staples (the kind you eat)

Glitter Ninja said:

I know this thread comes up once every six months or so, but I'm
planning on being a stay-at-home student-like being for a while, and
part of the way we can afford this is if I do the cooking instead of
fast or frozen foods.

Cooking at home is a good place to start. You can eat pretty well at home
for less than it costs for a fast food junk, and much healthier.

Quoted message said:

Main dishes I have down, and some sides like pasta, rice, frozen
veggies. But when we shop once a week, fresh items tend to go bad
quickly, before I have a chance to use them. Berries get moldy, lettuce
turns sentient, and mushrooms get positively angry.

First of all, buy berries in smaller quantities and use them up quickly,
then have longer lasting fruits the rest of the week, like apples and
pears. You may get a little more life out of your berries by putting them
in a bowl with some sugar. If you must have berries, get enough for a few
days and make another trip later in the week. Mushrooms will keep better in
a paper bag than in plastic, and buy them while, not sliced.

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 20:11:31 +0000 (UTC), [email hidden] (Glitter

Ninja) said:

I know this thread comes up once every six months or so, but I'm
planning on being a stay-at-home student-like being for a while, and
part of the way we can afford this is if I do the cooking instead of
fast or frozen foods.
Main dishes I have down, and some sides like pasta, rice, frozen
veggies. But when we shop once a week, fresh items tend to go bad
quickly, before I have a chance to use them. Berries get moldy, lettuce
turns sentient, and mushrooms get positively angry.
Any hints on keeping things a little fresher longer? Or some
substitutes for fresh? (Yeah, I know, canned mushrooms, which are OK if
you like slime chunks in slime juice with added slime flavoring.)
Basically, gimme all your advice. All your advice belong to me!

Stacia

Dried mushrooms will last forever if sealed well, though you won't
find them on sale too often at the local supermarket. You can, though,
find them at places like Costco or frozen in wonderful combinations at
Trader Joe's.

There is not too much you can do to keep lettuce fresh beyond the
basics of wrapping in paper towel & plastic, so think about other
types of salads...cucumbers with onions in a vinaigrette and later
with a dab of sour cream can last a few days. Make a 3 bean salad.
It'll last in the fridge, as will coleslaw.

Stick to fruits that last longer than berries...apples, in season or
citrus. By some greenish bananas & let them ripen on your counter. You
can get frozen berries of all types (again, if you can get to a
warehouse store, you'd have a month's worth in a bag) and use them
over ice cream or in shortcakes or cook with them in cakes, pies or
crumbles. I've always been a fan of canned peaches.They are great
broiled with a bit of brown sugar. There is a lot of dried fruit
available, too, but again, you need to get more creative with it.

One thing that will save you time and money is to cook ahead on the
weekends and freeze portions. Lasagna, stews, pot roasts, etc, all
freeze well and when you find yourself tired with little time to
prepare, pop one of your weekend preps in the microwave.

Boron

[email hidden] (Glitter Ninja) wrote in news:d9pmhj$hc0$1
@news.xmission.com:

Quoted message said:

I know this thread comes up once every six months or so, but I'm
planning on being a stay-at-home student-like being for a while, and
part of the way we can afford this is if I do the cooking instead of
fast or frozen foods.
Main dishes I have down, and some sides like pasta, rice, frozen
veggies. But when we shop once a week, fresh items tend to go bad
quickly, before I have a chance to use them. Berries get moldy,

lettuce

Quoted message said:

turns sentient, and mushrooms get positively angry.
Any hints on keeping things a little fresher longer? Or some
substitutes for fresh? (Yeah, I know, canned mushrooms, which are OK

if

Quoted message said:

you like slime chunks in slime juice with added slime flavoring.)
Basically, gimme all your advice. All your advice belong to me!

Stacia

Well right off the bat, I'd recommend getting bulk staples from the
warehouses like Sams, Costco, Fart and Smile, etc.

Aside from that, as far as fresh goes, I visit my produce market
practically every day. It's totally fun, imho.

