Sunday, October 31, 2010

Using What You Have on Hand to Make a Meal

I myself have a hard time doing this, but I'm getting better.  Where I live, we have an organic farmer who works with local vendors and supplies a bag of organic, fresh fruits and vegetables delivered to my door once a week.  That practice in itself has taught me to use what I have before it goes bad.

You see, in the past, I've made purchases of fruits and veggies on sale with the best of intentions.  Then, a week or so later, it wouldn't be uncommon to also find me pitching that food, moldy and slimy, into the garbage or the compost bin.  What a waste!  A waste of money and good food.

The good news is I can buy grains and beans and they'll last for a while, but veggies are perishable.  Perishable soon.  So they have to be used fairly quickly.  So I've begun buying staple veggies--lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, for example--every week that I know will get used that week, no matter what's scheduled for a meal.  But other veggies that I buy on sale, I've started finding recipes for, whether in one of my cookbooks or online.  That way, I find new ways to use those vegetables before they go bad (and so I'm saving instead of wasting money), and I also get to try new foods.  I hope you can find ways to do that too!

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