and the apple slices can be frozen for use in pies, muffins, cakes, etc. all winter. We also like fried apples and onions as a side dish, but I think I remember somewhere that your family isn’t big onion fans. 🙂
Abby says
We love apple cake at our house. This is a new recipe we tried this week, and it was delicious.
http://wheresmypicketfence.blogspot.com/
Jenny says
Do you have a dehydrator? Dehydrated apples are such a great snack to make and they last a long time! I like to sprinkle them with cinnamon before i put them in. They are delicious!
Gail says
Here’s a recipe for Apple Bread Pudding. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grammas-Apple-Bread-Pudding/Detail.aspx
So good! According to the recipe over 22,000 people saved it and over 300 reviews! I like it because I always have all the necessary ingredients on hand. No weird spices needed, and no “Hard” sauce.
Tip. Never, ever use cheap grocery store bread to make bread pudding. It turns to paste. So does the bread called Italian Bread. Not sure why.
Cherie B says
Hi,
I took my daughter to the apple orchard on Sunday after church and I made mini apple fried pies from the variety of apples I picked. Good!!!
Shelley C. says
Wow! What an awesome deal. I remember when I lived near Apple Hill. Oh how I miss it. Apples at Walmart here were $2.69/ lb they must have been filled with gold.
Erin says
Make dried apples. They’re great for snacking, as mix-ins for oatmeal and yogurt, and additions to granola.
Katie says
The local produce market by me sells macintosh for .39/lb around this time of year (the small ones, only in bags). It’s a GREAT deal but only if I plan on canning/cooking them – they’re just not great eating apples. Also, because of health issues we only eat organic apples – boy does that eat up my grocery budget!!
Blythe says
WOW! I like to peel them and slice them up throw them in a bag with a little lemon and freeze them. Then when I want to make apple pir or crisp I already have half the work done! and using cheap apples.
Jen @ MyPotpourriWorld says
Wow!!! Awesome deal! Thanks for all of the apple ideas, everyone 🙂
Cathy @ BudgetingForChristmas says
Cut and freeze them! Tiny hunks of apple go great in a batch of chicken salad (adding something healthy and substantial enough to use less chicken) or fruit salads. What a great deal!
ann says
What a great find! I’m super jealous. The lowest I have found here is 50 cents/lb this week and I will be buying ten pounds. Will cube them, dip in lemon juice and freeze them for smoothies. I enjoy your shopping trip posts and have been loving all your clearance fruit scores. 🙂
Jessica says
YUM! Here’s what we do with apples:
1. Snack
2. Applesauce (which you can eat or use in baking)
3. Chunky apples with cinnamon, served warm
4. Sliced and baked with pork chops (yum!)
5. Apple cake
6. Coffee cake
7. Add into oatmeal
8. Apple strudel
9. Apple crisp
10. Apple pie, of course!
Kim @ Eat What You've Got says
That is a great deal on the apples!!! Do you can? If so, I would recommend canning them in water to use later in pies, cakes, etc. You can also can your own applesauce. I did that and use it quite a bit to make applesauce bundt cake. It adds a depth of flavor that I don’t get from store bought applesauce. Apples were my first canning project several years ago because I had gotten a buggy full from the marked down isle at my grocery store. You can also slice them thin and sprinkle them with brown sugar and cinnamon and dehydrate them if you have a dehydrator. I checked yesterday to see if they had any marked down now, but they didn’t, so I had to settle for a 3lb bag at $.99 PER POUND.
Marlana says
Jealous. One kilo costs me nearly $3 in Asia. But I did land 15 kilos of sweet potatoes at a wonderful deal of $3.
Home School Dad says
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/02/apple_dumplings/
Heather says
Awesome score! So jealous…I felt sick when I saw the cash register screen at the market over the weekend when I realized how much my little bag of apples was going to be! It was fruit I told myself as I said a quick prayer to the coupon gods for savings on the rest of my items!
By the way, 10/5 is National Apple Betty Day, so bake away! 😉
Elizabeth says
INCREDIBLE!! Though our health food store has the best prices for organic apples generally…I have never seen them below $1.59 or so a pound!! It does make a difference WHERE one lives!! You are blessed, Crystal!!