Good luck,

--
Andy
http://tinyurl.com/bczgr

Glitter Ninja said:

I know this thread comes up once every six months or so, but I'm
planning on being a stay-at-home student-like being for a while, and
part of the way we can afford this is if I do the cooking instead of
fast or frozen foods.
Main dishes I have down, and some sides like pasta, rice, frozen
veggies. But when we shop once a week, fresh items tend to go bad
quickly, before I have a chance to use them. Berries get moldy, lettuce
turns sentient, and mushrooms get positively angry.
Any hints on keeping things a little fresher longer? Or some
substitutes for fresh? (Yeah, I know, canned mushrooms, which are OK if
you like slime chunks in slime juice with added slime flavoring.)
Basically, gimme all your advice. All your advice belong to me!
Stacia

We live in the desert and don't get good fresh berries. Frozen whole,
unsweetened is a good bet, even for strawberries. Can't use them quite the
same, but they are not bad for all that. Sliced (while still frozen!)
strawberries sprinkled with splenda or sugar on angel food cake (which keeps
well wrapped in the fridge) is a healthful dessert. I plan on using
mushrooms with a few days of purchase. Also have dried which I crumble into
foods instead of whole. I believe those green plastic bags for produce
actually work pretty well as long as the foods are not overly damp.
Edrena

Andy Q said:

Well right off the bat, I'd recommend getting bulk staples from the
warehouses like Sams, Costco, Fart and Smile, etc.

Uh. Not that I'm not laughing, but what is a Fart & Smile?

Quoted message said:

Aside from that, as far as fresh goes, I visit my produce market
practically every day. It's totally fun, imho.

I should have mentioned that I'm in Kansas, and we don't always have
the best produce markets around. The two small ones we do have are
ravaged like a prom queen because the town is so hungry for good veggies
and fruits. Maybe I should make it a point to get to them early every
day... that does sound like fun. I could whap at the old ladies with my
purse.

Stacia

The Joneses said:

mushrooms with a few days of purchase. Also have dried which I crumble into
foods instead of whole. I believe those green plastic bags for produce
actually work pretty well as long as the foods are not overly damp.

Hmm, two people have mentioned dried shrooms. Are they not slimey
when you hydrate them? I just assumed since they were wet, they would
get that slimey filmy thing going on.
I can't wait until I am a hausfrau again. I've been working major
overtime constantly for 4 1/2 years and have almost forgotten how to
cook.

Stacia

Glitter Ninja said:

Hmm, two people have mentioned dried shrooms. Are they not slimey
when you hydrate them?

Personally, I don't like them - at all. Just the wrong consistency.

Quoted message said:

I just assumed since they were wet, they would
get that slimey filmy thing going on.
I can't wait until I am a hausfrau again. I've been working major
overtime constantly for 4 1/2 years and have almost forgotten how to
cook.

Stacia

Get yerself a Tupperware salad spinner - you can keep a green salad
alive in those things for a week. Same goes for the plastic "veggie
bags" made specifically for vegetables - I forget who makes them.

-L.

[email hidden] (Glitter Ninja) wrote in news:d9pqk7$ka4$2
@news.xmission.com:

Quoted message said:

Andy Q said:

Well right off the bat, I'd recommend getting bulk staples from the
warehouses like Sams, Costco, Fart and Smile, etc.

Uh. Not that I'm not laughing, but what is a Fart & Smile?

Smart and Final, the beginning of warehouse food shopping, iirc.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Aside from that, as far as fresh goes, I visit my produce market
practically every day. It's totally fun, imho.

Maybe I should make it a point to get to them early every
day... that does sound like fun. I could whap at the old ladies with
my purse.

Those little old ladies are, for me, the greatest living food reference
on the planet! I'll ask you not to WHAP them, plase! 🙂

--
Andy
http://tinyurl.com/bczgr

Glitter Ninja said:

I know this thread comes up once every six months or so, but I'm
planning on being a stay-at-home student-like being for a while, and
part of the way we can afford this is if I do the cooking instead of
fast or frozen foods.
Main dishes I have down, and some sides like pasta, rice, frozen
veggies. But when we shop once a week, fresh items tend to go bad
quickly, before I have a chance to use them. Berries get moldy,
lettuce
turns sentient, and mushrooms get positively angry.
Any hints on keeping things a little fresher longer? Or some
substitutes for fresh? (Yeah, I know, canned mushrooms, which are OK
if
you like slime chunks in slime juice with added slime flavoring.)
Basically, gimme all your advice. All your advice belong to me!

Stacia

For flavour use dehydrated mushrooms, the soaking water to rehydrate
them can be used in the cooking, dehydrated veggie of all sorts are
available and go well in soups and stocks, if you grow your own sprouts
grow extra and gently dry them in a warm oven and make a powder of them
that not only adds a bit of flavour but is nutritious also.

There are dried fruits that can be had and while not as good as fresh
are better than nothing and have a good long shelf life. Banana chips
and dried apricot are kept around here in a glass jar for use on cereal.

Cabbage keps a bit longer than lettuce.

