Natural Awakenings Twin Cities March 2023

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET
letter from the publisher
TWIN CITIES EDITION
Publisher Candi Broeffle
Editors Cheryl Hynes
Randy Kambic
Ad Sales Candi Broeffle
Design & Production Sara Shrode
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P.O. Box 27617
Golden Valley, MN 55427
Ph: 763-270-8604
NAtwincities.com
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March is the month of the year at Natural Awakenings that we
honor all things food and nutrition. Many of us are adding
more fresh produce into our diets, yet the inflated cost of groceries
can make it difficult to do so. For many of us experiencing less
people in our home due to children leaving the nest or, in my case,
transitioning from caring for four adults (who loved to eat) to only
my husband and me, purchasing and cooking smaller amounts of
food is initially disorienting.
For the past 30-plus years, I have purchased the majority of our
Candi Broeffle
fresh produce at farmers markets or, in winter months, the large
membership warehouses. Now that we no longer need eight green peppers a week or a
20-pound bag of onions at a time, I have been trying to find an affordable way to purchase
smaller amounts of these items. I am surprised by the difference in cost per item and often the
inferior quality. It has made me think about how we can still get the quality and cost to which
we are accustomed without wasting food we cannot use before it goes bad.
Growing up in a large farm family with limited resources, I learned a lot about properly
storing the food we grew, including canning, freezing and dehydrating. These are all fantastic
options for extending the life of fresh produce, but your fruits and vegetables are no longer in
the raw state. Some of the tricks I have learned to extend the life of our raw produce include:
• Nearly ripe bananas – if non-organic, rinse the entire bunch of bananas with cool
water to remove the ethylene gas used to make it ripen them, which will slow the
process. Store in a cool space and wrap the stem of all bananas with aluminum foil.
• Bell peppers, celery, lettuce and zucchini – clean with a mixture of white vinegar and
water, dry completely, wrap in aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator. Cut bell
peppers with the seeds removed can also be stored this way to extend their freshness.
• Berries, grapes and cherry tomatoes – clean and dry thoroughly and store in a glass
jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add a paper towel to the bottom of the jar to absorb any
moisture. These will last up to three weeks when stored this way.
• Whole lemons and ripe avocados – place in a wide mouth canning jar, cover with
water and a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator. If you have used only half
an avocado, you can store the other half, with the pit in place, in the water as well.
• Carrots and cucumbers – clean, cut, place in a glass jar, cover with water and a tightfitting
lid and place in the refrigerator.
• Fresh herbs – cut the stems and place in a jar of cold water, cover the tops with a
plastic bag and place in the refrigerator. For dill, I prefer to clean, dry, chop and freeze
it on a parchment-covered cookie sheet. Once frozen, place in a freezer bag and roll to
remove the air. It can be used the same as you would fresh dill and tastes just as good.
Another idea I have recently implemented is to share with friends larger quantity
purchases. We have a small number of single people and couples who now purchase some
of the produce, eggs and other items I regularly buy from the membership warehouse. I do
most of the shopping and divvying up of the items which is ideal as it allows me to continue
purchasing at the best prices sans waste.
With the increasing costs of groceries and living expenses, we need to be more creative
and collaborative—Bonus: it is also a great way to build community spirit!
In Friendship,
Candi Broeffle, Publisher
4 Twin Cities Edition NAtwincities.com