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Simple Tips to Make Fresh Food Last Longer

4/24/2020

Though there are no major shortages of food in this country, canned and frozen foods may be difficult to find due to consumer stockpiling. Fear not - fresh foods can also be frozen at home. Refer to our chart below to learn how to freeze them.

Plus Here's 4 Tips to Make Your Produce Last Longer:

Separate and layer heads of lettuce with paper towels - the towels will absorb excess moisture and help prevent premature spoilage

Give your berries a quick vinegar bath - mix 1 cup distilled white vinegar with 3 cups water in a bowl and soak the berries for a few minutes (this will kill mold spores, which can make fruit spoil quicker), then rinse and dry thoroughly

Wrap whole cucumbers, zucchini, and summer squash in plastic wrap - this minimizes moisture loss and helps keep them crisp

Try frozen grapes - if refrigerated grapes don't last as long as you'd like, throw them in the freezer for a sweet, refreshing snack that will keep for months

REFERENCES
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Frequently Asked Questions. FDA. Accessed March 2020.
Demichele, K. How to Store Fruits and Vegetables. Cook's Illustrated. 2019. Accessed March 2020.
Refrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart. FDA. 2018. Accessed March 2020.
The Big Thaw - Safe Defrosting Methods for Consumers. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. 2013. Accessed March 2020.

By Kylie Sakaida, MS, RD, LDN

3 Ways to Make Healthy Meals Using Long-lasting Ingredients

4/13/2020

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Avoid unnecessary trips to the grocery store by making use of long-lasting ingredients. To create a supportive meal, mix and match simple combinations of starch, produce, protein, and healthy fats (like olive oil and olives).

1. Utilize Tortillas to Make a Variety of Quesadillas and Tacos

PROTEIN OPTIONS: black, pinto, or garbanzo beans, frozen shrimp, or cheese
PRODUCE OPTIONS: frozen spinach, peppers, or broccoli and jarred salsa

Tip: frozen produce often has just as many - if not more - vitamins than fresh

2. Use Leftover Grains (Like Rice or Quinoa) for a Stir-fry

PROTEIN OPTIONS: tofu or eggs
PRODUCE OPTIONS: frozen broccoli, peas, or peppers and canned vegetables like baby corn or mushrooms

3. Get Creative with Pasta

PROTEIN OPTIONS: white beans, chickpeas, anchovies, or tuna
PRODUCE OPTIONS: garlic and onions, canned tomatoes (or tomato paste), dried mushrooms and herbs (like basil, oregano, or thyme), jarred roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and frozen broccoli or spinach

Tip: try this pasta with chickpeas recipe, which utilizes only pantry ingredients

By Kylie Sakaida, MS, RD, LDN

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Keep Supportive Staples on Hand for Your Health

4/3/2020

Getting enough vitamin A, C, and E is important for maintaining a healthy immune system. Most of us don't need supplements to do this. In fact, you can support your immune system even while minimizing grocery store trips.

Here's how to stock your kitchen with healthy foods that have low perishability:

Broccoli, spinach, and peppers are vitamin C-packed veggies that hold up well to freezing - add them to eggs, pasta, and soup.

Citrus fruits also contain vitamin C - toss 1/2 cup canned pineapple over cottage cheese, yogurt, or even oatmeal and get about 10% of your daily requirements of the nutrient. Better yet, canned mandarins offer roughly 40% per serving.

Nuts and seeds have a long shelf life and are excellent sources of vitamin E - they'll last even longer if you store them in the fridge or freezer.

Don't forget vitamin A - stock up on canned salmon and dried fruits like mango or apricots.

Spice up your pantry with paprika or red pepper (like cayenne) for a vitamin A kick - 1 teaspoon provides 5% of your daily value.

REFERENCES:
Labeling Daily Values. NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Accessed April 2020.
USDA Nutrient Database Laboratory. Accessed April 2020.
Vitamin A. NIH: Office of Dietary Supplements. Last updated February 14 2020. Accessed March 2020.
Vitamin C. NIH: Office of Dietary Supplements. Last updated February 27 2020. Accessed March 2020.
Vitamin E. NIH: Office of Dietary Supplements. Last updated February 28 2020. Accessed March 2020.

By Kristine Miklos, MS, RD, LDN

Simple Tips to Make Fresh Food Last Longer

3 Ways to Make Healthy Meals Using Long-lasting Ingredients

Keep Supportive Staples on Hand for Your Health

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