This is the time of year for produce in abundance.
Farmer’s Markets are teeming with everything from peaches to potatoes to tomatoes. You’ll also likely find in-season produce on sale at the supermarket. I’m all for supporting my local grower, but I’m also a fan of saving money and getting a deal, so I hit both!
I pick up a few items from my neighborhood weekly Farmer’s Market, and then take advantage of grocery store sales to fill my fridge with freshness.
When produce is pricey, I tend to plan weekly meals before I hit the store and stick to the list of things I need.
But this time of year, when so much is affordable, I bring home a bunch of fruits and vegetables, and them use them as inspiration for my week.
It’s important to note that just buying produce does not provide you with any nutritional benefits. You actually have to consume it! And sometimes that’s where we get stuck. We make it to the market with the best of intentions, but once the food is in the fridge, we forget about it.
The downside of fresh is that it does eventually spoil.
So, in the interest of helping to cut down on the 40% of food waste that is the norm in our country (sigh), I have a few ideas for you.
Fruits should be a no-brainer – they can be eaten as is, or chopped and mixed together for fruit salad, or blended into a smoothie, or even baked into a pie (YUM!).
Vegetables are so versatile and lend themselves to a range of prep options.
Here’s a quick list of my suggestions:
- Eat them raw in a green salad
- Pick up or make a dip (hummus anyone?) and crunch away
- Steam ’em – basic, but it works!
- Make a simple stir-fry with a mix of vegetables
- Roast a sheet pan of mixed vegetables to bring out their flavors in a completely different way
- Make a big pot of soup, adding in any vegetable that doesn’t have another destination
- Cook them with eggs
Finally, fall is a great time of year for marinated salads such as potato salad, grain salad, or pasta salad.
Here’s a video demonstrating one way to do pasta salad…
…and another video with a version of quinoa salad that I enjoy.
