Hi everyone. Well... today has been a rough day for me. As most of you know if there is bad weather out I freak out! Panic attacks so to speak. Anyway, we have had nasty storms here through out the day for the most part since about 6 this morning. Which means... I do NOT leave town... period! I am lucky to walk out of my house on days like these!
Anyway, with winter nearing us I need to start to prepare myself with my new diet lifestyle. Unless it is a really nice day (no snow on the streets, not snowing, not raining, no wind etc.) I won't go to the store, which is 30 minutes plus away from me down country roads. So I am stuck shopping in my town at a little store (that looks kind of like a convienent store pretty much lol) up the road.
Here are my questions.... because our little local store is limited: 1. What is the healthiest form of canned fruit? 2. Frozen veggies are almost as good as fresh right?
Well, I had a ton more questions but someone said something in my house and I lost them! If I think of the other questions I will post them as they come to me. I hate being stuch here... but I fear bad weather for some reason. I can't handle it at all. It does not help that I live out in the country in the middle of corn fields llol. Anyway, we have more storms heading my way so I am not going to gp into details about the storms lol in fear it might jinx me lol.
Anyway, thanks a million in advance. I am trying to stead ahead of things and be prepared so I can continue to eat healthier no matter what. I appreciate all advice.
If you can't get out to get fresh, frozen is next best and then canned. You can rince canned to removed a bunch of salt too.
I stock up. Right now vegetables are in season and the price is right. I buy a few more than I need and put them away. I steamed two heads of cauliflower this afternoon and froze them. I've been buying big bags of frozen ones we like and throwing them in the big freezer for a snowy day
Canned fruit? It ain't great but ... it's better than none. can you get it packed in it's own juice? Pineapple, peaches, applesauce ....
I always rinse my cans out several times no matter where it comes from. Removing unwanted stuff and salts like susan suggested. I also buy the corn frozen and peas. Next summer I want to can my own veggies (I hope). Im alittle leary about canned anything no matter if its fruit or not. I guess its because it all has preservatives in them.
Thanks guys! I am really hoping that one day we get a regular grocery store closer out here. It will make everything a lot easier.
Awhile ago when fresh beans were on sale I bought them out. And I seperrated them at home and froze them. They didn't taste very good once we cooked (steamed) and ate them. I froze them fresh... was I supposed to cook them first? I would love to stock up on stuff... but everytime I do things get wasted.
I am not sure what our little store has for canned fruits but I would think they would have some good ones without all of the garbage syrups in them. I will have to check that out.
Thanks again you guys!! I appreciate all of your help.
About preserving ... my Mom put everything aay for winter. So did my Mother in law. I should have been paying attention
Instead I go to Google ... click more ...click directories ...click cooking ... click canning and freezing. And learn what I probably should have learned when I was a kid
Did you blanch them before you froze them? It's really necessary to stop the action of the enzymes or you will loose color, flavor and texture.
I'm assuming by "seperated" you are talking about string beans, aka snap beans, aka green beans, aka pole beans (Here in the south they're pole beans before they grow outta the ground, string beans during harvest and storage and green beans after they're cooked, lol)? Anyway, after you do that to blanch them you bring them to a rolling boil for 3 minutes. Then remove them from the heat and get the cold exremely FAST. I do this with a strainer and a few ice cubes while running cold water over them. Once they are cold you can freeze them. Be sure they are drained well or they could get freezer burn.
Blanching is also good for washing off all the dirt and poisons(if they're not organic) that the farmer used.
Last edited by 1dayatatime; 09-20-2005 at 10:24 PM.
Yeah, you have to blanch the beans before freezing them. Frozen veggies (that you buy) are actually sometimes even more nutritious than fresh ones because they're frozen hours after the harvest as opposed to fresh veggies that need to be transported to the supermarket and then await sale. But since you cook them the same way frozen or fresh the end result is pretty much the same. So to sum up - yep, they're just as good!
As for frozen fruit how about strawberries or melon balls (I haven't actually tasted the latter so they might be awful...but strawberries are always nice!)
I always buy frozen green beans instead of fresh. For some reason, the fresh beans around here never look too fresh, lol, but the frozen beans are always perfect. My favorite way to prepare them is to toss them (still frozen) with a small amount of olive oil, worcestershire sauce, salt, and fresh cracked black pepper. I spread them out in a baking pan and roast them in the oven at 425 until they just start to shrivel. Yummy
Snow white, what do you do with your frozen strawberries? They seem to be soft and mushy when thawed, so I just use them in smoothies. I'd love some new ideas for them, though, because I really love strawberries. It's amazing that you can get something so perfect for so few calories!
I freeze fruit when it's in season or on sale. Just wash and dry it, then put in on cookie sheets in the freezer. Once they are frozen, you can put them inplastic bags and they aren't one big lump. Strawberries, blueberries, peach slices, melon balls, banana chunks all work really well. Most of them do come outa bit mushier than if they were fresh, but they are fine for smoothies or fuit and oatmeal pancakes.
Vegies don't seem much less expensive to buy frozen out-of-season, ulessyou grow them yourself. I just buy them frozen since I gave up my vegie garden to the deer,
Lots of good information here already. I buy vegetabls fresh in the summer time because we have a fruit/veg stand not far from my house. They pick them fresh every morning and bring them down and sell them. Other than that, you don't know how long the vegetables have been on the shelf at the market, or how long it tookl them to get to you. Frozen vegetables are fine. Canned also. Most of the canneries are located by the fields so the canned thigns are fairly fresh also.
Fruit I buy fresh when I can. but the frozen is fine. Yeah, strawberries are a little mushey, so I use them in yogurt and smoothies. Cook them and thinken them a little and serve them over angel food cake. I always wash my fruit and vegetables with soap and water to remove all the sprays.
Yeah, walking outside will soon become a chore. do you have a treadmill? Tapes? You can still manage to get exercise, it just takes a little more effort!
Well Bev, they're not like fresh. I use mine mostly in shakes so it doesn't matter. I do eat the odd bowl full. I just don't let them thaw all the way. Still not like fresh, but at least I have fruit in the house.
You guys are all so awesome! I don't know what I would do without you! Sorry it took me so long to get on here and read your posts and learn! It has been a hectic week.. as explained on another board now. I do thank you for all of your support here though!
I did talk to the local little grocery store here in my town. He is going to order more fresh veggies and fruits. And he is going to order more things without sugar and some other stuff too! So that will help. But I still prefer Kroger's and I can't wait to go shopping there again!!!!
Questions for the calorie counters.... TIA!
I froze them fresh... was I supposed to cook them first? I would love to stock up on stuff... but everytime I do things get wasted. 
