The SCI Grocery Year

What goes on sale in June

Dairy Month, and summer produce in real volume.

June is National Dairy Month, which is as literal as it sounds. Milk, cheese, yogurt and butter all tend to see their better pricing.

Summer produce starts arriving properly, and berries in particular go from expensive to genuinely cheap.

Berries also spoil quickly, so this is a month where a little planning pays for itself.

Worth watching

If you actually use these things, June is a good time to take a look.

  • Cheese

    Freezes well shredded, and June pricing is usually favorable.

  • Butter

    Worth buying ahead. It freezes for months without losing quality.

  • Yogurt

    Promoted heavily through the month.

  • Sunscreen and bug spray

    Before the July markup, and check the dates.

Don’t get carried away

Buy the berries you will eat in three days. Freeze the rest the same day you buy them, not the day you notice they have gone fuzzy.

One thing to watch

Dairy promotions often have a short window and a purchase limit. Check the dates on the tag rather than assuming the price holds all month.

June is a good month for produce too

Depending on where you live, these are often abundant and especially good this time of year.

  • Strawberries
  • Cherries
  • Zucchini
  • Green beans
  • Peaches
  • Blueberries

Worth doing this month

Freeze the berries

Buy what you will use and freeze suitable extras while they are still fresh. Spread them on a sheet pan, freeze them loose, then bag them. Twenty minutes in June, and you have good berries in January, when they are usually at their most expensive.

Keep your own prices

Seasonal patterns can tell you when to pay attention. But the best price for your family depends on what you buy, where you shop and what things normally cost in your area.

That is why keeping your own prices is so useful.

Start your free price book

Before July gets here

Take five minutes on one thing

Check the pantry, the freezer or the household supplies for one thing you are running low on. That is it. You do not need to stock a bunker. Just notice what you will actually need next.

Next month the Fourth pulls prices down, and the school supplies start appearing.

See what is coming in July