Have you ever gazed at those Refrigerator advertisements vintage or modern and wondered if you could fit that much food in your fridge? You know the photos; there is usually a Roast or two, a cake, fancy cups of pudding or parfaits, a beautiful fruit gelatin ring as well as a bowl of salad, a bowl of fresh fruit a boat of gravy or dressing along with the usual coke bottles, eggs, milk and juice bottles? Not to mention produce drawers packed to the brim... Sigh. Just me? Okay, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who was wishing I could have more ready-to-eat healthy food in my fridge, even for a party!
I have struggled to keep fresh ready to eat food in my fridge ever since I left home for college. Wouldn't it be nice to just open the fridge, warm or chop a few things and have a nice full meal within a few minutes.
After staring at dozens of these Refrigerator advertisements for several days, I had a light-bulb turn on in my brain. What if I always made sure there was food ready to eat in my fridge, not just ingredients, but already prepared food. (I'm not talking about ready-made prepackaged preserved substances that grace the groceries isles.) If I always had a bowl of washed fresh fruit in my refrigerator, why wouldn't my family and I be more likely to eat it for lunch or as a snack. Likewise, if I were to always prepare vegetable tray items such as celery and carrot sticks, green onions and sliced peppers, wouldn't I be more likely to add it to my lunch or throw together a snack? A few more items would easily keep a few days and allow for easy meal options. First I noted what kind of foods could be cooked or prepared and last several days in the refrigerator and still be good to eat. Next I thought about the versatility of such foods and soon I came to realize not too shockingly that most of the foods in these vintage advertisements were smart things to have in refrigerators at any given time.
As for the bowl of salad, well that could be easily put together after lunch clean-up and be just ready for dinner so that one would not have to scramble to add a salad to the main course while one was cooking it. All that chopping could and should be done ahead of time so that dinner really could be on the table when the main bread-winner returned home famished. What a delight to come home wash hands and sit down to eat a well rounded meal with a family that is not hurried or stressed, but comfortable and happy to see you. I understand both sides of this equation and I feel very certain, this is the a great way to run things smoothly. The more I learn the more I realize my Grandmother and Great-grandmother were not naive about this part of life at all, but I and my mother (as many others) have been. Because I didn't learn to efficiently run a home, because I thought I didn't need to do things the old-fashioned way, I have had to struggle along and learn it on the job. Trial and error of a craft that was organized long before I was ever born, what a waste.
Well all that to say, I figured out I should start shopping for what I wanted to have ready to eat in my fridge, instead of just getting ingredients I knew I could cook into a meal.
By doing this, I have a perpetual gocery list I can quickly see what needs to be replenished and be on to the shops in minutes. I no longer have to meal plan because I can put together whatever we feel like eating with little forethought, because the forethought has been systemized and streamlined!
Here is the list I came up with, of course, yours may be different since everyone's diet is personal.
#1 Eggs. Hard boiled eggs can be peeled and kept submerged in water for several days without spoil. I peel them because I am more likely to eat them that way instead of letting them go to waste. I also keep them in a clear jar in the front so my son can see an easy snack right away. Hard boiled eggs can be made into egg salad sandwiches especially nice on fresh baked dinner rolls, they can be made into devilled eggs for a nice side for lunch or a snack. The hard boiled eggs may also be quartered and added to a salad (love me some cobb salad!), or just eaten whole with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
#2 Vegetables. Duh, right? But if I buy vegetables I want to get ones I can keep in the freezer until dinner-time or lunch (novel idea) and steam in a few minutes. In addition; I want to get vegetables I like to eat fresh, like what I would find on a vegetable tray to munch on. So I can buy celery and carrots and immediately wash and cut them into sticks when I get home. I stand them on end in jars with water to keep them crisp and they will easily keep a week or two. Peppers are different, but I will still wash and slice them so they are ready to eat for the next few days. Likewise I can slice a large onion and keep it all week and us it as I need it on sandwiches or in main dishes. This also cuts back on prep time later because I can easily grab a handful of this and that and dice them into soups, salads, stir-fries and casseroles. It becomes easy to add more vegetables to just about anything.
#3 Fruit. I can have a drawer full of fruit and not touch it for weeks, but if it is washed and ready to eat I will grab it day after day. If I put washed and dried apples, pears, grapes and what-have-you in a bowl, I can easily pull it out and put it on the table to entice everyone at any meal! Not to mention add to the landscape. Bowls of fresh berries, cherries, chunked watermelon or pineapple in season have the same value.
#4 Lettuce or Greens. I know you can make a salad without lettuces, but I don't really like to. So when I get home from the market I can chop and submerge lettuce in water for ten minutes, drain, dry and keep it in a glass container for a week or two... or three if I'm lucky. Likewise a quick dressing should be made right away to go with it so that even if you have nothing else but greens your salad will taste delicious.
My favorite vinegrette recipe is one my mother taught me.
Equal parts Balsamic Vinegar and fresh squeezed Orange Juice, add the zest of said Orange. Maybe a tsp of brown sugar, or not- just as you like. So yummy.
I also love this homemade ranch recipe.
Easily done and now it is easy to throw together a side salad even if all you have is lettuce and dressing. (Dried Cranberries, Cherries, or blueberries and a little cheese and nuts is nice to have in the pantry and fridge in these emergencies.)
#5 Cheese. One you can cube and snack on, or put on a charcuterie board.- I like Gouda. A few you can shred and put on anything (mac and cheese, top carreroles make pizza.)- I like Cheddar, Parmesan and Mozzarella. One or two you can slice or buy sliced for sandwiches.- I like Cheddar, Havarti or Swiss.
#6 Roasted Meat or Alternative. Whether it's beef, chicken or ham it can always provide some protein to whatever you are eating. Add it to stir-fry, soup, salad, sandwiches, charcuterie, snacks casseroles, it will keep for only a few days so freeze whatever you can’t eat in that time for up to a month. It cuts back so much time to have meat already cooked and ready to eat. This is an art I am working on mastering.
A few neccessary pantry staples to compliment your fridge would be Pasta, Rice, Potatoes, Olives, Nuts, Dried Fruit and baking supplies.
Then a meal can be made in about 20 minutes which is just the amount of time it takes to cook rice, potatoes or dinner rolls. (Especially if you made up the bread dough at lunch.) I like to make up my own Biscuit, Cornbread, Pancake and Pie mixes. Homemade mixes come together quickly in jars I keep in the cupboard so it takes care of measuring time when I want to quickly add a baked good to a meal. I just add butter, milk, eggs or water and mix it up and bake it quickly. I can mix these up on a weekend measuring them all out at once and cleaning up one time.
When thinking in these terms it is also a snap to make a grocery list after a quick inventory of fridge and cupboard.
Milk
Juice and other beverages
Eggs (some to boil and some to cook with)
Cheese (to shred, slice and cube)
Butter and/or Oil
Vegetables (to cook and some for a tray)
Salad Greens
Potatoes
Pasta
Rice and Beans
Fruit (for a bowl, salads and/or pie)
Meat (something to slice and special cuts for dinners.)
Bacon or Sausage for large breakfasts
Nuts, Seeds and Dried Fruits (for snacking and baking)
Crackers or Chips (unless you bake them)
Olives or Pickles
Baking Supplies (flour, sugar, salt, yeast, baking soda, etc.)
Special items for planned recipes or Condiments
If I keep a running inventory of these things as well as soaps, paper goods, garbage can liners, batteries, lightbulbs and other consumable household items. With this kind of organization, I only have to shop every two weeks, there is always something to eat when I look in the fridge and I have more time to keep the house clean and orderly as well!
No comments:
Post a Comment