Fresh Produce

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I get a few questions about what seems to be my lack of produce on my grocery lists. SOOO, let me try to fill in the blanks for you!
Usually you only see me buy frozen fruits and veggies at the store: the fruits are great for smoothies and the veggies for soups, casseroles or side dishes. Once in a while I get canned veggies - usually only chili beans and tomatoes for stews and chili. All of those I can get at greatly reduced prices with sale pricing and coupons.

We DO have a lot of fresh fruit bearing items in our backyard. Everything from apples to rhubarb. We freeze it, preserve it and munch on it. Occasionally I do get fresh fruit to add to the breakfast choices (grapes, grapefruit, bananas, strawberries, mandarin oranges) and use the aging items for making jam or breads.

There are Freecycle offers for garden surplus. We have gotten tomatoes, zucchini and beans in nice quantities this summer which have led to salsa, pickles and oven roasted green beans.

Then there is the swap option! Something that I stock up on and get to swap a friend or family member for. My next door neighbor makes the best Greek salad you could ever wrap your lips around...My mom had zucchini that was grated and frozen in two cup portions so I can make bread over the winter. Maybe I offer up juice, or oatmeal, or boxed cereal - it just depends on what they need! Tonight, the neighbor got some pizza - but I had Greek salad last night, complete with Feta cheese and mini tomatoes!
=)
We WILL hit the pumpkin patch this fall and pick up some squash too -- nothing like butternut squash soup or roasted acorn squash on a cold day!

I hope that clears things up - you can eat very well while keeping a budget and using coupons. It is not all boxed, pre-processed stuff - although my daughter thinks the Yoplait Delites yogurt is really pudding, LOL! It's all in how you "sell it" to them - she almost begs for that chocolate raspberry treat!
=)
Until next time --
Dannelle

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