Connie says
My favorite and most quick and healthy apple treat would be baked apples. (ei in the oven or in the microwave)
Core the apples about 2/3rd of the depth of the apple, creating a “cup” in the center of the apple to hold a dab of butter, dash of apple pie spice and a squirt of honey or maple syrup….cover and slide into oven. Bake about 20-30 minutes or until tender at 350….Oh the wonderful syrup it creates!!!! I love them served over fresh waffles or pancakes! Absolutely a treat!!!!
Laura at TenThingsFarm says
We have our own trees – about 7 that were bearing this year, and I made apple butter, applesauce, pie filling, canned apple quarters and chunky applesauce. We have a crisper drawer full of apples for eating, and dried slices for snacking. You can also dry the applesauce (wait until winter when the warmth of the dehydrator helps warm the house) and make fruit roll ups. I can extra applesauce to use for baking too, or to make overnight oatmeal in the crock pot. We’ve been eating some apple pie, apple crisp, etc. I have some chunky applesauce in the fridge that didn’t fit in the jar last batch I canned, so tomorrow I’m making a zucchini/carrot/applesauce cake. We also enjoy apple slices fresh, plain or dipped in a fruit dip.
Carisa says
Quick & Easy Applesauce:
Slice the apples with apple slicer. Peel. Cut in half. It can either be cooked in the oven or the microwave. I prefer the oven. Works the same either way. I put the apples in a large stainless steel pan, cover with wax paper, then SEAL TIGHTLY with aluminum foil. JUST PLAIN APPLES IS ALL YOU USE- do not add water. Cook on 350* till the apples are soft. We prefer CHUNKY applesauce. It’s usually cooked apart- if not kinda mush it with a spoon. For smooth applesauce put through food mill or blender.
Hint- if you use the apple slicer first and then peel you have much less waste.
Sara says
Slice them and dry them in the dehydrator…my kids eat them like candy
Nicole says
Baked apples are a special treat in our house, and it is super simple and healthy.
Core apples, and place in a baking dish with at least 2″ sides.
Put a little sweetner in the cored center of the apples, with a little flour and cinnamon(turbanado, raw sugar, honey, brown sugar, whatever you have on hand).
Pour water in the dish until it comes up the sides 1/2 inch.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees until the apples are soft.
Serve warm and enjoy. The water turns into a sauce, and the apples are sweet and soft and delicious.
YUM!! 🙂
Amu Krause says
We have lots of apples off our trees this year. I save some for eating fresh, make some into appleasauce and can it,and the rest I slice and freeze for pies and apple crisp.
Jenifer Day says
The best thing I can think of to do is just make Cooked Apples in the microwave! Just cut them up, cook a huge bowl for about 8 minutes or so or until they’re semi soft with a bunch of sugar and cinnamon and butter on them. (No real recipe, just as much as looks good to you!) My kids love ’em, and eat ’em up before I can ever get around to them myself!
Sarah says
That’s a fantastic price, but this time of year I never pay for apples…
I live in New England, and there are wild apple trees everywhere! DH and I will load up the car with laundry baskets and go drive the back roads where the apple trees are. We know several spots in the woods that used to be orchards. You can always ask neighbors too, esp. if you know they don’t usually harvest. Lots of folks who moved north from massachusetts or connecticut just have apple trees so they can watch the deer in the winter. Your harvest will not put a dent in the deer browsing! Also, apples store very well (3 months or more) in a root cellar or in a box on a shady back porch.
Heather says
Deer! My parents have apple trees in VA, and between the deer and the squirrels they don’t get any.
Shopaholic Savers says
Fruit can be very expensive! I’m very excited that my new house has three citrus trees! I love picking my own oranges and tangerines! I wrote about it below
http://shopaholicsavers.com/?p=969
Tiffany says
I got a bunch of apples on sale last week too and found some great recipes on Jessica’s website (Good & Cheap Eats) and then added them ALL to pinterest!
Mary S. says
I love this recipe http://www.marthastewart.com/313886/chunky-apple-muffins but I triple the number of apples in it. It works well with whole wheat flour and I usually add a half cup or so of flax meal as well.
This is also a pretty easy side dish http://www.marthastewart.com/342090/apple-grape-and-celery-salad?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/grape-recipes and I have been able to get some great deals on grapes lately so if the sales are the same where you are it would be very inexpensive.