Get a good multi vitamine and try to use as much fresh food as you can
get & use quickly.
---
Joseph Littleshoes

Glitter Ninja said:

I know this thread comes up once every six months or so, but I'm
planning on being a stay-at-home student-like being for a while, and
part of the way we can afford this is if I do the cooking instead of
fast or frozen foods.
Main dishes I have down, and some sides like pasta, rice, frozen
veggies. But when we shop once a week, fresh items tend to go bad
quickly, before I have a chance to use them. Berries get moldy,
lettuce
turns sentient, and mushrooms get positively angry.
Any hints on keeping things a little fresher longer? Or some
substitutes for fresh? (Yeah, I know, canned mushrooms, which are OK
if
you like slime chunks in slime juice with added slime flavoring.)
Basically, gimme all your advice. All your advice belong to me!

Stacia

For flavour use dehydrated mushrooms, the soaking water to rehydrate
them can be used in the cooking, dehydrated veggie of all sorts are
available and go well in soups and stocks, if you grow your own sprouts
grow extra and gently dry them in a warm oven and make a powder of them
that not only adds a bit of flavour but is nutritious also.

There are dried fruits that can be had and while not as good as fresh
are better than nothing and have a good long shelf life. Banana chips
and dried apricot are kept around here in a glass jar for use on cereal.

Cabbage keps a bit longer than lettuce.

Get a good multi vitamine and try to use as much fresh food as you can
get & use quickly.
---
Joseph Littleshoes

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 16:22:47 -0400, Dave Smith
<[email hidden]> connected the dots and wrote:

~Glitter Ninja wrote:
~
~> I know this thread comes up once every six months or so, but I'm
~> planning on being a stay-at-home student-like being for a while,
and
~> part of the way we can afford this is if I do the cooking instead
of
~> fast or frozen foods.
~
~Cooking at home is a good place to start. You can eat pretty well at
home
~for less than it costs for a fast food junk, and much healthier.
~
~
~> Main dishes I have down, and some sides like pasta, rice, frozen
~> veggies. But when we shop once a week, fresh items tend to go bad
~> quickly, before I have a chance to use them. Berries get moldy,
lettuce
~> turns sentient, and mushrooms get positively angry.
~
~First of all, buy berries in smaller quantities and use them up
quickly,
~then have longer lasting fruits the rest of the week, like apples and
~pears. You may get a little more life out of your berries by putting
them
~in a bowl with some sugar. If you must have berries, get enough for
a few
~days and make another trip later in the week. Mushrooms will keep
better in
~a paper bag than in plastic, and buy them while, not sliced.
~

If the fridge is cold enough, the fresh produce can survive up to a
week, altho it will get a little limp or squidgey<tm> towards the end.

Lettuce: Do not wash until ready to use. Wrap the head, including
the cut portion, in a damp paper towel after slicing off a very thin
bit of the cut end.

Berries: again, don't wash, but do put a paper towel in the bottom,
and keep the bottom of the container off the shelf so that air can
flow all around. When they start getting soft spots, if you're not
ready to use them, cut out the soft spot, and slice the rest of the
berry. Sprinkle with sugar (and a little ginger powder for a treat!)
and refrigerate covered.

Mushroom: unwrap them, put a dry paper towel in the bottom of a paper
bag, and add the mushrooms. If they start to get soft, slice and
saute them, then store in the fridge up to 3 days.

If carrots or celery get limp, cut them into similar lengths, put them
in a straight-sided container, and cover with water. Add water as
needed.

Store-brand frozen veggies in the 16-32 ounce bags can be a real boon,
since they will last several months, can be used as needed, and
clipped closed to avoid freezer burn.

Best of luck with school
maxine in ri

(Glitter Ninja) said:

Main dishes I have down, and some sides like pasta, rice, frozen
veggies. But when we shop once a week, fresh items tend to go bad
quickly, before I have a chance to use them. Berries get moldy, lettuce
turns sentient, and mushrooms get positively angry.
Any hints on keeping things a little fresher longer?

I can only help with one thing, but that's better than nothing, huh?

I have found that if I slice green onions/scallions and toss the slices
into a baggie, they stay fresh much, much longer than the same onions
stored whole. Very convenient for salads or fried rice.

Carol

--
Coming at you live, from beautiful Lake Woebegon

"Glitter" wrote:
"
Any hints on keeping
things a little fresher longer"

Hi, Glitter,
I find that lettuce keeps at least a week if you keep it in a plastic
container with a flexible lid, and BURP it whenever you open it.
I use Rubbermaid plastic containers in the shape of a shoebox, only a
little smaller. Wash and shake dry your lettuce and put in the box.
(First, I put some of that red plastic mesh netting that produce comes
in. It washes nicely in the dishwasher if you tuck it down into one of
the spaces meant for forks, spoons. This keeps the lettuce off the
bottom.)
To BURP the box, put on the lid, then lift up one of the corners
with one hand while pushing down on the lid with the other hand, then
quickly close it. This keeps some of the air out of the container.
Really , it works wonders.
Because they can take up space in the fridge, I put them on end, on
the top shelf of the fridge. Later, I pour out the water that has
gathered in the bottom of the container. You letttuce will stay
unbelievably crisp. !!

