"Processing" My Unprocessed Groceries

 

I utilize a lot of little tricks and tactics to extend my groceries and make them last longer, go further and stave off spoilage or waste.  I find by doing these simple things it will allow me to really get my money’s worth.

 

Diluting whole milk has saved my quite a bit over the years

as well as making my own yogurt

When I open a carton of organic ultra pasteurized whole milk the first thing I like to do is pour a pint of the milk into a clean quart jar and fill it up with filtered water.  The texture and flavor doesn’t seem diluted at all.  I use this quart of diluted whole milk on homemade granola, a bowl of oatmeal and in any of my recipes that calls for milk.  Next I take three cups of the whole milk and use it to make my own homemade Greek yogurt.

 

Berries last much longer after a vinegar & water bath

I wash my produce in a bath of cool water with a splash of white vinegar to remove any dirt and potential bacteria that will cause spoilage and mold to form on my fruits and vegetables.  I’ve found over the years that doing this really helps me keep my produce longer. I’m always amazed at how dirty this water gets and how much debris settles in the bottom of my sink.

 

I buy block cheeses to avoid the anti caking agents added to the pre grated bags

I buy block cheeses, grate them myself and place two cups of cheese into sandwich size Ziploc bags.  I squeeze as much air out as I zip it closed.  Once all of my cheese is packaged I’ll place all of the bags inside a larger Ziploc bag which adds another layer of protection to prevent freezer burn before I use it all up.  I do not add any type of starch to my cheese to prevent it from sticking as I personally do not find it is needed.

 

When I open a package of baby spinach or any other greens I tuck a paper towel or napkin along the inside of the bag to soak up condensation.  I will also add a paper towel to my container of spring greens salad mix.  When I buy a whole head of lettuce I remove the outer leaves, rinse it in the vinegar water bath and allow it to dry.  Then I place it in a Ziploc bag, but I leave it open in the crisper drawer to prevent condensation from forming.

 

Apples, oranges, strawberries and grapes do well once they are rinsed in the vinegar water bath and allowed to dry.  Apples and oranges are then placed into a bowl for fresh eating.  I do find apples will keep even longer in a closed Ziploc bag when placed in the refrigerator.  Once rinsed and dried I will place grapes (removed from the stems), strawberries or any berries into an airtight container for the refrigerator or a Ziploc bag and placed into the freezer.

 

I use my old camping cooler in the garage to store potatoes

I store loose onions and potatoes in the refrigerator however I do not wash them until I am ready to use them.  If I find I have more onions than I can use before it spoils I’ll chop it up, place it in a Ziploc bag and freeze.  I also do this with celery and mushrooms.  When I find a really good deal on potatoes I find I can store them in a cooler in my garage during the cooler months.  Because they like cool dark places I find storing them this way helps them last much longer.  Potatoes that are starting to get soft can be peeled and canned or made into mashed potatoes or fries for the freezer.

 

Vegetable scraps don’t go to waste either.  The ends and peelings from carrots are given to the bunny, the chickens or added to a Ziploc bag I keep in the freezer for making stock.  I also add the trimmings from onions and other vegetables to this bag.  Potato peels go to the chickens, as they will make my stock cloudy, along with extra lettuce, spinach, tomatoes and other greens.  Nothing is wasted if someone is eating it, even the chickens.

 

A pound of ground meat is cut in half or thirds and placed into a vacuum bag and sealed.  Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are cut in half and vacuum sealed in meal size portions, sometimes I use seasoning or a marinade.  Chops and steaks are handled in much the same way.

 

I keep all bones from chicken and beef to add to my frozen veggie scraps and make stock or broth in my slow cooker which I allow to cook all day and often overnight to completely render it down.  I use the broth to make soups and gravy or to add to any recipe that calls for broth.  I will also use broth in place of water when I make rice or cook dry beans.  These broths are either canned or frozen and I do not add any salt to them until I am ready to cook with them.

 

My own home canned beans

I love having home canned soups on the shelf

I no longer buy canned beans.  Instead I will cook up a big batch of dry beans in my slow cooker and then freeze them in two cup containers or I will can dry beans in pint jars.  I use my own home canned beans to make refried beans, soups, chili and to extend taco meat or make burrito filling.

 

It does take a little extra time and effort once I get home from the store to do a lot of these things, but in the end it is well worth it.  I rarely ever have any food going into the trash and because of that my groceries last longer and that keeps me out of the grocery store.  The less I need to grocery shop the more money I save.  Besides, I’ve always found I’ve had far more time than money anyway.