How to Make the Most of Summer Produce

May 28, 2013

It’s Sunday morning and we’ve just enjoyed a stack of blueberry pancakes before heading out to the annual Strawberry Festival. There’s nothing better than fresh fruit and vegetables bought from the local farmers’ market, which kicks off opening day each year during Memorial Day weekend with juicy strawberries, crisp lettuce, and fresh asparagus here in the mid-Atlantic region. By July 4th, fireworks signal just-picked sweet corn, plump tomatoes, and delicious peaches. The Amish fruit stand just down the road even gives me the opportunity to pick up some organic brown eggs along with the summer harvest. It’s easy to load up on healthy produce when it is in season, but it spoils so quickly that almost as much ends up in the garbage as in our stomachs.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council , we throw out over half of the fruits and vegetables meant to be eaten. Organic, local-grown produce goes bad much quicker than store-bought veggies, but there are still ways to reduce this waste. Don’t let a brown spot on a banana or a bit of mold on the tip of a strawberry scare you away from enjoying a still viable piece of fruit.  Here are some tips that have worked for me:

• Instead of throwing away fruit that has seen better days, throw bananas, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and/or peaches into the blender with some frozen yogurt or a bit of vanilla ice cream for a homemade smoothie.  Check out the menu at Jamba Juice for some recipe ideas and save yourself the $5 price tag of a store-bought fruity treat.
• Don’t toss out wilted green beans or rubbery carrots – instead toss them into a frying pan along with some chicken or beef and a bit of soy sauce for your own version of a P.F. Chang’s meal.
• Freeze extra fruit and treat your family to a weekend at YHOP (your house of pancakes) by taking a cue from IHOP’s menu. Just don’t load up on the whipped cream and powdered sugar like you see on their commercial since fresh fruit is supposed to be healthy for you.

Not only will these tips save the produce from the trash, it will also help keep your grocery bill in check by minimizing the amount of money wasted on these uneaten greens. So next time you pass a produce stand, stop and keep your local farmers in business and don’t be afraid to stock up since summer growing season only lasts so long.