Money Saving Kitchen Hack - Stocking Up

 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. Psalm 20:4

Wellness Tip

It’s great to eat fresh produce when it’s in season. But ever crave fresh berries in the winter? They just don’t taste the same and they’re crazy expensive! Thankfully, there’s a way to enjoy great taste and save a little bit of cash. Here’s how you can plan ahead.

Buy some of your favourite items while they’re in season or on sale! Then stock up your freezer for easy and convenient noshing throughout the year. Here are some of our favourites:

Kale: buy it in bunches. De-stem, chop into bite size pieces and wash in cool water. Let it thoroughly dry and place in freezer bags for freezing. Use in smoothies, soups or stir-frys. Don’t like kale? You can also freeze spinach, chard, collards, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and peas.

Berries: Make sure berries are not bruised or unripe. Remove stems, rinse in cool water and let them completely dry. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place in the freezer until frozen solid. Store in freezer bags. Use for smoothies and desserts. Don’t like berries? You can also freeze: bananas, pineapples, cherries mangos, peaches, apples, oranges, nectarines, kiwi and avocados.

Herbs: Chop them finely, place into ice-cube trays, and cover with water or olive oil and freeze. Once they are frozen, take out the cubes and place in a freezer bag. Use in soups, stew and casseroles.

Cheese: Look for hard and semi-hard cheeses like parmesan, cheddar and mozzarella. Grate them and place into air-tight freezer bags. We recommend portioning them in 1-2 cup servings for convenience.