Happy Weekend Everyone! (or more like “Happy extra hour of sleep last night…”) I hope you all are enjoying some DST and doing something special with that extra hour! (Except for my parents, who in Arizona I don’t think get to fall back or fall forward, I think they just stay the same…)

I digress. Today we FINALLY went to see Harry Potter 8, at the remarkable Riverview Theater. Best $2 I spent in a long time! On the way home, we stopped for a couple of groceries, mostly produce. It made me think of a discussion I had with some coworkers on Friday-

For a veggie lover/ produce fiend like me, what is the solution to always having a variety of fresh produce around without it going bad or being at the store almost every day?

I eat a lot of veggies. I haven’t always, but since experiencing the physical benefits of getting my vitamins and nutrients primarily from food rather than supplements, I live almost in fear of running out. Thus, I like to keep our smallish fridge stocked. I don’t have the answer to the above question, but here’s a few of my tips:

1. Prepare a bunch of veggies/ fruits at once. I keep them as far as a day and a half in advance in the fridge, so that I have them when I want them.
2. Have frozen stuff (bought or vaccuum sealed by yourself) on hand- Blueberries, okra, green beans, and Trader Joe’s tri-colored peppers are my favorites.
3. Buy some things prepackaged (for example, broccoli slaw changed my life). It isn’t a ton of packaging, and its a lot easier to throw into a meal than chopping up a head of broc.
4. Only buy what you love, not just what’s on sale- otherwise you won’t be motivated to eat it before it goes bad!
5. Plan fruit/ veggie snacks for each day, like what time you’ll eat them. Similarly, have a few “go-to” recipes that include your regular veggies (Man-go-round likes banana in his cereal, I like blueberries in my pancakes…and onions on pretty  much everything…)
6. Eat the most perishable stuff (raspberries, spinach) first, the longer lasting stuff (apples, squash, onions, potatoes) later. Obvious, but helpful.

What are your tips for keeping ahead of rotting produce? Any ideas to add to my list? Are there any produce or other grocery staples that you HAVE to have on hand?