Feeding our families fresh fruits and vegetables is a challenge in tough financial times. All too often we end up buying cheaply available foods that lack the nutrients our families need simply because of the price. However, there are ways of making vegetables and fruits more affordable.
Think Global, Buy Local
The Think Global, Buy Local movement was all about saving the planet by purchasing products made locally by saving fuel and other shipping costs. However, thinking locally makes a lot of sense when buying fresh produce. By purchasing fresh produce locally, either from the orchard or market garden itself, you avoid the costs associated with re-selling the produce.
Seasonal produce is always cheaper than imported produce. Knowing what fruits and vegetables are currently in season in your area makes a difference. Taking the time to preserve seasonal fruits and vegetables will save money later. Purchase apples in season when they are cheap, eat them fresh and also stew and freeze some for later. Chillies can be frozen without preparation, corn can be blanched then frozen, and berries can be simply frozen in a resealable bag.
Make Good Use of a Juicing Machine
Juicing machines remove the juice from fruits and vegetables. Fresh juice is a good way of getting nutrients from your produce. Vegetables such as carrots yield a great deal of juice, so do green apples. Combine different fruits and vegetable combinations to create flavors your family enjoy. Adding ginger will spice up any combination.
Think of the parts of the vegetables you usually throw away. The stems of broccoli, asparagus or cauliflower usually end up in the waste bin. The tips and ends of celery join them. Instead of throwing these away, toss them in the juicing machine with a few carrots or an apple to create a healthy juice option.
When your juice is made, use the vegetable pulp. Carrot pulp left behind in a juicer can be used to make carrot cake. Composting the pulp is also easy, simply spread the pulp in the vegetable garden or around fruit trees. This will encourage worm activity and break down very quickly in the soil. Here you can feel good that you have used the whole of your vegetables without wasting any useful part.
Growing Your Own Vegetables
While we may not all have the time or space for a full vegetable patch, some vegetables are easy to grow. Sprouts will grow in a shallow dish on the window sill in a few weeks. Radishes are tangy and fresh, growing in shallow soil in six weeks. Lettuces can be grown in pots on the dining room table. Leafy greens such as spinach can be grown, harvesting only the leaves you need for the meal, allowing the rest of the plant to grow.
A good tip is to head to a local garden store. They will have good advice on what grows well in your area, and a ready supply of seeds or seedlings. They will also know of local farmers markets or produce swaps.
Finding a way to feed our families healthy, fresh produce can be challenging when finances are stretched, but thinking outside the square, buying locally and growing our own food can make the difference to what goes on the plate.
