Dec
How to reduce wastage, add more variety to your meals and get the most value from your purchase!
If you’re new to the concept of Delivery Boxes, then it’s pretty common to be wondering how they heck you’re supposed to come up with meals to make from your box each week. We’ve found some people absolutely thrive on the ‘mystery box’ idea, and love getting creative coming up with new meals each time they receive an ingredient they might not have otherwise purchased. However others of us might be used to only ever buying what we’re used to, and what we know how to incorporate into our staple meals. So we’ve put together some little tips to make things easier.
These tips are also relevant if you’re wanting to incorporate more varied vegetables into your diet (with or without a Home Delivery Service).
How do I use all these vegetables I’m not used to eating?
My biggest piece of advice is this; start to incorporate the seasonal staples into every meal, and in no time you’ll wonder how you ever managed without them. If you’re ‘side’ of vegetables each meal currently consists of carrot & broccoli, then switch it to a simple but delicious staple greens dish like THIS ONE from Pete Evans, where you can mix it up with whatever you have handy.
With this as your staple that already covers a huge majority of the box ingredients (depending on the season of course), it’s then straightforward to incorporate the more ‘exotic’ ones you may receive each week like kale, kohl rhabi, or spaghetti squash.
What if I’ve never cooked with these ingredients?
Become VERY good friends with google. Recipe books can be a fantastic way to spark some creativity and get your basic skills up to scratch, but ultimately it’s those odd ingredients that you’re not sure what to do with that might stump you. That’s where Google comes in.
Never had Kale before? Try searching “healthy kale recipe”, and no doubt one of the top few responses will provide you with a delicious way to prepare and cook it, so you can incorporate into what you were already making, rather than needing to make an entire dish out of it. Suddenly the unknown becomes much less intimidating.
Using Quinoa or another pantry ingredient for the first time? A google search will also (hopefully) tell you about the important ways it needs to be prepared, such as rinsing it really well to remove the saponins (a foamy layer on the outside of the seed that can affect your gut), and a good seed/water ratio to use.
What about leftovers?
By day 6/7, most vegetables start to look a little droopy (particularly organic ones that haven’t had any preservatives added). This can be prevented with proper packaging in the fridge to extend their life and vitality. However once its happened and they’re no longer up to scratch (but not yet mouldy) a vegetable broth is the perfect option to prevent any wastage.
You can include off cuts, peels and all those bits you might not have otherwise used (but that are still so full of nutrients), and really make the most of your ingredients. Broth is a one-pot wonder that really is so simple to make, can be a delicious drink to sip on its own, or a healthy base for soups and more. You’ll be wondering why you didn’t start doing it earlier! Try this delicious Vegetable Stock recipe for starters.
What if there’s things in there that I just don’t like?
We offer (& encourage) our customers to notify us of any special requests when ordering a box. It’s easy for us to substitute something out, and saves you ending up with things you really don’t want and won’t use. If you’re using a service that doesn’t offer this, then perhaps you can offer that item/s to a neighbour or friend who you know could utilise them?
I hope these few tips help encourage you to make the most of your Delivery Box, and of getting the creative juices flowing as you fall in love with fresh organic food and nourishing your body.
If you have any questions or comments please leave them below or reach out to us at hello@surfcoastwholefoods.com.au
