Monthly food baskets from subscription plans are a great way to support our local farmers. They also are a fantastic opportunity to get fresh goods all year long, straight from the source. That being said, a mindful approach to such a wonderful system is to make sure we do our very best in reducing waste in food baskets.

Cooking Straight From The Source.

Depending on the size of our household, some baskets may seem overwhelming and the last thing we want is to have to discard some of those natural goodies. So how to manage a load of fresh food arriving all at once while reducing waste in food baskets ? The key is to prep as much as possible on arrival day, so it stays fresh and preserved. Starting by cooking the more fragile items and leaving the most resilient for last.

Open Your Taste Buds To New Flavors.

Not a fan of everything that’s inside the basket ? Not used to buying or dealing with some of those ingredients on a regular basis ? Well, that is the fun part ! Trying to work with uncommon items and boosting ourselves to get variety in our plates push our boundaries and make us explore new horizons. In the end, we will very likely discover—or rediscover—a forgotten flavor that we will simply fall in love with.

Frozen Fabulous.

Finding recipes that allow the meal to be frozen is the Grail of any busy family. No time to fix dinner tonight ? No biggie, thaw a homemade frozen meal and you can enjoy a comforting time together, no cooking required. Quite a night off really. 

Upcycling Leftovers.

If the amount of produce is too much for one serving, any leftover from first shot preparation is the perfect setting to be upcycled for day two. On that note, soups are a great way to reinvent leftovers, and a breeze to freeze. Set in single servings and thaw the night before for a healthy lunch on the go.

Salad greens are a perfect appetizer for dinner to boost our intake of fresh raw crudités, and make for a perfect salad to bring to the office the day after. Or even stuffed inside a wrap for convenience and added carbs and grains.

Reducing waste in food baskets does not have to be a burden for it is only a matter of organization and planning ahead of time to reserve a slot for preparation. And once we get into our routine, it is smooth sailing. Which makes me think… Do I have any leftovers for an impromptu sailing trip tomorrow by any chance ?