The only way to maintain a truly health supportive diet is to have healthy foods in our fridge. Having fresh veggies ready, available, and convenient is the best way to get more of them into our diet. There is absolutely no way possible to maintain a healthy diet with an empty fridge.
The best way to keep on track with our good, healthy eating intentions is to keep organized. Produce goes bad when we bring it home from the store or market, throw it in the veggie drawer and don’t take it out until it is growing funky things.
Veggies do take some time to prepare, but the best thing to do, is set aside some time when we come home from the store, only about a half hour, and get everything ready. This cuts down on daily meal prep time, and also cuts down on the clean-up required. Do it all at once, and there it is- all ready to go. Veggies will be ready to throw together a salad, throw into a pot of soup, to steam, bake, grill or just to snack on as is.
Here are some basic guidelines to follow:
Coming Home From The Store
- Unpack everything
- Put the dry goods away
- If buying in bulk, transfer to a jar for ease
- Put extra in a separate place to refill
- Produce Storage:
- Wash, cut and soak the veggies you will be using in the next couple of days
- Carrots: Rinse, peel, rinse, place in container/bowl of water
- Celery: Clean, chop, place in container/bowl of water
- Red/green peppers: Clean, dry, store in food container
- Broccoli: Clean, dry, cut, store in food container
- Cauliflower: Clean, dry, cut, store in food container
- Greens: Soak in cold water, rinse, soak, store in crisper that allows water to drain through (do not spin until ready to consume)
- Fresh Herbs: best stored in air tight container, do not wash until going to use
- Parlsey/ Cilantro: Untie from bundle, cut ends, store in bowl of water
- Squash: peel, cut into cubes, store in container
- Fruit and veggies to be frozen: wash, allow to dry, freeze on cookie sheet and once frozen transfer to freezer bag, container (this helps prevent freezer burn, frost and clumping together)
- Wash, cut and soak the veggies you will be using in the next couple of days
- Bread / Bread Products:
- Breads will last longer in the fridge.
- Cut off amount that will be eaten in the next few days and store.
- With the remaining, slice and freeze.
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Great advice! I think I would definitely eat healthier if I did this. Do you have tips on how to keep spinach from getting slimy in the fridge? That’s my biggest problem.
This is great! I live alone, so its so often that I buy a TON of fresh produce at once and then it ends up going bad so quickly. I find I am way more likely to eat healthier and eat up my veggies if they are already made waiting for me.
This is fantastic. It also helps get your veggies front and center, rather than forgotten and wilting in the veggie cooler at the bottom of your fridge.
I second the spinach comment. I’ve found that if spinach is lightly packed and bone dry it lasts forever, but how to get it to that point has always been a mystery to me.
btw what did you do to your leeks? You mention they are packaged at the end.
[...] Nikki wanted to see how I keep myself organized. How about a little Veggie Prep [...]