making fruits and vegetables convenient


Are some of you looking for a simple method of making fruits and veggies more convenient for you and your family?  This is what I do
to keep healthy foods the first and easiest choice in our home.


 When I return home from the market the first thing I do is restock our "cold storage pantry" (aka: the unheated laundry room).  This room stays cool so it is the perfect place to store fruit!  To store the fruit I put low, flat baskets lined with dish towels on top of our wood storage shelves that are just the right height for the kids to help themselves. 

I fill them with apples (several varieties), pears, citrus fruits - oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes (for juicing), bananas, mangoes, pomegranates and other in season fruit.

The other day my son had a friend over so I asked them if they would like some fruit for a snack.  I had to laugh when I heard the boy open the laundry room door and exclaim,
"Oh wow this is SOOO cool!" 
I thought about it afterwards and thought that it must have looked like a grocery store to him and he could have whatever he wanted!


Next I fill up the sink and toss all of the vegetables in to soak.   I like to have the produce prewashed so it's ready to use from the fridge.  Washing everything right away all together saves water and time.

 Then I grab my glass containers, compost bin, chopping board, knife and peeler and I'm ready to start chopping!

 The entire routine of washing, prepping, chopping all of this produce, and clean up only took me half an hour.
Less time than it takes to bake a batch of cookies!
Here's what we have:
Back:  cherry tomatoes, orange wedges, jicama strips, pineapple chunks
Front:  cauliflower flourettes, sliced cucumber, colourful bell peppers


After all of my hard work I treated myself to some fresh made juice!
 
 1 apple + 2 carrots + 1/4 lime = 1 glass of the most delicious apple carrot lime juice (minus the 2 sips missing!) 
 
Having lots of raw food choices that can be quickly made into
 ~ veggie and dip plates 
~ packed in to lunches or
~ used in the juicer 
makes it our fast food!
What do you keep in the fridge?

6 comments:

  1. Thank you for inspiring me to go and do better! [and for linking up to Waldorf Wednesday. I find the best stuff through that!]
    (:
    Mama

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  2. This looks super healthy! I hope you stop by to link- http://atozebracelebrations.com/2013/03/link-party-every-tuesday.html
    Nancy

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  3. Well done!!!

    Thanks for sharing with us at Eco-Kids Tuesday! Hope you join us again today! http://likemamalikedaughter.blogspot.com/2013/03/flip-trainer-review-at-eco-kids-tuesday.html

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  4. I need to adopt your routine! It's a great idea, and it will especially be great for the upcoming CSA season. I'm featuring this tomorrow on my Eco Kids Feature tomorrow.

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  5. How long do the pepper strips keep? Do you put anything on them?

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    Replies
    1. Chopped peppers are a favourite in our home so they are eaten up quickly, but I would guess they would last at least 4 days chopped up. If I think they won't get eaten I only chop up one pepper at a time, and I don't put anything on them. I'm very fussy when I buy peppers, they must be firm and no sign of wrinkles, then they last longer.

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I really enjoy reading your thoughts and ideas about the posts that I write here. It's nice to just say hi too!
~ joey ~