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Storing Fruits and Vegetables to Reduce Food Waste

Last week Katy shared about how she uses canned and frozen fruits and vegetables, along with fresh, in her meals, to help stretch her grocery budget. Today I want to share a few tips and resources on storing produce.  Storing fruits and vegetables properly will help them last longer and taste better. The longer produce lasts, the longer you have to use it before it goes bad and it has to be thrown out. Food wasted is money wasted and we want to limit both of those!

Canned and Frozen Produce Over Fresh? Give it a Try!

Last month Jody wrote a blog highlighting tips to help us save money at the grocery store. Recently I have found that some of the fresh produce I used to buy on a regular basis has started to increase my family’s grocery bill. To lower my grocery bill but still get the same nutritional benefits, I have found that swapping in canned and frozen produce options has worked out well for many recipes that my family enjoys. Below are a few tips for purchasing these options.

Berry Crisp

Fruit crisp is one of my husband’s favorite foods. He often requests it for his birthday or other special meals. I do not mind because it is a dessert that gives my family some fruit and some whole grains (oats). Plus, it is an easy dessert to make. The only problem is that it can be expensive. Below I have some tips for making a fruit crisp fit into your budget.

Planning your Meals with Family Favorite Recipes

Planning your meals and using your meal plan to make a grocery list are a top tip for saving money on food. By planning your meals and using a list when you shop, you know exactly what you need to buy and are less likely to buy items you don’t need.

Get Hooked on Fish!

Fish has always been a large part of my diet. Growing up on the coast, my family had access to a variety of seafood. My love for seafood has not changed even though I now call Iowa home. On my weekly meal plans I typically add 1-2 meals that include fish as our main protein. Our daughter has been eating a variety of fish dishes since she started trying foods, so I keep fish on hand for easy meals I know my family enjoys.