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Tuesday Tip | Prep your produce

I know you already KNOW you should do this.

So I’m not imparting information so much as I’m reminding you. And myself, let’s be honest.

cucumber relish.

There’s some produce that should just be left alone until you’re going to use it, because cutting it up/washing it will speed the mold-growing, rotting process.

(Leave your raspberries alone until right before you eat them!)

BUT.

There are a lot of cases where prepping your produce can help you actually eat the produce instead of letting it go to waste in the fridge.

bunch of bananas.

And common though it is, throwing food away is kind of the exact opposite of frugal.

Humans like easy, right? So if produce is easy to grab and eat, you and your family will eat more of it.

And more produce is always a win.

frozen grapes

If there’s a whole cucumber sitting in the fridge, no one will touch it. But cucumber slices in a bowl on the counter or in the fridge? They’ll be gone in a few hours.

If there are raw beets in my fridge, I pass them right by. But if I roast and slice them, I’m quite likely to throw them in my skillet when I cook some lunch for myself.

Kristen holding a huge beet.

A whole head of broccoli feels like too much of a pain to grab for a snack, but if I slice up a head into florets, I’ll add them to my lunch skillet or dip them in hummus.

broccoli and dip

Chopped and sauteed carrots, onions, and peppers make a a great side for scrambled eggs, and if you make a bunch at once and refrigerate them, they’re super easy to heat up in a skillet when you’re frying an egg.

sauteed peppers, carrots, and onion.

My kids aren’t going to be likely to pick up a whole cantaloupe and cut it up, but a bowl of cantaloupe chunks will disappear pretty quickly.

Cantaloupe sliced on a cutting board.

I don’t do this perfectly, of course, but boy, every time I take the time to prep some produce, I am always happy that I did!

Go get your cutting board and knife out, friends. 😉

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Amy

Friday 25th of May 2018

Did you get a gigantic bok choy in your produce box? Any tips on prepping that?

Kristen

Friday 25th of May 2018

I did not! But one time before when I got bok choy, I used it in a stir fry. I believe I've thrown it into green smoothies as well.

Christine

Friday 25th of May 2018

I like the idea, but I think there's very little room to use it. Most fruits and veggies are badly impacted by this pre-preparation. Grapes, for instance, have their good to eat lifespan cut in half by being removed from the vine. Lettuce also turns red or brown much faster when cut, in which condition my family won't eat it. In general, other than melon (which improves from time sitting in the refrigerator cut up), I don't prepare produce more than a day ahead of time because if I do, we won't eat it.

Linda

Thursday 24th of May 2018

I try to prep vegetables for cooking right after lunch to streamline dinner. The convenience of pre- chopped veggies in the store but cheaper and fresher!

Mrs. Picky Pincher

Tuesday 22nd of May 2018

Agreed! There's something about having pre-processed foods that make it easier. I love pre-cooking bacon, sausage patties, and cubed chicken for easy meals, too. For snacks, I loooove having homemade pre-popped popcorn. I just take out a handful when I'm hungry and it's super easy. :)

I do think keeping a fruit bowl out with oranges, bananas, and apples also encourages healthy, fast snacks.

valerie

Tuesday 22nd of May 2018

I prep romaine hearts (cut, wash, spin dry) and pack into canning jar. I seal them with my Food Saver Jar Attachment and VIOLA - salad for a week! I learned this trick from SaladInAJar.com The romaine keeps for a week in the jars and does not turn brown. It is the vacuum seal that keeps it fresh.

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