Almanac for Homemakers

Cooking Fresh Vegetables "Remove bruised, wilted, yellowed, or tough portions from fresh vegetables. Trim sparingly to avoid excessive loss of food and nutrients." It's summer time! That means that a lot of fresh produce is in season. You should be able to buy and keep fresh produce now for cooking rather than getting items canned. You might even save money on buying fresh now! Save getting canned items for fall and winter time. Try to buy veggies that you are planning to cook within a few days. Don't leave them to rot on your countertop or in your fridge. Here are some cooking tips from our Almanac: 1. Wash all vegetables before cooking. Especially leafy greens. They grow in the dirt so chances are you are going to find dirt. You can see in our Homemaker Heroine in the picture of the day! She is washing in a colander and lifting from the water, letting the dirty water to pour out. 2. To ensure the best flavor and textur...

Guidelines for Buying Fresh Fruit "Fresh fruits are available in fairly good supply in our stores through most of the year, but quality is usually higher and prices more reasonable if you make it a point to buy a particular fruit in its most abundant season." Buying fruit when it is in season is always best. You want to get produce at it's peak for optimum flavor and quality. The USDA has a Seasonal Produce Guide. Our Almanac even suggests reading the newspaper for clues to see when fruits will be available in which season. Here are some tips on buying fresh fruits: Low Prices Low prices means that the item is in abundance. Don't go too crazy when prices drop! You could end up throwing out food you didn't eat. So don't waste your money when the sales come. Don't Buy by Size Alone Large-sized fruit doesn't really meant that it is the best quality. Select fruit that is best suited for your needs. Appearances can b...