There’s nothing worse than coming home to a drawer full of rotten veggies after an extended vacation. While packing and planning can get the best of you before an exciting trip, it’s important to give your fridge a little love before heading out the door to avoid any potential food waste.
My no-fail solution: Get creative! Before saying bon-voyage, take the time to take stock of what you already have. Then, try to mix and match flavors by repurposing leftovers or sauces with fresh produce. Most likely, this means there won’t be a recipe to follow, but don’t let that stop you! Let this be the time to think creatively and experiment with flavor combinations you know you already love.
If you begin to run out of options or receive the week’s CSA share the day before you’re scheduled to take off, why not throw a dinner party? So last week, that’s exactly what I did! It was the perfect way to catch up with friends and family before vacay and make use of the entire haul, too. Ingredients that weren’t needed for dinner turned into lunch. Then, it was off to the airport with a full belly and an empty fridge.
Garlic Scapes
Carrots
Mesclun Mix
Broccoli
Blueberries
Dinner Party Menu
Carrot-Top and
Garlic Scape Pesto
Roasted Carrots
Green Salad
Peach Blueberry Crumble
A La Mode
in the fridge before going on a vacation.
When it comes to leftovers, it depends upon what I have leftover. If it's say chicken for example, I might make three different meals out of the cooked
up chicken and alternate the meals during the week. Or perhaps use leftover ingredients as a topping on a pizza, or make them into a stir fry. Some ingredients just lend themselves very easily for multi-purpose cooking.