Don’t trash your food – Smart budget tips!

I often find myself loading my grocery cart full of fresh foods and in a few days I realize my eyes were bigger than my stomach! This results in a lot of fresh foods that need to get used up before they are spoiled rotten! I try and regularly dig through the fridge to salvage the produce before they are no longer recognizable. If I know I’m not going to eat them all in time, I still put them to good use.

Here are a few things I do to help enjoy my purchases longer and avoid tossing out perfectly good foods.

frozen smoothie fruitBananas – I slice them up and freeze them in a ziplock bag. Perfect to take out later to add to a protein shake or use in my Breakfast Cookie recipe. I was telling a friend this trick recently and surprisingly (to me), she had never thought of it!

Berries, peaches, and kiwis freeze well. I even freeze melons! Cut them up into chunks and freeze in a ziploc bag or storage container. It works great to make a mixed bag for a quick and yummy fruit smoothie. Perfect for breakfast or as a snack on a hot day!

Lemons, Oranges & Limes – I freeze the whole fruit and then zest the peels into my soups, muffins and other dishes. Read more on why the peels are so healthy! You can also juice and freeze – works great in an ice cube tray and then defrost as needed. Here is my favorite tray. I freeze them and then pop them out and store in a ziploc bag.

Herbs – I’ll buy a bunch of herbs for salads but end up only using about half of them, especially basil. I’ll dry them or make a paste or pesto and then freeze them to enjoy later on my Pesto Pizza or bread.

Bread – I usually buy gluten free or sprouted breads and when they are no longer fresh enough for a sandwich, I’ll make croutons out of them. Cut them up into bite size pieces, line them on a baking tray and spray with MCT or Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  It works well with my favorite mister.  Sprinkle with dried herbs, Himalayan pink salt and toast at 275 for 15-20 minutes. Seal in a ziplock bag and remove as much air as you can.

Vegetables – I almost always make a pot of soup with all my “leftover” vegetables. Add some LCM Signature Seasoning, herbs along with some chicken or ground turkey and you have a delicious dinner to eat or freeze for later.

Click here for more tips on freezing fruits and vegetables.