Help Please... Pre-preparing Salads, Veggies and Fruit

Tiddlywinks · 18 April 2017 at 12:38PM

Health issues mean that I need to maximise opportunities to prepare fresh fruit and veg in bulk for using 'as and when' BUT am worried about how long they'll last once prepared.

How long would you keep washed cut lettuce, celery etc?

Also washed grapes and tomatoes? Prepared greens and cabbage? Grated carrot?

I know they will 'lose' nutrients too so want to avoid the worst of this... all stuff will be kept in plastic boxes in the fridge.

Any hints and tips gladly welcomed.

Kunoichi73 · 18 April 2017 at 12:44PM

I often prepare a mixed salad of peppers, cucumber, chives, celery and tomatoes on a Sunday and it will keep OK in the fridge until Thursday or Friday. Don't chop the tomatoes and it keeps better. Have you thought about buying frozen fruit - you can then defrost the amount you want for the next day overnight. Lettuce has a tendency to go brown. You could add fresh spinach by the handful. Frozen veggies are also a good choice, just be aware that they can give off a lot of water when cooked.

moneyistooshorttomention · 18 April 2017 at 1:44PM

I tend to thinking "good idea in principle to pre-prepare veggies - but in practice they lose nutrients" - so avoid it as far as possible.

Had you thought of:
- growing beansprouts of various descriptions (loads of nutrients and you can pick them just before using)?

- have you got any garden space at all - and you could grow a few fast-growing type things (eg green salad veggies)?

Tiddlywinks · 18 April 2017 at 2:14PM

My issue is lack of dexterity, pain and fatigue. So when I do things I need to make them count.

If I'm preparing fruit and veggies then I want to do enough to last a few days so that I have them available when I can't physically handle the prep.

For instance, I like to keep grapes, toms, celery and peppers ready for action as I don't always have the oomph to do them on a whim.

I might sit fancying some grapes but actually not be able to have them because my hands aren't working well enough to pluck and wash them... but if they're ready in a tub then munching can begin.

Same with veggies - the cooking is usually less of an issue than the prep of the ingredients. Hence, needing tips on bulk prep for use later.

Help?...

caronc · 18 April 2017 at 2:41PM

Grapes will be fine (as will unchopped toms) if you wash and then dry them. If I buy loose grapes I always wash and dry them before I put them in the fridge and they last just fine for a good number of days. If you are portioning and tubbing/bagging them as well as drying them I'd pop a bit of kitchen roll in the tub/bag and change it if it gets soggy.

JIL · 18 April 2017 at 10:41PM

I pulled all my grapes off the stalks and washed and dried them and put them back in the tub, they were fine for over a week.
Lakeland sell these and other bits
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/1094/20-Lakeland-Stayfresh-Longer-Vegetable-Storage-Bags-(25-x-38cm)-

Bags of salad and chopped Cabbage stores better if a piece of kitchen roll goes in the bag to soak up moisture.

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Help Please... Pre-preparing Salads, Veggies and Fruit

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