Sara says
carmel apples…mmm
Amy says
That’s exactly what I was thinking! You could do up the really cute/fancy ones…covered in crushed oreos, tiny mnm’s and drizzle melted white or dark chocolate. Package them up and you’ve got some very nice happies! 🙂
amy says
In a halloween magazine the other day I saw they quartered the apples and then cut a small slice out of the skin to make it look like a mouth, they used almond slices for teeth, they looked so stinkin cute! Also in the Ball Canning book there is a really yummy recipe for savory pocket pies (kindof like homemade hot pockets) and the recipe has shredded apple in it. I thought it would be wierd with the diced ham, but my kids loved them!
Rebekah says
My neighbor has lots of apples she let us pick this year and I made a ton of applesauce and apple butter and also just froze some to be used later. For the apple butter I packed my crockpot full of peeled sliced apples and put a couple cups of brown and white sugar, lots of cinnamon and then some nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice, I didn’t measure. I let them cook all night and then in the morning blended it up in the blender and if it needed it I would add more sugar. I froze some and canned some, my hubby loves apple butter and he said it’s the best he’s ever had!!!!!
Ashley M says
I know that’s a great deal, but please don’t forget to support your local apple farmers!
Julie says
You have to visit http://www.smockityfrocks.com and get her apple fritter recipe! I made them tonight with dinner and we’ll have the rest with breakfast in the morning! They are amazing! They remind me of the Apple Barn Restaurant in Pigeon Forge, TN!
Lynn says
We canned over 40 quarts of applesauce last month. The applesauce will get served with meals as a side dish and used in place of some of the oil in baking. I hope 40 quarts is enough! Apple sauce is so easy to can as it just needs a 25 minute hot water bath.
Sakura says
I have about 12 pound of apples to go through. I made a huge apple crisp tonight. I also started dehydrating them with some cinnamon. Make sure you spray them down with lemon juice to keep them from browning.
Bridgette @ Blessings Multiplied says
That’s an awesome deal Crystal! We went apple picking a couple weeks ago and just finished making homemade applesauce (in the crockpot, super easy!). This time I even left on the apple skins on the apples and it still turned out really well. When the girls walked in the house after school their first words were “WOW, the house smells so good, can we have some!?”
I am thankful that our kids enjoy helping in the kitchen. Not only did they they pick the apples on our family outing and they helped put everything together in the crock-pot earlier that day. We froze a bunch of apples for winter yummies too since this is the season to stock up on apples!
For those who have a Save A Lot nearby they have a good deal on apples this week (the full ad with coupon match ups will be on Crystal’s Save A Lot page tomorrow morning):
*Red and Gold Delicious Apples (5 pounds) – $2.99
Applesauce / Pearsauce Recipe:
http://www.blessingsmultiplied.com/2011/09/recipe-crockpot-pearsauce/
Pooja v says
wow, Exceptional deal. I also wanted to mention that around Philadelphia area there are these produce shops by the name “Produce Junction”. They have by far the least expensive but the freshest produce. They aren’t fancy n d prices r unbelievable. 5lb bananas $2, 2 pack garlic ( 10-12 bulbs) $0.69, 5 lb Potatoes for $2.
If any of the readers r from around philadelphia sububrs then please stop by at produce junction.
Shari says
I flash freeze them for “apple ice-cream” made with my Champion Juicer.
Ice-cream without the guilt!
angela r says
woohoo.. good job… no idea how the poundage breaks down but I buy 2-3 bushel a year and make into applesauce for freezer for my family… we love it and eat it up. Usually I can get a bushel for $12. So easy to make! And MUCH better than anything you buy in my opinion. My little ones live on applesauce… oh and I put it in small cups for my husbands lunches too! very handy to have.
Conni says
Slice thin and dehydrate! Apple chips don’t last long around here!
Bridgette @ Blessings Multiplied says
They don’t last in our house either! I made a full batch last week and they were gone in 2 days between the family and house guests! Love our dehydrator and making fresh apple chips (beef / deer jerky and many other goodies).
We usually slice the apples up, put them in a bowl with lemon juice and water, sprinkle a touch of cinnamon and sugar on them then put them in to dehydrate. A few hours later we have a great snack!
