Making Every Bite Count of Farmers Market Finds
We’ve waited all year Canada but it’s finally time. It’s Farmers Market Season! When buying local, in-season produce from these local growers it’s important to brush up on your food-storage knowledge. Wasted food is wasted money, so we are here to help you make sure none of your farmers market hauls go to waste!
STORING YOUR FARMERS MARKET PRODUCE
Buying local seasonal produce is a great way to buy manageable quantities that are ready to eat, and incredibly fresh, not to mention supporting our local food producers. With proper food storage, you can ensure nothing gets tossed out and make every bite count! The ideal storage conditions for each fruit and vegetable are going to differ, but here are some great tips to get you started. High-ethylene producers like bananas, tomatoes, avocados, and apples will naturally cause more delicate produce like leafy greens, cruciferous veggies, asparagus, and peppers to ripen or spoil. It’s best to store these separate from each other, in their designated produce drawers in your fridge. Garlic and potatoes like to breathe so it’s best to store these in a cool, dry place like your pantry. Before you unpack your basket head to our A-Z storage guide to make sure you are unpacking your produce correctly.
ROOT TO FRUIT
Farmers work incredibly hard for months and months to get produce to our baskets so let’s be sure to use up every bit of our food – root to fruit. This season, learn to love your green tops. There are so many ways to use up beet greens, carrots tops, and the list goes on. Take a peek at our viral reels for some of these tips. (link) Keep the skins (we’re looking at your potatoes, apples, pears) on! This will not only help prevent waste, but get you more bank for your buck – just make sure to give your fruits and veg a good scrub first. Herb stems and strawberry leaves might seem like an obvious thing to toss away, but they are in fact edible. Herb stems pack just as much flavour as their fragrant petals, and strawberry leaves are unnoticeable once blended in your morning smoothie.
Not sure of the best storage practices for all of your finds? Head to our A-Z guide for helpful food-saving tips!