Sounds like you work very hard. Good luck!
Cheers, Nancree

"Glitter Ninja" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I know this thread comes up once every six months or so, but I'm
planning on being a stay-at-home student-like being for a while, and
part of the way we can afford this is if I do the cooking instead of
fast or frozen foods.
Main dishes I have down, and some sides like pasta, rice, frozen
veggies. But when we shop once a week, fresh items tend to go bad
quickly, before I have a chance to use them. Berries get moldy,
lettuce
turns sentient, and mushrooms get positively angry.
Any hints on keeping things a little fresher longer?

I'm not sure about the berries, you will probably be better off using
longer lasting fruits, apples, oranges, etc. Peel and core one of each
of them, cut into cubes and mix together like a salad. The citrus orange
seems to keep the apples fresher longer. Leave the rest until later.
The mushrooms do stay better in a paper bag, but even then don't expect
them to be fit for a fresh salad after a few days. After that you can
still cook with them or for that matter, slice and sauté all that you
have left in olive oil, and store back in the refrigerator for another
few days. Add them to eggs, meatloaf, burgers, etc.
Now lettuce I may be able to help there. I haven't thrown out any
lettuce, to speak of, for the last ten years. When your market sells
lettuce for so much a head, instead of per pound, you have a tendency to
pick the largest and heaviest, don't do it. Instead pick heads that feel
light in your hand. Heavy feeling heads will be tight and yellow in the
middle, you'll find it practically unusable, when you get there and
you'll end up throwing out the central part anyway. Find a "Lettuce
keeper" at your local department store. It is a large ball shaped,
transparent plastic bowl, with a tight fitting, round lid, or use any
covered plastic bowl that your head of lettuce will fit into and still
allow a tight seal. Peel off the outer leaves of the head until you get
rid of the brownish outer leaves. With a sharp knife slice off the
bottom of the central stem. Lay a paper towel in the bottom of the bowl
or keeper and add a couple of spoons of water onto the towel. The head
should be wet when going into the keeper, and try to keep the raw end of
the stem down on the wet towel. Cover it and let it sit for a day or so.
When you take the first leaves off they should feel exceptionally crisp
and fresh. In effect, what you are doing is keeping the head of lettuce
alive and growing inside the keeper. It will stay crisp and delicious
for weeks, as long as you keep it covered and moist inside.

And of course, this is all IMHO, good luck.

Geno from Sacramento

Or some

Quoted message said:

substitutes for fresh? (Yeah, I know, canned mushrooms, which are OK
if
you like slime chunks in slime juice with added slime flavoring.)
Basically, gimme all your advice. All your advice belong to me!

Stacia

"Glitter Ninja" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I know this thread comes up once every six months or so, but I'm
planning on being a stay-at-home student-like being for a while, and
part of the way we can afford this is if I do the cooking instead of
fast or frozen foods.
Main dishes I have down, and some sides like pasta, rice, frozen
veggies. But when we shop once a week, fresh items tend to go bad
quickly, before I have a chance to use them. Berries get moldy,
lettuce
turns sentient, and mushrooms get positively angry.
Any hints on keeping things a little fresher longer?

I'm not sure about the berries, you will probably be better off using
longer lasting fruits, apples, oranges, etc. Peel and core one of each
of them, cut into cubes and mix together like a salad. The citrus orange
seems to keep the apples fresher longer. Leave the rest until later.
The mushrooms do stay better in a paper bag, but even then don't expect
them to be fit for a fresh salad after a few days. After that you can
still cook with them or for that matter, slice and sauté all that you
have left in olive oil, and store back in the refrigerator for another
few days. Add them to eggs, meatloaf, burgers, etc.
Now lettuce I may be able to help there. I haven't thrown out any
lettuce, to speak of, for the last ten years. When your market sells
lettuce for so much a head, instead of per pound, you have a tendency to
pick the largest and heaviest, don't do it. Instead pick heads that feel
light in your hand. Heavy feeling heads will be tight and yellow in the
middle, you'll find it practically unusable, when you get there and
you'll end up throwing out the central part anyway. Find a "Lettuce
keeper" at your local department store. It is a large ball shaped,
transparent plastic bowl, with a tight fitting, round lid, or use any
covered plastic bowl that your head of lettuce will fit into and still
allow a tight seal. Peel off the outer leaves of the head until you get
rid of the brownish outer leaves. With a sharp knife slice off the
bottom of the central stem. Lay a paper towel in the bottom of the bowl
or keeper and add a couple of spoons of water onto the towel. The head
should be wet when going into the keeper, and try to keep the raw end of
the stem down on the wet towel. Cover it and let it sit for a day or so.
When you take the first leaves off they should feel exceptionally crisp
and fresh. In effect, what you are doing is keeping the head of lettuce
alive and growing inside the keeper. It will stay crisp and delicious
for weeks, as long as you keep it covered and moist inside.

