Do you have the same problem? "Buy one get one free" deals at the grocer sounds great but not if the produce goes to waste! A whole watermelon is tempting (and sometimes cheaper than buying wedges) but then, since there are only two of us, it doesn't get completely eaten and is thrown out. Salad greens, tomatoes and squash (especially if you have a garden or are given produce by friends/co-workers) are other produce destined to go into my composting pile.
My newest frugal and healthwise challenge is to reduce the waste of food, particularly produce while increasing my healthy produce intake. I recently have started juicing produce before it goes bad. It's great if you don't want the work (I'm basically lazy, heheh) of canning, freezing or dehydrating. I got my juicer at a yard sale for added savings!
The great part about juicing is that you and your family will get all the health value of those great mixed veggies and fruits. There are free recipes on the internet for juiced produce on Rebootyourlife.com and other great sites.
You can mix together produce (veggies and fruit) that you or your family love or ones you might not eat otherwise, like beets. It's great for weight control too! Drink concentrated vitamins instead of caloried 'diet' shakes and drinks. Filling and healthy.
You could even freeze the juice to add to other drinks for a healthy vitamin boost. Oranges for the cold season perhaps? You can also add them to soups, stews or sauces as a healthy bouillon. The creative choices for recipes are endless.
As a lifetime frugal person, I challenge myself to spend less, waste less and use less. What's good for me is good for my Earth. Our country wastes more food than other counties eat!
Cheers!
By Donna from Sterling, PA
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If you're a lifetime frugal person, how could you let produce go to waste? It makes no sense. I plan meals around the extras I get, or I don't buy them. There is nothing frugal about bringing home things you won't use; leave them for someone who will use them. When I see too much of something, that's when I review my buying policy and get to work on ways of using it up in canning, freezing, cooking, baking, etc.
The 'waste' from produce was more of an "example" for readers. Reports show that produce are some of the most wasted items in our country..but also when my children left home I did have to learn to change my shopping practices.
As far as juicing goes, I did not advocate it a sole eating practice...just a great way to add veggies and fruit to ones diet. Most folks don't eat enough produce and drinks are a great way to do so!
It goes without sayng that balance is important.
The 'waste' from produce was more of an "example" for readers....
Reports show that produce are some of the most wasted items in our country..but also when my children left home I did have to learn to change my shopping practices..
As far as juicing goes...I did not advocate it a sole eating practice...just a great way to ADD veggies and fruit to ones diet. Most folks don't eat enough produce and drinks are a great way to do so!
It goes without sayng that balance is important.
I love this idea of using a juicer great idea! Thanks for sharing.
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