Rebekah says
This caramel toffee dip is SERIOUSLY AMAZING with apples and really easy to make!
http://onejoyfulhousewife.blogspot.com/2011/09/rebekahs-kitchen-caramel-toffee-dip.html
Laurie @Passionate Penny Pincher says
Yayyyyy for you! Here are my favorite apple recipes . . .
Skillet Apple Pie (we just made this one last week – it was amazing!)
http://passionatepennypincher.com/2011/09/perfect-skillet-apple-pie/
Apple Butterscotch Brownies – http://passionatepennypincher.com/2011/09/time-for-a-treat-apple-butterscotch-brownies-a-la-mode/
Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting –
http://passionatepennypincher.com/2010/10/southern-living-chunky-apple-cake/
Can you tell we have a thing for apple recipes at our house? 🙂
Sarah in MO says
Ohh!!! I’d have loved to find that deal! We’re having trouble getting apples this year. It’s been a really bad year here for apples. Usually we can get apples from one of the orchards in the surrounding areas, but we’re not having any success so far this year!
I’m really wishing for a bunch of Jonathan apples to make applesauce and pies with!! 🙂 Have fun cooking and baking with all those apples! 🙂
Julie says
I am in MO, too, and apples are very hard to come by! A friend from church usually has an abundance of apples and they have none this year. My grandparent’s tree didn’t produce either. I’m thinking it is because of the weird spring we had weather-wise. I did not get to stock up on produce this year like I normally do, so we are going into the winter with very little produce in the freezer. I’m slightly bummed! The store have had the 3 lb bags of jonathan apples for $2 lately, though!
Krysten says
I’m in IL, and I have yet to find any good deals on apples. Twice I’ve found some in the store marked down to .99/lb, but last year they were all marked down that low or lower all the time.
Amy-Cutting Coupons in KC says
Stephenson’s Apple Fritters:
http://cuttingcouponsinkc.blogspot.com/2011/09/stephensons-apple-fritter-recipe.html
Chantelle says
Apples will keep for quite a while in a plastic bag in the frig if they are not already bruised/brown. Last year I bought a bushel and made 12 quart jars of apple pie filling which I canned. We’ve enjoyed apple pie every month all year long! Then I simmered the peels and cores in water until it cooked way down and made apple jelly! Apples naturally have a lot of pectin, so I only need to sweetened this apple “juice” to taste and then canned it! DH loves this apply jelly!
Lisa says
Apple Muffins are the way to go! They are simply delicious and the recipe is super easy. You can find it here (on my new blog):
http://lisaajoseph.blogspot.com/2011/10/apple-muffins.html
Maria says
Caramel Apple Dip
3/4 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. white sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 t. vanilla
Blend well and serve with sliced apples. Great for kids!
christine says
I use chopped apples in a sausage/cream/pasta dish I make, and toss lots of them in stuffing. You can also put them in chicken salad for some crunch. Oh, and with kids, we cut a slice with a notch or take two slices, use peanut butter as glue, and stick on mini marshmallows to make them look like mouths (apples are lips, marshmallows are teeth). The kids love that, plus it keeps them occupied for a bit while they make them!
Maria says
Caramel Apple Dip
3/4 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. white sugar
Trish @ Finances With Funk says
I just made 3 double batches of crock pot overnight apple butter for ourselves and then canned a bunch for part of Teacher Christmas Gifts. It is super simple. I had ladies telling me they were eating theirs with a spoon!
Then since I had so many apples and had a few events coming up I made some apple strudel muffins that everyone raved about. It took me three batches but they really did turn out yummy.
http://www.financeswithfunk.com/2011/09/26/apple-strudel-muffins/
Trish @ Finances With Funk says
I forgot to mention that my grandmother used to make the apple pie filling all together dumped in a ziploc bag and freeze that way ready to be thawed and poured into a crust at a moments notice. I have one big bag left that I was planning on trying that with.
Andrea says
I tried this last year. The first couple of bags worked out very well…I sliced them and added a little bit of sugar, then added the cinnamon when I assembled the pie.
Then our freezer got unplugged and I lost 10 pounds of apples 🙁
Trish @ Finances With Funk says
Oh that’s so frustrating. My youngest son left ours open a few months ago…in the summer…..in California! UGH. Thankfully I caught it within a few hours but I was so sick to my stomach when I saw it!
