Tips & Tricks: Wanna eat more produce? Try this.

I am a creature of convenience. I'm sure most of us are, in some way or another.

But there's this thing about convenience -- in most cases, it will cost ya. Because convenience costs. Whether it's pre-packaged, pre-washed, pre-cooked, pre-cut, pre-served or preserved, it's gonna cost you extra. Convenience costs because someone, somewhere, is taking on part of your work. Just because you don't have to do the washing and chopping, doesn't mean those things magically pop out of the ground or off a tree that way. Nope. Somebody grew those carrots. Somebody plucked them out of the dirt. Somebody drove them to a baby carrot making place. Somebody ran those carrots through a machine that washes, peels, cuts and baby-fies them (seriously, though. I toured the central kitchen for BYU once while writing an article for the Daily Universe -- there are such machines). Then somebody gathered and packaged those baby-fied carrots. Somebody loaded them onto a truck. Somebody drove that truck to the store. You get where I'm going with this? All of those steps toward "convenience" cost something. And guess who's paying for it? You and me, baby.

Convenience can also interfere with healthier choices. I'm speaking from personal experience. Most of the time when I open the fridge or pantry and decide there's nothing to eat but granola bars (so I choose the granola bar), it isn't because there isn't anything to eat. It's because there's nothing easier to eat than a granola bar. Granola bars are a great snack when you're on the go. When you don't have other options. But let's be honest here -- granola bars are sugar (or corn syrup) and oats. Not very filling. Not incredibly nutritious. Not horrible for you, but an apple would be a lot better.

So this is something I struggle with: forgoing convenience in favor of healthful eating options.

Here's how I deal with it: I take a little extra time in the BEGINNING to make healthier options the more convenient choice.

Before I go grocery shopping, I clean out my fridge. Discard expired items. Wipe up spills. Make sure there's space for your new haul. I realized how much I appreciate a post-shopping clean fridge when I read some tips my friend Nicole posted over at First Comes Love.

When I get home from the grocery store, I put everything away except [most of] the fresh produce. Then I do a vinegar soak.

Vinegar soak for produce

• Begin by cleaning the sink and surrounding area. For a food-safe clean, use vinegar. 
• Fill one sink 1/2 way full of lukewarm water.
• Add 1 C white vinegar while sink is filling. 
• Remove any stickers from produce.
• Place produce in vinegar and water solution. 
• Soak produce for 10 minutes.
• Remove produce from sink and rinse under cool water. 
• Set produce on paper towel laid over a clean surface and allow produce to dry. 
• Cut up or divide "snack" produce into plastic bags or containers. 

Not only does this soak keep your produce fresh for (in my experience) up to two weeks, it makes produce the convenient choice. 

There is NO vinegar taste. Just fresh, clean, ready-to-eat produce. 

I've used this rinse on squash, melons, berries, grapes, cherries, apples, oranges, lemons, limes, pears, peaches, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, carrots, lettuce,  bell peppers, and more. 

I have not tried it with broccoli or cauliflower (or similar items), because I'm not sure how I would rinse it well enough (although some sources say it's fine). 

This will keep your berries from molding for over a week. It's amazing. I've had strawberries in the fridge for two weeks without the slightest hint of mold.