Simple Solutions

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS #3

One thing most people can agree on is that the persistently rising cost of food is unsettling to a person’s/family’s pocketbook.  The first simple solution today deals with a very inexpensive way to preserve your fresh vegetables, so that they last much longer. It saves you time and gas money as you won’t have to shop for them as often.  Also, you won’t waste as much food as you will have more time to use or cook up the vegetables.

5. A better way to store fresh vegetables

Did you know that storing your vegetables in plastic bags makes the produce sweat?  This shortens the life of your produce,  making them limp, mushy or spotted earlier then necessary.

Do you remember the small brown paper lunch sacks that we used to carry meals for school or work?  Well, I discovered that they are great for storing my newly bought produce in my refrigerator that I won’t be using for up to 2 weeks.  I have been successful with asparagus, bell peppers, sweet peppers, celery, zucchini, cucumbers, mushrooms, onions, cabbage, and other vegetables.

The cost of the lunch bags is easy on your wallet and are reusable several times.  My first pack of bags lasted me over a year.  I recently bought a second pack of 50 brown lunch bags at WINCO for $1.41.  You can also purchase the bags from Walmart or online.

You will need for each type of vegetable bought:

1. Enough paper lunch sacks to comfortably hold the separate types of produce.
2. Rubber bands, twist ties, or scotch tape to seal bag once packed.
3. Ink pen or magic marker to write type of produce on bag for easier identification when retrieving bag from refrigerator.

Now, simply place each type of vegetable into its own separate bag.  If there is enough room once packed, just fold down the top of the bag to seal it.  Otherwise use a rubber band, twist tie, or scotch tape to seal the bag tight to keep out most of the air.

For larger items, like asparagus and celery, make sure to keep the original store bands that encircle them.  Then place one bag over the banded asparagus spears or celery tops. You will need a second bag to pull up over the asparagus stalks or celery bottom. Now, wrap a rubber band around the outer most bag making sure to compress most of the air out of the bags.  This will help keep these veggies crisp.

6. A “Why didn’t I think of that?” way to store sheets and pillowcases.

I must confess, my linen storage area was often a mess.  Although my sheets and pillowcases were folded, they did not necessarily stay together in corresponding sizes. IE: Twin, Queen, King.  Often, I had to “treasure hunt” to find the matching pieces.

This “ah-ha” solution brought an immediate smile to my face when I read it last year. You save storage space, time, exasperation, and it costs you nothing!

Once you have laundered and folded a matching sheet/pillowcase set, neatly pile it together. Take the top pillowcase, open it, and tuck the rest of the folded linen set inside.  Then store it.

The sheets will get less wrinkles and you won’t have to go searching for the “right” pieces when it is time to change the bed.