Throwing Veggies Away!

Options
CurvyGirl14
CurvyGirl14 Posts: 37 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I seriously have had to throw out so much food this summer. I buy strawberries..they get moldy in one day..lettuce turns brown in 2 days..it's get frustrating and makes me sick of spending money when they stores around here (Pennsylvania) is super high for a lot of those items in the stores.

Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks!

Replies

  • melzteach
    melzteach Posts: 550 Member
    Options
    Don't leave them in the containers/bags they come home from the store in. Put them in a good quality plastic baggie or tupperware with a paper towel to soak up excess moisture. Be sure to switch out the paper towel every couple of days.
  • khodges15
    khodges15 Posts: 114
    Options
    in regards to saving money on buying veggies, try purchasing from homegrown farms and farmers markets :)
  • runningpfuhl
    runningpfuhl Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    Don't leave them in the containers/bags they come home from the store in. Put them in a good quality plastic baggie or tupperware with a paper towel to soak up excess moisture. Be sure to switch out the paper towel every couple of days.

    This method really does work! I buy 4 pounds of strawberries a week and they don't go bad. Lettuce doesn't go brown or limp.
  • shefly
    shefly Posts: 81 Member
    Options
    ditto:smile:
  • Texas501
    Texas501 Posts: 274
    Options
    You could always invest in a vacuum sealer with bags. Then you can not only seal them but also freeze them if needed for longer storage. Just a thought.
  • up2me2lose20
    up2me2lose20 Posts: 360 Member
    Options
    It also matters where you store them in your fridge. The top shelf is the coldest so most fresh things will get too cold up there and go bad more quickly (at least in my fridge). My crisper drawers actually keep things pretty good for quite a while.
  • CurvyGirl14
    CurvyGirl14 Posts: 37 Member
    Options
    Thanks for all of the great advice!! :)
  • luvmybentley
    luvmybentley Posts: 74 Member
    Options
    I hear you! I hate throwing away fresh produce...

    I try to buy stuff that can be frozen if I don't get to eat it before it goes bad:
    Spinach is better for you than lettuce, and when it starts to get wilted you can chop it up and freeze it to use in soups, dips or pasta dishes.
    Berries, bananas, mangoes, peaches, etc are great frozen to throw in a smoothie and can be used in baking or even just to eat frozen..

    Romaine hearts last longer than other lettuce, and whole salad veggies last longer then the convenient pre-cut and washed tossed salads in a bag.

    Always re-package fresh stuff...original containers seem to speed up the spoiling process...they are already saturated with the ethylene gas that the produce gives off.

    Frozen and canned veggies last forever....peas, green beans, corn, broccoli etc...I don't live anywhere near a major supermarket so I stock up on frozen veggies to have on hand. Of course fresh is better, but not always available near me.

    Best advice is to just buy what you will eat...but I always have the best intentions...
  • Poniesarepretty
    Poniesarepretty Posts: 77 Member
    Options
    i am so happy someone posted this topic, i am having the same problem and to save money i have switched to mostly frozen vegetables. BTW- why are frozen vegetables not as "good" for you as frresh? canned is bad because of the sodium, but i just cant figurre out why frozen is not considered the same as frresh.

    i am also having an issue with fresh chicken, etc. i never use it all in time and it goes bad! any advice?
  • k8edge
    k8edge Posts: 380
    Options
    My strawberries get moldy quickly when I leave them in the container that they come in...

    I find if I take them out wash them and put them in a bowl with paper towel at the bottom they last longer. I think that would work with pretty much any fruit/veggie
  • SDkitty
    SDkitty Posts: 446 Member
    Options
    i am so happy someone posted this topic, i am having the same problem and to save money i have switched to mostly frozen vegetables. BTW- why are frozen vegetables not as "good" for you as frresh? canned is bad because of the sodium, but i just cant figurre out why frozen is not considered the same as frresh.

    i am also having an issue with fresh chicken, etc. i never use it all in time and it goes bad! any advice?

    I have also been wondering why the frozen fruit/veg is supposedly not as good for you? As far as the fresh chicken, I usually boil what I know I won't use right away and then put in the freezer. It makes it so easy to thaw in the microwave and use for any recipe later. :happy:
  • thumper44
    thumper44 Posts: 1,464 Member
    Options
    You could always invest in a vacuum sealer with bags. Then you can not only seal them but also freeze them if needed for longer storage. Just a thought.
    X 2. This is what I do with strawberries when their on sale.
    Love frozen strawberries in my smoothies.
  • peripah
    peripah Posts: 120
    Options
    I've only ever heard that frozen is just as good as fresh. I buy mostly fresh and when it starts to turn I cut it up and freeze it: strawberries, cabbage, bell peppers, peaches. Some veggies need to be blanched but it's super easy.
  • whisperingdragon
    whisperingdragon Posts: 334
    Options
    That happend to me too when I lived in an apartment with a very bad refriderator. When I moved into a new house, we got new fridge and it has extended the lifetime of my fruits and veggies.

    Other than that, I have no ideas. :flowerforyou:
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,954 Member
    Options
    If it becomes apparent that you're not going to eat them before they go bad just wash them and put them in the freezer. I do this with all fruit and most vegetables. I use the majority of them in my smoothies (spinach and lettuce can look as ugly as it wants since it's getting pureed into my smoothie!) I also use it in soups, vegetables stocks or in my case since I have chickens I'll occasionally feed it to the girls. You can also dehydrate if you have a dehydrator. Dried fruit makes a good addition to trail mix or oatmeal and dried veggies can be easily tossed into soups or casseroles. You can also make fruit leather in your dehydrator. (If you don't have one check thrift stores. They've always got them because people buy them and don't use them.)
  • greej
    greej Posts: 37 Member
    Options
    As vegetables go bad I throw as much as I can into a stew and freeze it in single-serving portions. Yum.

    Also, I think vegetables lose nutrients the older they are. According to "The China Study".
  • RobynC79
    RobynC79 Posts: 331 Member
    Options
    For berries, the best tip I ever got for stopping them growing fungus the moment your back is turned is to put them in a colander and run them under scalding hot water for 30-45 seconds. It seems like it will cook them but it really doesn't. Wash their containers, ditch the absorbent pad they came with for some fresh paper towel, shake off the water from the berries and put them straight back in the fridge. It should buy you a couple of extra days.

Categories