And of course, this is all IMHO, good luck.

Geno from Sacramento

Or some

Quoted message said:

substitutes for fresh? (Yeah, I know, canned mushrooms, which are OK
if
you like slime chunks in slime juice with added slime flavoring.)
Basically, gimme all your advice. All your advice belong to me!

Stacia

"Glitter Ninja" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I know this thread comes up once every six months or so, but I'm
planning on being a stay-at-home student-like being for a while, and
part of the way we can afford this is if I do the cooking instead of
fast or frozen foods.
Main dishes I have down, and some sides like pasta, rice, frozen
veggies. But when we shop once a week, fresh items tend to go bad
quickly, before I have a chance to use them. Berries get moldy, lettuce
turns sentient, and mushrooms get positively angry.
Any hints on keeping things a little fresher longer? Or some
substitutes for fresh? (Yeah, I know, canned mushrooms, which are OK if
you like slime chunks in slime juice with added slime flavoring.)
Basically, gimme all your advice. All your advice belong to me!

Stacia

There are several points.

The first thing you need to do is check the temperature of your fridge.

Lettuce should last longer the first rule is never cut the head of lettuce.
Tear off as much as you think you'll need the you can use a knife on the stuff
for today.

Wash the berries just before eating them - don't wash them when you first get
home.

If you're only concerned with flavor, freeze the mushrooms or buy dried ones.
Cooked shrooms will last much longer then fresh ones. do not buy the presliced
ones the whole ones seem to last longer.

Good luck

Dimitri

"Glitter Ninja" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I know this thread comes up once every six months or so, but I'm
planning on being a stay-at-home student-like being for a while, and
part of the way we can afford this is if I do the cooking instead of
fast or frozen foods.
Main dishes I have down, and some sides like pasta, rice, frozen
veggies. But when we shop once a week, fresh items tend to go bad
quickly, before I have a chance to use them. Berries get moldy, lettuce
turns sentient, and mushrooms get positively angry.
Any hints on keeping things a little fresher longer? Or some
substitutes for fresh? (Yeah, I know, canned mushrooms, which are OK if
you like slime chunks in slime juice with added slime flavoring.)
Basically, gimme all your advice. All your advice belong to me!

Stacia

There are several points.

The first thing you need to do is check the temperature of your fridge.

Lettuce should last longer the first rule is never cut the head of lettuce.
Tear off as much as you think you'll need the you can use a knife on the stuff
for today.

Wash the berries just before eating them - don't wash them when you first get
home.

If you're only concerned with flavor, freeze the mushrooms or buy dried ones.
Cooked shrooms will last much longer then fresh ones. do not buy the presliced
ones the whole ones seem to last longer.

Good luck

Dimitri

Dimitri wrote on 27 Jun 2005 in rec.food.cooking

Quoted message said:

If you're only concerned with flavor, freeze the mushrooms or buy
dried ones. Cooked shrooms will last much longer then fresh ones.
do not buy the presliced ones the whole ones seem to last longer.

Good luck

Dimitri

Buy the large button mushrooms and grill them...great sliced in
for salads for several days...excellent as a sidedish that night.

--
It's not a question of where he grips it!
It's a simple question of weight ratios!

A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut.

Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?

Glitter Ninja said:

The Joneses said:

mushrooms with a few days of purchase. Also have dried which I crumble into
foods instead of whole. I believe those green plastic bags for produce
actually work pretty well as long as the foods are not overly damp.

Hmm, two people have mentioned dried shrooms. Are they not slimey
when you hydrate them? I just assumed since they were wet, they would
get that slimey filmy thing going on.
I can't wait until I am a hausfrau again. I've been working major
overtime constantly for 4 1/2 years and have almost forgotten how to
cook.

Stacia

My dried shrooms are crispy. That's why I crumble or chop- get all the flavor &
aroma and not the sliminess. The chewy bits might even be desirable. I like the
powdered up ones in scrambled eggs.
Funny being a hausfrau - I don't have the need to get everything done so I don't
do it As fast anyway.
Edrena