Most if not all smoothie ingredients can be stored in the freezer. Here is how we save and store our most used smoothie ingredients.
Thanks for reading!
Teri
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My husband and I both like to have a green smoothie almost every morning, so finding ways to save on the ingredients can have a big impact on the amount we spend. I love to save money on groceries. In the past I used coupons like it was a game. With my booklet of coupons I'd go home from double coupon day with like 3 bags of groceries for under $10. BUT, what I was bringing home was processed food, and ended up causing more harm than good. Since you don't see too many coupons for avocados my game plan has changed. Most if not all smoothie ingredients can be stored in the freezer. Here is how we save and store our most used smoothie ingredients. Bananas: last week I picked up 4 paper bags of slightly over-ripe bananas for 50% off (from Superstore in Winnipeg). Some grocery stores do this and some don't. Look for a separate rack of soon to expire produce. I haven't ever seen Walmart do this.To store: first peel and chop them up. Next you can either spread them on a cookie sheet with parchment paper, then transfer to a freezer bag or just put them directly in a freezer bag. If you do the latter, make sure you don't put too many in one bag. Also spread them out a bit in the bag and lay them flat in the freezer till frozen (so you don't end up with a big clump of frozen banana. Frozen bananas taste way better in smoothies than fresh ones. They are also good for baking or for making dairy free "ice cream". For "ice cream" just blend up in a food processor and that's it! Avocados: The price of avocados can vary greatly from one week to the next. You can pay close to $2 for one avocado or $2.97 for a bag of 6. Stock up when you find them at a good price because you can freeze them. Wait until they are a nice ripeness then peel and chop them. Like the bananas, place chopped avocados on a parchment covered cookie sheet then transfer to bag once frozen. Greens (Kale, Spinach and Swiss Chard): Greens can be frozen using one of two methods so stock up when you find them at a good price at the store or at the end of the growing season. I was lucky to have an super nice girl with a huge garden let me come out and pick as much kale and swiss chard as I wanted because she had an abundance left. I came home with 4 grocery bags full. Method 1: wash thoroughly, dry well using paper towel or salad spinner and throw into freezer bags. Method 2: wash thoroughly, pack into a blender, add a bit of water, blend, pour into ice cube trays, freeze, transfer to freezer bag. *the easiest way to freeze greens is to buy the pre-washed spinach, kale, etc. in the plastic tubs and just throw in the freezer as-is. Herbs (cilantro, mint, parsley): Again, if you see them on sale, stock up. I was lucky to find plastic bags full of fresh parsley at our local MCC for $.50-$1.00. Same steps as the above 2 methods works well for herbs. Cucumbers and celery: these are a nice addition to a green smoothie and both freeze well. Stock up on cucumbers when they are in season or close to the end of the season. You might even find someone giving them away if they have way too many in their garden. Just chop up, spread onto parchment covered cookie sheet, freeze and bag. Almond Milk: Boxed almond milk has a long shelf life. So wait until it is on for $2 a box or less and buy a bunch. Superstore often has cases of 6 go on sale for $9.99. Also, to make your almond milk go further, just pour half a cup or less into your smoothie and fill the rest with water. I don't notice the difference especially when I have the creaminess of an avocado in there. Another option is to buy a bag of almonds. I get mine from Costco. Each day throw some in a cup with water. Let them soak until the next day when you are ready to make a smoothie (soaking nuts makes them easier to digest and absorb the nutrients). Drain, rinse and throw into your blender with the rest of the ingredients. You can also make your own almond milk. I personally find the process a little too time-intensive and would rather throw in the whole, soaked almonds. Eating healthy can be expensive ... but it doesn't have to be. This is the first of many money saving tips I plan to share.
Thanks for reading! Teri
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CONNECT WITH MEHi, I'm Teri!I'm a wife, a mom of two and a student of nutrition. My focus is to simplify clean eating in a busy world that involves caring for young kids. Changing my diet has drastically changed the way I feel so I love to share my knowledge and my journey. My mission is to help mom's feel better so they can enjoy this precious time of thier life more and have the energy to do so. It is possible! Archives
February 2017
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