Heather says
We picked apples last weekend (Ellijay, GA) and got a half bushel for $14. My little guy who is about a month younger than Silas will eat 4 or 5 apples in one day!! I keep meaning to do something with these apples, but they are disappearing quickly!
Mel says
My grandmother has an apple tree and the entire extended family has stocked up on apples. So yummy! My son’s favorite treat with these is the caramel apple smoothies. We use vanilla yogurt, milk, apples and caramel sauce. So delish!! And a great way to use up the caramel sauce I found on clearance at Target a couple of months ago.
Stacy says
I put 3 crust ready apple pies in the freezer over the weekend. I can’t wait to have a quick easy desert available for the holiday season & it tastes like a fresh made pie! 😀 Check out my how to if you would like… http://fullcirclegardener.blogspot.com/2011/10/preserving-backyard-produce-freezing.html
Kendra says
Here’s something easy!
In a skillet:
Saute chopped apples in margarine until tender
sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon (to taste)
Top this mixture on pancakes and you won’t need syrup as the margarine/brown sugar is syrupy enough!
Delish!
Jessica says
Thanks for the reminder to use up the apples I’ve got! Just put a Slab Apple Pie in the oven. Tonight I added some caramel bits in between the apples and the crumb top. House smells so good!
Susan says
Oh goodness! What an awesome deal! I would’ve been doing a happy dance in the store, at the register, loading them into my car, unloading them from the car, and then again when my husband got home.
peever says
I’m totally jealous. I haven’t seen apples below about $.80/lb here. I’d be making a fat ton of applesauce if I scored that deal! I need to check our local health food stores out and see if they do markdowns. I did find some 2 lb bags of carrots marked down to .99 here so I bought 4 lbs worth and now I need to go back and find your carrot thread and see what I should make with them. 🙂
Ann B says
dice up and freeze cinnamon apples for apple pie. I like the slab apple pie recipe I got from your site last year.
katie says
I like making apple walnut supreme cake. You can do it in loaf pans or a 9×13, and you can do it with or without a lemon glaze.
LeaDawn says
Great find! There are a lot of fun recipes for apples. Have you ever made applesauce cake? If not, I would recommend trying it!
My mother has several apple trees that are loaded with apples this time of year. I like to make apple pie and freeze it for the holidays. During that busy season, it is nice to have a delicious homemade desert to pull out of the oven.
I have 3 apple pies in my freezer ready to bake – and I plan to make more!
Good luck deciding what to do with the apples!
Heather Harman says
I second the applesauce cake. Picky kids who won’t eat a cake with apple chunks in it will eat it with applesauce. Betty Crocker cookbook has a one bowl recipe.
Melani says
We’ve been eating lots of apple bread:
http://passthesushi.com/caramel-glazed-apple-bread
Amy Lauren says
I am super jealous of your deal! I love apples!
Mara @ Super Savings says
That’s a fantastic deal Crystal!! I’m doing the happy dance for you!! =)
I just had a friend give me some apples today and suggest this recipe for “Apple Coffee Cake” (http://itsmostlyaboutthefood.blogspot.com/2011/10/stopping-in-quickly-apple-coffee-cake.html)…..she said it was SO yummy and easy! It looks really simple and I’m planning on making it tomorrow!
~ Mara @ Super Savings
Rachel says
Wow, what a terrific deal! I got a 3lb bag of apples at Aldi this week for $1.49 – that’ honestly the lowest I’ve seen around here, so I was pretty excited. We already have plenty of apples, but there was no way I could pass that one up! So, I’ll be making some applesauce or butter myself soon 🙂
Jana @ The Summer House says
One thing I just don’t understand…and I mean no disrespect but how do you eat all this food that you buy? I’ve been a reader for several years and I’ve watched your saturday shopping trips.
I have 2 teen boys and they don’t eat nearly the food amounts that you purchase. I’m guessing that you donate much of the food you buy.
Jana
Andrea says
I’m guessing there are about 10 apples in each bag, so 60 apples total. It takes at least six to make apple crisp or an apple pie. If everyone in my family of six eats one apple a day (after I make one pie), these would only last us nine days. They’ll disappear a lot quicker if made into applesauce or pureed into smoothies.
Liz says
I assume a lot of stuff gets frozen for later use, because at my home it is just me, my husband and my 2-year-old, but that doesn’t mean I pass up on great deals when I see them. If it is something that can be frozen for later (such as bread, fruits/veggies, etc) then I buy a good amount and use what we can, then freeze the rest.
