Making My Week Easier

I have always been pretty good about buying my fruits and veggies, but actually getting them all eaten? Before the go bad? Now that, for some reason is a lot harder for me to do. This is something I have "struggled" with for many years. I do everything right at the grocery store - I buy all the right foods, and I have my meals planned out. But, when it comes time to actually eat those fruits and veggies, actually take the time to cut them up and make them into a meal...that's where I normally flake out, and end up just grabbing something on my way home from class. 

Now, I've known the right solution for a while now, and I've even practiced it in some cases. Whenever I have a melon cut up in the fridge, or some leftover fruit that's all ready to go, it gets eaten because it's so easy to just grab it from the fridge an go. So, about a week and half ago when Caroline and I did our grocery shopping, we came home and cut up everything that we could - got everything ready to go. Here is a run-down of what we did.

Filled the sink with water and 1/4-1/2 cup of white vinegar. Washed veggies and fruit in water-vinegar mixture before chopping it up.

• broccoli - cut into florets and placed in an air-tight container
• celery - stalks cut into thirds, thirds cut in half, placed upright in air-tight container with 1/2 inch of water in the bottom
• carrots - cut into thirds, thirds cut in quarters, placed upright in air-tight container with 1/2 inch of water in the bottom
• parsnips - cut into thirds, thirds cut in quarters, placed upright in air-tight container with 1/2 inch of water in the bottom
• onions - chopped and placed in ziploc bag
• bell peppers - chopped into strips and placed in ziploc bag
• asparagus - end snapped off, placed into air-tight container with 1/2 inch of water in the bottom (no lid)
• melons - cut and placed into air-tight container

I know it may not seem worth it, it really isn't THAT much produce, and it takes a lot of time, but it is so worth it. I can honestly say that there were multiple times over the past week and a half where I didn't want to cook dinner, and just wanted to order a pizza. Having all the veggies ready to go was often what caused me to go ahead and cook. A hand-full of broccoli, some olive oil, salt and pepper, and just throw it in the oven!