Staying Healthy and Sustainable During Winter
Getting your share of fruits and veggies in the winter without sacrificing sustainability is tough. In this post, I’ll teach you how to stay healthy and sustainable during the cooler months.
Freeze your food
Freezing your bounty from spring, summer, and fall can be a real lifesaver. Although frozen fruits and veggies will never spring back to their fresh-off-the-vine selves, they can still be made into some great meals.
Even foods that you’ve heard “can’t be frozen” (think: tomatoes, apples, watermelon…) can actually do pretty well in the freezer. Any chopped fruits or veggies can be great in smoothies, sauces, soups, stews or a butt ton of other delicious dishes. Just experiment to find what you like best.
To make sure your foods don’t get that narsty freezer burn, cool them in the fridge before freezing. When you’re ready to freeze, just transfer the food to a thicc glass, metal or reusable plastic container. Pop those puppies in the freezer and you’re good to go for months!
Can your food
I get it – canning is scary. You have to make sure you’re using a tested recipe, you have to use a thermometer, you have to deal with hot glass or complicated pressure sealers… BUT if you want to eat local fruits and vegetables in the winter, the canning process is most def worth it.
The folks over at Ball Jar are experts at canning methods, so I’ll leave the explaining to them. If you follow their tips, your fruits and vegetables can most def last you through the winter.
Make or Buy Dehydrated or Freeze Dried food
Freeze dried blueberries taste like CANDY
Dehydrating food is totally underrated in my opinion. You can dehydrate in the oven at a low temperature or you can buy an electric dehydrator if you dig it.
Apples are especially bomb when dehydrated, but you can dehydrate almost anything. Foodal has a great guide to dehydrating. Once your food is dehydrated, just store in an airtight container and you're good to go!
Freeze dried foods are also a v cool option for getting in your fruits and veggies during the winter. Freeze dried foods are normally picked at peak ripeness, so they're super delicious to nosh on with or without rehydrating.
The only downside to freeze-dried foods is that you can't freeze dry in your own home (unless your home is hella dope) so you can't really know the origins of these foods. Just research the brand before buying to make sure you agree with their farming philosophies.
If you want to rehydrate your foods, just place them in a little water and wait a few minute. Although dehydrated and freeze dried foods will never return to their raw selves, you’ll hardly know the difference if you add them to soups or other cooked dishes.
Learn which food grows in winter
You can still have some fresh produce when the temps get low. Some crops, like hearty greens, apples, cabbage, and root vegetables, are hearty enough to last through late November depending on how cold it gets in your area.
Even beyond November, some crops can thrive in greenhouses. To find greenhouse produce, you'll have to do some research in your area. It might be helpful to ask the farmers or vendors at your farmers market about local greenhouses before winter sets in.
Learn which food can be stored year-round
Root veggies can be kept in storage through the winter! Rejoice!
Other foods, like root veggies, winter squash and apples, can be kept in storage over the winter. Get to know your local farmers and buy directly from their storage, or just check the produce labels in the grocery store to see where your produce is coming from. If it’s a hearty crop and it’s from your area, it’s probably been kept in storage.
Again, learning which foods can be stored year-round might take some research. Generally, if it's the type of food that can last on your counter for over a week, you can probably find a local farmer who stores it.