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We try to buy organic whenever possible because we feel like it's an investment in our health but it does come at a cost. When I see oranges, greens, or anything wilting away, it hurts my feelings and my pocketbook. We do our best to plan our meals and not over-buy but sometimes, like when we join a CSA, we still end up with extras leftover at the end of the week.
If you cringe every time you have to throw out those black banana's or wilted lettuce heads this post is for you! I have several ways to rescue your food & money!
A concept we use a lot is Garbage Night. You want this night to fall on the day or two before your normal grocery shopping trip. You have two options:
- Stir-fry: We have a great GarbageStir-Fry recipe. What's great about stir-fry is you can throw in just about anything you have on hand. It's all about cleaning out the fridge before g-shopping. Even lettuce is good in stir-fry!
- Soup: Vegetable soup is the most forgiving recipe ever. We even have a few soup recipes to start you off if needed. You can add ground meat, noodles, or rice to add more staying power.
With both of these options you can even throw in less than fresh vegetables because they will be cooked anyway.
- Smoothies: Yes, even for vegetables! I add lettuce, spinach, and greens to my smoothies for added fiber and nutrition. You'll barely taste them, promise. This is also great for over-ripened fruit, which is perfect for smoothies because they add more sweetness.
So no more composting or throwing away food that's not 100% fresh. When apart of a CSA we use these techniques regularly! Give them a try and let me know how they are working for you. Do you have a clean-out-the fridge recipe?
Next week we'll be talking about composting the food you just couldn't rescue!
Don't throw it away -- feed it to some composting worms! (Which sounds weird, I know, but stick with me for a second...) Composting worms, AKA red worms or red wigglers, eat nearly their full body weight a day -- and their castings (poop) make an excellent fertilizer. Bet your CSA would love it! (And maybe even give you a discount?) Plus, stink-free composting, reducing landfill usage and greenhouse emissions, and repurposing food waste. Give it a shot -- it's good for the environment!
ReplyDeleteValerie, thank you for your comment! The next post in this series is all about composting! We don't compost in worms but we do compost so check back!
ReplyDelete