How to Save Fruits and Vegetables That are Going Bad

Today’s kitchen tip shares a surefire way to save fruits and vegetables that are going bad.  Everyone overbuys produce at one time or another, and it can be sad to see fresh produce going bad.  In that situation, you can see them getting riper by the day, you can try to use them as fast as possible, but sometimes there’s no way to eat it all before it gets rotten.
How can you use fruits and vegetables in a hurry to keep them from going to go to waste?  In this method, you’ll either need to have a blender, food processor, or some similar kitchen tool.
For large quantities, such as a whole bag of oranges or several bunches of bananas, I’ll use a larger food processor or blender.  In that case, cutting the fruit into smaller pieces usually isn’t necessary, which saves time.  When I’m doing small batches of fruits or vegetables, I prefer to use the Magic Bullet, which is a handy mini food processor.  (My husband and I bought this gadget years ago and it has come in handy over and over again!  I used it to make all of my homemade baby food.)
A perfect way to save overripe fruits and vegetables at the last minute is to puree and freeze them to be incorporated into cooking later.  Freezer produce will have a much longer storage life than fruit stored either in the refrigerator or out on the counter top.
To avoid fruits and vegetables from being wasted, use the following preservation trick with step by step instructions.
To prepare:
1.  Wash the fruits or vegetables.
2.  Cut up the fruit in half or into smaller pieces, depending on what kind of machine you’ll be using.
3.  Using a blender or food processor, puree the fruit under creamy and frothy.  Aim for the consistency of applesauce.
4.  Pour single size servings of a few ounces into small plastic containers with lids that are freezer-safe.  Don’t fill the containers all the way; the puree will expand when frozen, so make sure to leave a little extra room in the container.
5.  Seal containers tightly.
6.  Label each container on the outside with freezer tape or masking tape.  List the contents and today’s date.

When Ready to Use:

1.  Remove container from freezer and put into the refrigerator to thaw.
2.  Fruit can be microwaved (as long as the container is microwave-safe) to heat or finish defrosting.
3.  Mix the pureed fruit or vegetable into your favorite food or serve straight.
Here are some different ways that pureed fruits and vegetables can be incorporated into your cooking:

• Hot Breakfast Cereal.  Mix apricots, apples, nectarines, peaches, and other fruits into oatmeal, cream of wheat, grits or porridge.
• Spaghetti and Pasta Sauce.  Mix pureed spinach, tomatoes, squash, or zucchini into spaghetti sauce.
• Cream Sauces / Alfredo Sauces. Mix pureed cauliflower, broccoli, or acorn squash into your cream sauces for a heartier and more nutritious option.

Love kitchen tips?  You should read our kitchen tips on How to Protect Produce From Spoiling with Sponges and why you would want to Freeze Extra Food in Ice Cube Trays.