Tuesday, August 21, 2012

CSA Basket & Prepping Tips


This is Saturday's CSA pickup from Sugarfoot Organic Farms. We got okra, peppers, tomatoes, purple potatoes, summer squash, green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, and eggplant. Fruit Share was Muscadine Grapes. I really am glad we went with the large share this time. We get double the produce as the previous share, and added a small fruit share, for only half more in cost. This means we don't have to buy much from the store at the end of the week, maybe some greens and a little fruit. It does take some extra work to stay on top of all this each week, but we're getting pretty good at getting it all gone and/or put away within the week. We usually eat everything from each basket within the week. We have only frozen 1 batch of green beans and 2 batches of peaches so far. A few things that help me stay on top of the produce are:
  1. Try to prep and put away all the produce the first day. Wash all the washable items like squash, zucchini, eggplant, green beans, and cucumbers. Dry and store in a dish pan lined with paper towels, and slip right into the fridge. This makes it easy when I have everything in one place, so nothing gets lost or spoils. Veggies seem to last longer in cool, dark places. When it's time to make supper, I pull out the whole pan and look to see which are softest, and that's what we have for supper.
  2. Prepare snacks. Snap the ends off the green beans, slice cucumbers and peppers, and store in separate containers in the fridge. This saves us time when we need snacks or when making a quick salad for lunch. If it tastes good raw, eat in raw. It's healthier and saves time by not having to cook it.
  3. Some items, like tomatoes, go unwashed til we need them and stay on the counter. I save and reuse containers from store-bought produce. These come in handy on produce day. I put the fruits in them and leave along the counter near the sink and chopping board. Again, they are right in my face and don't get lost or spoiled.
  4. Potatoes and onions usually go straight into my hanging basket. I wash when ready to use them. They seem to last the longest, so I put them off a little later.
  5. Eat from home. I know that's a given, but sometimes when we are out and about on the weekend, and the thought of picking up something to eat creeps into my mind, I quickly remember I have a fridge full of fresh food at home that needs to be eaten before it goes bad. It works! It also helps to have quick protein sources to pair with them, liked canned fish or almonds. We can throw together a quick salad in no time. 
  6. Freeze anything we can't use within the week. Since we get the large shares, even taking one day off in the kitchen can put us behind. If I know we have a family get-together coming up, I try to plan ahead by freezing something easy like green beans or fruit. By doing that right away, we're also freezing while it's fresh. It'll be healthy and tasty.
Do y'all have any tips to share?

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