Trish @ Finances With Funk says
Really? I guess every family is different. My two littlest could go through six bags before they went bad not counting the other four of us in the family and what I would make/bake with them.
Haha. I am totally opposite, if I happen to run across a Saturday Shopping post I think, “there is no way she can feed all five of them with just that for a week!
Crystal says
You are absolutely right. I never feed my family for a week with just what you see in the pictures–otherwise we’d be having all sorts of weird concoctions and (some weeks) very little food! 🙂
Since I practice the Buy Ahead principle and also buy some of our groceries in bulk it means we have lots of items already on hand in the freezer and pantry to work with when I plan our weekly menus, so sometimes my shopping trips are rather sparse as there’s not much we need to buy.
Crystal says
We freeze a lot, we eat a lot, and we share a lot. 🙂 I sometimes “overbuy” on a good deal (provided there are lots on the shelf) so that I can share with friends or have extras for bringing to a family dinner or dinner with friends.
My three children can go through a bag of apples every 4-5 days. These particular apples were marked down because they are a little on the “going bad” side and I have 20 more pounds of apples coming from Azure Standard in a few weeks, so I’m a little more motivated to use them up faster than just the normal rate we can eat them. That’s why I’m planning to bake with them and make applesauce.
Krysten says
I actually have the opposite reaction to her shopping trips – I wonder how on earth she feeds a husband and 3 kids on so little! I have a hubby who eats like a teenage boy, a 17-year old (my BIL), and a toddler boy (23 months) who already eats like a teenager most of the time. I feel like I buy a lot more than Crystal!
Kristine says
Besides three kids, I have a seven-foot-tall husband, who eats as much as two or three average-sized people, so I feel the same way. 🙂
Meredith says
I only have a family of three and I buy more than crystal does. My tall, active husband peels through food. I feel you.
Roxanne M Jones says
We buy and eat WAY more than Crystal too. We are a family of four, no teenagers, and careful to not over eat. I’ve never understood how she stretches her food so far!
Crystal says
See my comment below to help clarify. Based upon these comments, I realize I need to do a better job of reminding people that I don’t always have time (or remember) to post pictures of all the groceries I buy or that come in the mail! (And maybe I need to get my act together better here and remember to actually take pictures and post every week instead of skipping some weeks or some shopping trips because I run out of steam!)
Guest says
Gosh, I always think just the opposite. I don’t know how Crystal feeds her family with how little she purchases. The Saturday shopping trips would feed my family for like 2 days at most!
Crystal says
Just remember that, like I’ve said many times before, I don’t always get all my purchases posted every week (last week, I took pictures and then ran out of time to even post my shopping trips because of my speaking engagement on Saturday) and I sometimes get freebies in the mail from companies or from store credit (I just got some steak and chicken this way).
Laura says
Congrats on all of your apples! I just got a bunch as well so have been cooking up a storm this week too. In regards to the comments about “how do you stretch your budget so far”, it would be helpful for you to explain (maybe you already do somewhere on the site?) that you also supplement your budget with freebies like meat (and whatever else you get). For somebody starting out and seeing that you “only” spend $40 a week, I can see how this would be misleading and discouraging since you actually get more than you post (but don’t have to pay for it) (not that you have to post it all – uff da!). Thanks for posting what you do though – it’s fun and encouraging to see what others buy and plan do do with their groceries. Kudos to you for posting and writing about your purchases – I know I am usually exhausted when I am done shopping and putting away stuff so another step sounds very tiring 🙂 Thanks for all your hard work – we appreciate it!
Judy says
Last year we picked/purchased 2 bushes of oranges, they only lasted 2 weeks for our family of 5. It’s amazing how fast good fresh farm produce goes!!
Julie in IN says
Sugar free apple sauce, sugar free apple butter, baked apples, juice sweetened apple pie filling and just eating would be my recommendations.
We were so blessed to pick apples for free at a friend’s farm; we got 800 pounds are just thrilled at the Lord’s provision for our family.
Julie in IN says
Forgot to add that we got home from picking and found a message on our phone that another friend wants us to come pick pears off her trees; God is so good to bless us after my husband was off work for 5 months earlier this year.
