Cooking with discount produce
Clean out the crisper recipes
Intro
One of the cheapest places to get fresh fruits and veggies is the discount rack at the grocery store. Grocers often sell perfectly good produce at cut-rate prices as soon as it passes peak ripeness, or just because it has a small cosmetic defect. You find these deals on a shelf in the produce department, or a display near the tills at the front of the store. Smartphone users may also find specials on discounted food apps, which allows local stores to post foods that are marked down for being near expiration.
Discount produce is usually less perfect than the stuff that’s being sold at full price. If you’re not used to it, it can be hard to tell whether fruits and veggies are spoiled or just past their prime. If you’re not sure, check out our article about produce food safety for some tips about what’s still good to eat, and what’s ready to go in the compost.
Once you’ve gotten your fruits and veggies home, the challenge is to do something with them before they expire. Our food preservation section has tips about how to properly store, freeze, dehydrate, ferment and can produce to extend its shelf life. Alternatively, try some of the ideas below! Most of these recipes are flexible enough to use just about anything you find on a discount rack. They’re also great for clearing out the kitchen if you’ve got some produce that’s about to go bad at home.
Veggies
Soup is a classic way to use up all of the veggies in the crisper. You can try the recipes below, or if you're feeling experimental, try inventing your own using the flexible soup framework in "Soup made simple"
- Harvest chicken soup
- Minestrone
- Extended chili
- Chickpea curry
- Chicken corn chowder
- Soup made simple framework
2. Make bean or pasta salad
Bean or pasta salad makes a great light meal or hearty side for hot summer days, when no one wants to turn on the stove. You can make it ahead of time with whatever veggies you have on hand, and leave it in the fridge until it’s time to eat.
3. Try a stir-fry or fried rice
Stir-fry doesn't take more than a half hour, a hot pan, whatever random vegetables you have to get rid of, and some noodles or rice to put them on. It's a perfect meal for a busy weeknight or low-energy day. If you have some leftover rice to use up, you can try fried rice too!
4. Roasted veggies
Most of us have had baked potatoes, but you might not have tried roasting other kinds of veggies. Once you do, you’ll be hooked! Prep is as simple as doing some chopping and dumping everything on a baking sheet, and even limp, tired veggies come out crispy and delicious after a little time in the oven.
Fruit
If you like baking, the following recipes are pretty simple to whip up, and are versatile enough to be delicious with a wide variety of fruits, and veggies too!
- Flexible muffins
- Quick fruit bread
- Flexible fruit crisp
- Saskatoon berry turnovers
- Grandma Martin's pie
2. Make a freezer snack
Smoothie packs and ice cream are two fruity treats that make expiring produce into snacks that can wait in the freezer until you’re ready to eat them. They only take a few minutes to throw together, and then you’re set up with grab-and-go healthy snacks for the week!
3. Cook it down
If all else fails, you can always throw your fruit in a pot on the stove and cook it down. Fruit compote and berry pudding are stovetop recipes that can be enjoyed as is, or added to pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, and yogurt for delicious toppings.