In order to simplify meal preparation, I keep several often used veggies chopped and stored in 5 cup containers in the fridge. When I begin a recipe, it's great to have the onion, celery, bell peppers, etc all ready to go!
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Purchasing matching containers helped motivate me to do this and the inside of my fridge looks tidy and organized.
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I have been doing this for years. I also keep boiled potatoes with the skin on in the fridge in a strainer. They will keep up to two to three weeks depending on size and type. I also keep boiled eggs on hand. With the chopped veggies on hand as well, you can make quick foods like; Potatoe Salad, Lettuce Salads with egg slices, egg salad, tuna salad, vegetable salad, chicken salad, turkey/egg salad, with the eggs and more. The boiled potatoes can make: potatoe salad, fried potatoes, baked potatoes, microwave potatoes, scalloped potatoes, mashed potatoes, any kind of potatoe you want, even a quick potatoe soup. I call all this my prep-fridge foods. I have to save time in cooking and this has always been a life saver.
LORIBUG3/25/2010 4:53:00 PM
I'm trying to do this too. Try to always have veggies in the house and cut up or used before they go bad. The other evening I had just enough time after supper and errands to chop a bunch of stir fry veggies. We didn't get to them last night but tonight they're ready for hubby to start stir-frying so we can eat when I get home!
CEEWASH695/7/2012 7:55:00 AM
How do you store the pre-cut veggies-in an airtight container or storage bags, & how long will they last?
HBIC341/30/2012 9:49:00 PM
I also do this but I freeze them in my food saver bags, it keeps them a long time and always have them when I need them. Love the potato tip I was not aware of this.
AVMAURA10/3/2010 6:43:00 PM
I do this and it helps so much....I throw away less rotted food also....my fridge looks nice too
Choose 2 or 3 meals that you can prepare quickly. Then keep those ingredients on hand so that you can prepare meals quickly any time. You then won't be tempted to go to the fast food places.
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Some things can be prepared ahead. Others don't need to be. I personally can make a taco salad for myself very quickly. I have other choices too.
I take a half hour on Sunday Morning to plan out my meals for the week. This way I don't have to scramble each morning making sure I have a healthy meal ready when I get home from the gym. I prepare meals in the morning befor work, so that my husband can put it in the oven when he gets home!
