Seasonal fruits and vegetables can really help you save money when planning meals. However, there are some challenges that can make it hard to use them. Let's look at the hurdles you might face and how to overcome them.

1. Finding Fresh Produce: Fresh, seasonal produce can be tough to find. Depending on where you live, it might be hard to get to a farmer's market, or they might not have a wide variety of seasonal foods. You might have to rely on grocery stores that don't always stock these fresh items.

• Solution:
  Do some digging to find local farmers' markets or community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs. These can give you better access to seasonal fruits and vegetables. Joining a CSA means you'll get a selection of fresh produce without the shopping hassle.

2. Planning Your Meals: Planning meals can be tricky, especially with seasonal produce. The types of fruits and vegetables available can change pretty quickly, leaving you without some ingredients you were counting on for your meals.

• Solution:
  Be flexible when planning your meals. Make a list of what seasonal produce is available each month and be ready to switch out ingredients if something is not available. Keep some non-perishable items, like dried beans or rice, in your kitchen. They can help complete your meals without needing constant changes.

3. Changing Prices: Seasonal produce is usually cheaper, but things like bad weather can make prices go up suddenly. This can make it hard to stick to a budget if you are only using seasonal items.

• Solution:
  Try mixing your purchases. Buy some seasonal produce and also stock up on frozen or canned options. Buying frozen fruits and vegetables when they're in season means you can save money all year, avoiding those higher prices when the seasons change.

4. Cooking Skills: Using seasonal produce may require cooking skills that not everyone has, which can lead to wasted food and money.

• Solution:
  Take some time to learn basic cooking skills. There are tons of free resources online, like cooking blogs and YouTube channels, that show you how to prep and cook seasonal ingredients. This can help you reduce waste and stretch your budget further.

In short, using seasonal produce for cheap meal prep can be challenging, but with some smart planning and resourcefulness, you can overcome these issues. It’s definitely worth it to give it a try!