Liz@Wonder Woman I'm Not says
I don’t know whether to congratulate you or offer sympathy! Last weekend I picked two big grocery bags of apples from my MIL’s tree, I too had visions of all the wonderful things I could make. I’m a little over half way through processing one bag (applesauce and prep for pies), it isn’t as fun as I thought it would be when I was picking them 🙂
Looking forward to the follow up story.
Heather Harman says
Ha ha. So true. I hate peeling and chopping apples.
Trish @ Finances With Funk says
If I couldn’t use an apple peeler/ corer/ slicer I might never make another thing with apples in it! Wait….Does that make me sound lazy?
stephanie says
i hear you on that, I took my son apple picking was so excited because we got a great deal, a bushel for $12, After getting home and looking at the huge mountain of apples, decided an apple peeler was going to be a great investment. It’s been so fun, as long as I put the apple on the peeler, my 3 year old can do the rest and feels like he really is helping, it’s been so much fun. ( now we only have 1/2 a bushel left )
Liz@Wonder Woman I'm Not says
My apple peeler/corer/slicer hasn’t been working 🙁 No matter how much I adjust it still takes off half the apple and I haven’t been willing to splurge on a new one. I’ve been using an old fashion invention, putting my kids to work! We’re going to have another apple party this weekend – they are looking forward to it. Not!
Sarah @ Mindfully Frugal Mom says
I *just* wrote a post on what to do with applesauce — I got about 30 lbs of free apples last week. Here’s the post: Four Unusual Ways to Use Applesauce
Christy says
Don’t forget your apple crumb pie!!!! Its now a favorite at our house.
Charity says
I’m super envious if the apples are organic, so don’t tell me! 😉
amy says
Caramel apples or carmel dip with apples… I tried this recipe last week and it was great: http://www.giverslog.com/?p=3168
Plus all the other things like sauce, butter, pies, and cobblers/crisps. We LOVE apples and I definitely need to replenish my stock of homeade applesauce in the next few weeks. We used in recipes or ate almost 50 quarts last year.
Jessica Lynette says
We did a campfire in our backyard this past weekend and put apples on the coals. We left them on for about 8 minutes, carefully pulled them out and peeled them (two forks were the easiest way!) and then sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on them! yummy and easy.
We did the backyard campfire as part of our quest of romancing our boys hearts – they LOVED the spur of the moment campfire!
Kim says
Baked apples! 🙂 yum
Sonita Lewis says
WOW! I’m so jealous!!
We had a crustless apple pie tonight…
Emily says
Oooh! Can I get your recipe for crustless apple pie?! I can’t have gluten…and I SO miss pie! Thank you!! 🙂
Sonita Lewis says
I just threw it together last night! LOL I was going to have baked apples but I was running behind on time so it was easier to just attack them with the apple slicer/corer LOL.
So I filled a pie plate with apple slices. (I left the peel on, but you can peel them if you want.)
Then I sprinkled a handful of raisins and a handful of oatmeal on top.
Then in a separate bowl I combines a 1/2 stick of softened butter, some flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.
I did not measure these but you cut in equal amounts flour and brown sugar in with the butter until it is a crumbly texture.
Sprinkle that on top of you apples/raisins/oatmeal and bake at 350 for 30 min-45 min (based on your oven…)
Enjoy!
Billene says
Wow, what a great deal.
Maria says
I recently made a Crock Pot Baked Apples recipe that I found on Pinterest. I served it with pumpkin ice cream for a coworker’s birthday and it was a hit. She’s diabetic so I thought it was a healthier option than cake, it was very easy, and made our office smell delicious!
Kendra says
I put them in tons of stuff! Most recently added chopped up apples to my pumpkin bread recipe and it was DIVINE!
Theresa says
I want to know where the crate that they put the marked down produce is located! I must be overlooking it. Is it in a different place than the other clearanced items?
IanMaddox says
When you say “local health food store”, do you mean a store like Whole Foods or Earth Fare? How do you find markdowns in stores like that?
Mealr says
What kind of apple are they? Sweet or tart? We never have much luck with sweet apples in cooking. They turn out really mushy.
Brandi @ Savvy Student Shopper says
That’s a great deal on apples, I’m jealous! I’m going apple picking this weekend, yum 🙂
Roxanne M Jones says
I made the apple butter recipe from Elise on http://www.simplyrecipes.com last week. It is hands down the best apple butter recipe ever. You’ll use a whole bag of those apples and end up with a few jars of apple butter. Very time consuming but the result is so yummy.
