As summer is coming to a close, there will be a lot of changes coming in the next few weeks. One of those changes (and probably my most dreaded) is that most of the great veggies and fruits will soon be out of season. I haven't purchased vegetables or fruit from a grocery story in months. I've gotten them either from my garden (or family's) or a produce stand. They've been so delicious. As the season changes, we'll have a few vegetables and apples that will be in season, but most of them will be gone.
As vegetables and fruits go out of season, you don't really notice too much of a difference in the produce section. That's because grocery story still have food shipped in from California or Florida. Usually these foods sit on a truck for over a week or more. Once a vegetable is picked from its plant, it begins to lose nutrients almost immediately. With all the time that elapses as the food is being shipped, the vegetables and fruits that we get in the grocery stores during fall and winter have very little vitamins and minerals left in them.
So today's What to Eat Wednesday is...
FROZEN VEGETABLES AND FRUIT!
You can freeze your own (or can) or you can purchase them already frozen. Frozen fruits and vegetables are frozen at their freshest state. That state happens to also be the time that they are full of the most minerals and vitamins. Unlike canned foods, frozen do not have added salt. So, during the colder months- it is actually healthier to eat frozen than to eat fresh!
I spend a lot of time during the summer preparing and freezing fruits and vegetables that I love. I just put up a ton of peaches just this week. You can freeze almost anything (I'll try anything once)! I freeze peaches, okra, tomatoes (cooked), strawberries, scuppernongs, green beans, corn, pesto, and soup made with fresh vegetables. I pay a lot less for these things during the summer because they are in season and then get to enjoy fresh vegetables and fruits all winter long! You may not have frozen anything this summer, but you can go ahead and start planning to next summer! :)
We just planted broccoli, brussel sprouts, and carrots and I am very excited to try freezing these this year.
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