Preparing Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Later Use

Feeding your family healthy meals on a budget can be extremely costly. And if you're trying to lose weight, the best way to get the job done is also the healthy way. Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables and stock up on good calories. But how can you afford to keep throwing good food away due to poor quality and high prices?

Supermarkets know what you want and what you need. It's in this second category where you will be hit hardest. Quality, fresh fruit and vegetables are not always easy to find, and if you're seeking organic produce at a low price, forget it. Just one bag of apples, not organically grown, will set you back at least $5 and if you have 3 kids you can guarantee they won't last the whole week. Not only that, the quality is less than acceptable. Most of the apples purchased in the supermarket have been in cold storage for long periods of time. While this does not always affect the fruit where appearance is concerned, you will likely get them home only to find they are severely bruised and have very little flavor.

Potatoes are another problem. They are handled and handled again, left in the light and most are green and shouldn't be eaten anyway. If you find a healthy looking bag of potatoes they are likely to have a short shelf life and will begin to sprout within 24 hours. Most people do not want potatoes every night of the week, but getting through them before one rotten spud ruins the whole batch means that's what you'll need to do so unless you plan to throw them into the compost heap.

Here are a few tips to preparing fresh foods for later use. You can then store your home grown vegetables without compromising on flavor, or buy in bulk when your produce is on sale.

Potatoes:

Chop, steam and mash potatoes. Add French onion soup mix and dried, chopped chives. Place the mixture into bags and stack flat into the freezer.

- These can be added to stews and will reduce the amount of unhealthy white flour needed for your gravy.

- Add chicken broth to the potato mixture along with a spoonful of sour cream for a delicious hot soup.

-Mix together with 2 eggs and a dash of flour. Shallow fry a large spoonful to create delicious fritters.

Pumpkins:

You love Halloween but now you have a yard full of pumpkins.

-With skin left on, boil pumpkin chunks and mash or blend with cubed cheese and black pepper. Store in the freezer using the same method as the potatoes above.

-Add to stews for extra flavor.

-In a hot skillet, add some chicken broth and dried parsley flakes, thicken with 1/2 tsp of corn starch and serve over a grilled chicken breast for a low fat dinner.

Blend with refried beans for an amazing dip.

-Mix with spicy salsa to make a dipping source for hot wings, delicious!

-Store them stalk down in an airy place and use them again next year.

-Sell some to craft stores 2 months before Halloween arrives, they will appreciate the early discount, you'll appreciate the extra cash.

Apples:

-Peel, boil and blend; freeze for later use when serving pork dinners.

-Add a pinch of paprika and serve as a salad dressing.

-Freeze into cubes and add to tall glasses of ice cold cider or sparkling water.

-Add a small handful of raisins and a few dried apricot halves. Pour into your baking dish when cooking ham, pork or chicken. Serve with slithered almonds or macadamia nuts.

-Add some to your cake recipe instead of full fat milk.

-Blend with orange juice, skim milk and whole wheat breakfast cereal for a full fiber smoothy.

-Add some cashews, pepper, 1 egg and stale bread crusts, stuff your chicken and bake as usual.

Grapes:

-Place loose, seedless grapes into sterilized jars, add white wine and preserve using your favorite method. These will keep for up to 3 years on your pantry shelf, and are a delicious addition to your cocktail or punchbowl.

-Add some to a salad.

Lettuce:

-Chop, steam and blend, add a can of creamed celery or asparagus soup. When ready to serve, stir in a dollop of philly cheese spread.

-Freeze for later addition to garden vegetable soup.

-Add to salsa or guacamole to make it go further.

-Add shrimp, braised onions, butter and garlic. Butterfly cut your beef roast, spread with the mixture and then roll it up. Cover and bake.

Zucchini:

-Sliced thin and horizontally, use instead of lasagna noodles.

-Slice and pack into jars with small pearl onions, white vinegar, a bay leaf, whole black pepper and 1 red chili pepper.

Preserve as you would normally and store on pantry shelves.

-These make a colorful addition to a gift basket. Add a box of crackers, some dip, a gardening book, fresh fruit and cheese sticks.