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pianistclare
Guest
Then shop at the farmers market where you can buy smaller quantity.
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DarkLight
Guest
We don’t have a farmer’s market out here. Just Walmart and Wegmans, and some silly store that calls itself the “farmer’s market” but is just a more expensive version of Wegmans.
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caitlinm
Guest
I like to roast veggies in the oven. I coat them in olive oil and top them with Parmesan cheese (or any seasonings that you like) and pop in the oven. It even works for frozen veggies (especially cauliflower)
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EasterJoy
Guest
If you need fresh veggies, I’d say this:
- Buy vegetables with a long shelf life or else buy what you will use immediately loose. For instance, kale (kept properly) will last longer than lettuce, as will cabbage. A single person can work her way through a rather large bag of carrots, but may not get through a family-sized pre-washed and pre-cut lettuce.
- Don’t cut fruits or veggies up until you need them, particularly if delicate, such as lettuce or parsley.
- DO NOT store your apples in your refrigerator!! I learned that one the hard way. Couldn’t figure out why none of my vegetables lasted very long.
- Roasting or sauteing will extend the life of veggies for a few days from their end date. For instance, if I need to use mushrooms now, before they go bad, I’ll roast them in the oven and have them available for a few days for omelettes and the like. I wouldn’t roast a carrot that will keep for weeks as it is, because after roasting it will need to be eaten within a few days.
- Know what veggies you like reheated and which you don’t, and plan accordingly. I like cabbage in soup, if handled right, but not broccoli or cauliflower. Those, I want only the freshly-cooked or they taste too sulfur-ful. So note your preferences and plan accordingly.
- Get on the internet and learn the optimal storage conditions for various vegetables. Get your veggies in those conditions as soon as you can after purchase.
- Learn how to choose fruits and vegetables to last as long as you want, and then take the time to choose well.
- If you hate mushy veggies in a casserole or stew, then when you make these for the freezer, under-cook the veggies. Still, even some people who don’t like IQF (individually quick frozen) commercially-frozen veggies do like veggies frozen in a soup or gravy (stew). It depends on what you like.
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Beryllos
Guest
There certainly are different opinions about frozen veggies! Could this be due to differences in freezers? My freezer keeps things pretty solidly frozen, and I have good results with green beans, broccoli, mixed vegetables, peas, and corn, but really bad luck with cauliflower.
The method of cooking makes a big difference. I try to cook veggies with high heat to minimize the cooking time. Slow cooking destroys vegetables. Microwave cooking seems fine for the above frozen veggies except for broccoli, which cooks better in a stove top steamer. With the microwave, it is important to stir the veggies once or twice during the cooking time to compensate for the otherwise uneven heating pattern.
Also be aware that the cooking process continues as long as the food remains hot, so it is important to promptly remove veggies from the heat source, and perhaps even let them air-cool for a bit.
Getting to your question about fresh veggies, some grocery stores sell broccoli in small bunches or cut florets, or loose (unpackaged) green beans so you can buy only as much as you need. Bell peppers may be sold individually. See if they have cut cauliflower so you don’t have to buy a whole head. Carrots have a pretty good shelf life in the refrigerator.
The method of cooking makes a big difference. I try to cook veggies with high heat to minimize the cooking time. Slow cooking destroys vegetables. Microwave cooking seems fine for the above frozen veggies except for broccoli, which cooks better in a stove top steamer. With the microwave, it is important to stir the veggies once or twice during the cooking time to compensate for the otherwise uneven heating pattern.
Also be aware that the cooking process continues as long as the food remains hot, so it is important to promptly remove veggies from the heat source, and perhaps even let them air-cool for a bit.
Getting to your question about fresh veggies, some grocery stores sell broccoli in small bunches or cut florets, or loose (unpackaged) green beans so you can buy only as much as you need. Bell peppers may be sold individually. See if they have cut cauliflower so you don’t have to buy a whole head. Carrots have a pretty good shelf life in the refrigerator.
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Sarcelle
Guest
You can make premade meals and then freeze them.
Stir fries
Fried rice with vegetables
Rice pilaf
Vegetable curries
Vegetable pot pies
Stir fries
Fried rice with vegetables
Rice pilaf
Vegetable curries
Vegetable pot pies
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EasterJoy
Guest
There is a difference in quality among brands of frozen vegetables, too. I used to work in a veggie packing plant. When the quality is high, they fill the orders for the clients with the higher standards. When the quality goes down, they literally change the wrapper on the wrapping or bagging machine. Yes, all the veggies in your frozen food aisle may have literally come off of the same packing line, and that does NOT mean that they are all the same quality!!
Besides that, some vegetables take well to being quick frozen, to the point that they are not only as good but better than veggies picked and sold raw, while others suffer in quality or are rendered still good for some uses but unsuitable for others. Commerically-frozen vegetables suffer from having less arduous inspection before freezing compared to home-frozen, but benefit from superior processing technologies. (Your home freezer is not capable of flash freezing, for instance.)
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