Meagan says
Ok, I’ll admit it… I’ve got serious apple envy! What a wonderful score!
Around here I don’t think I’d get much to make anything with. Ds is a 6 yr old apple eating maniac. At least three a day, and 5 or 6 has happened recently…. maybe if I found a deep dark place in the fridge I’d get a lb or two 🙂
Like to make fried apples a la Cracker Barrel style, except adding in some red hots to make it very cinnamon-y like my dad made when I was growing up.
Caitlin says
Smoothies, apple crisp, and my mom makes these amazing apple dumplins using apples, crescent rolls, cinnamon/sugar, and Mt. Dew (or something similar). They’re super sweet, but they are so yummy for a treat. 🙂
tracie says
apple dumplings are really good
Sharon says
As usual, I am jealous of your markdown finds. Although, we were given a garbage bag full of pears by a friend of my mother in law who has pear trees and we made pear butter and pear sauce last night. So… I guess I shouldn’t feel too bad.
Sharon@DiscoverExploreLearn says
I am so jealous !! I spend WAY too much money on apples every month.
We love to eat apples by themselves, but we also make “Apple Pie Oatmeal”…good stuff !!
http://discoverexplorelearn.com/snacktime/apple-pie-oatmeal/
Meagan says
Mmmm…. looks really good. Thanks for the recipe!
Kathie Jones says
DEFINITELY make and can, or freeze, applesauce. The family will enjoy it all year long!
Sara@Save Money, Live Joyfully says
Awesome score! The only markdowns I ever see at my health food store are moldy bread and random, obscure vitamins.
My favorite things to do with apples:
-Make apple compote…dice up apples, add some brown sugar and a small amount of water, let simmer until it’s formed a caramel. Serve with pork chops, or rolled up in flour tortillas topped with cinnamon.
-Apple Turnovers…add cinnamon sprinkled chopped apples to crescent dough, and bake as directed.
-Apple Cobbler
-Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
We also use apples when we juice. Super versatile.
Guest says
I am sorry to hear this for you but have to admit that I’m relieved to hear it isn’t just me! Our health food store NEVER has anything good marked down Even the bad produce doesn’t get marked down!
Shannon says
Do you also make apple butter? I never have and am trying to find a good recipe for my first attempt!
Aberline says
I use this recipe with all apples and no pears. http://www.marthastewart.com/326858/slow-cooker-pear-and-apple-butter
Lori says
What health food store do you go to?
Crystal says
It’s a small local store with only one location, unfortunately. I wish they’d build them all over the country!
Holly says
I was wondering what your grocery budget is and how you recommend coming up with it. Thanks!
Kristine says
I wish they would, too. You get such great deals at yours. I’ve never seen sales at our local health-food store.
Autumn says
Wow, you scored Crystal. 🙂 You definitely have amazing deals at your local Health Food store. I wish they would open one out here too.
Lynda says
Good deal! We are blessed to live in an area where people have apple trees in their yards and often offer them for free when the apples start to fall. I love to make homemade applesauce. .59 cents for 3 pounds bags is the next best thing to free, way to go!!!
Kristine says
We used to live in a place where people gave us free apples, too, and we had a tree in our yard. I miss that.
deborah says
I have chopped them or sliced them up and put them in the freezer. I have an apple cake recipe that takes 2 cups of chopped apples, an apple cobbler that takes 4 cups, sliced and apple pie that takes 6 cups chopped. I did bags with the different amounts, so they were ready to go for each recipe.
CandyFoote says
Apple crisp!
Em says
surprised to see no comments on this post. I’m sure jealous of the great deal you got on apples!!! My family eats apples like they are going out of style and they sure are pricey. What a great find!
Lisette says
I’m jealous! The best deal I’ve been able to find ANYWHERE this year is $.99/lb. It’s put a major cramp in my apple mojo.
Heather says
Great deal! The best I’ve done is buying by the bushel – I got one for $12 a few weeks ago, which works out to about 20 cents a pound I think. They are a lot cheaper this year than last.
But not everyone can use a bushel at once. We mostly just snack on them (4 kids), and I make a few things like apple crisp when/if I have any energy.