We have given some thought and conversation to the idea of cooking a week's worth of vegetables over the weekend. Such a good way to enjoy your vegetables — have them ready and waiting. Well, the same goes for fruit.
Not all fruit is as easy to eat as a banana. Some take a little prep. Strawberries, raspberries, melons — I like to wash, peel, and slice a big batch of these or other fruit over the weekend, and put it in the refrigerator for eating throughout the week. I find that I eat more fruit, and that I enjoy it more when it is cold from the fridge.
It's easier to make a dessert, too, out of strawberries and a little cream if the strawberries are already sliced up and soaking in their own juices.
I particularly love cutting up melon (I peel it like this) and chopping it up, chilling it until it gets ice cold.
What kinds of fruit do you prep ahead? What do you like to keep around? Any good tips for keeping fruit fresh and tasty in the fridge?
Related: How To Cut a Grapefruit In Segments for Easier Enjoyment
(Image: Faith Durand)
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I totally agree with you. Now that it's melon season, I buy watermelons and cantaloupe, slice them up and store them in tupperware in the fridge. That way, whenever I want melon, I just grab a cool container and a fork and I'm good to go. Other easy fruits like bananas, apples and oranges always hang out on the counter. For one they look pretty and also I believe you're more likely to reach for fruit if it's handy and obvious.
I've always heard that you shouldn't wash berries until you're just about to eat them. Is that not the case?
Raspberries should only need to be rinsed before eating, and unless you're doing the vinegar-rinse-spin-dry thing you mentioned in an earlier post, I don't see how that is going to save time if all it does is make them mold more quickly.
Strawberries it depends. If they are fragile, non-commercial varieties, then I say leave them until you are going to eat them. Most commercial varieties however are much sturdier and can often use some time macerating in a little sugar. So in that case, cleaning them makes sense.
And melons? Heck yes! Anything else though? I can't think of another fruit I would want pre-cut and waiting in the fridge. Except maybe tropical fruits like pineapple or mangoes.
I have an organic produce buying club here in Florida (go to face book...The Joy of Organics and please like). I know how important it is to eat the correct number of servings of fruits and veggies each day. I make a big fruit salad at least twice per week. When i cuit up the fruit I put about a tablspoon of local honey and this not only adds flavor, but keeps the fruit fresh. We eat this every morning for breakfast. I like to add a spoonful of cottage cheese and eat it with homemade sourdough whole wheat toast bread MMMMM!