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Refrigerator Overhaul: How to reduce food waste and slim your waist

February 12, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Sometimes we have to admit that things have gotten away from us.

This week I had one of those moments when I opened the refrigerator only to find teetering takeout boxes and a lack of vegetables. I know you’ve experienced this moments at least once too.

So, how do we cut down on our refrigerator waste while trying to slim our waist? If you’re like me, sometimes you buy healthy food but don’t prep it for the week and end up tossing it later. Perhaps you don’t even know what’s in your refrigerator right now.

Reducing food waste and restocking it with healthy food starts with a total refrigerator overhaul. Follow these six steps:

  1. Toss food. You work hard for your money, which everyone can respect. But the food you buy just sits in the refrigerator and doesn’t get eaten. That’s a waste of your money. Example: Look at all those condiments! How many times a year are you going to actually use three kinds of horseradish? If it is expired or not something you’ll ever use, admit it and pitch it.
  2. Clean it. Remove all items from the refrigerator from every bin and door compartment. Use a warm sudsy sponge to remove grime. For those difficult to remove stains or bits, I spray diluted Simple Green and they scrub away with little effort.
  3. Check your thermostat settings for your refrigerator spaces. Make sure they are set to temperature for the items they house.
  4. Return items to the refrigerator by category and face them (labels towards the front.) Have a hankering for pickles? Store them on the door near the ketchup and mustard. Like items should be placed with like items. Place taller items towards the back.
  5. Visit the produce section of your local organic grocery store. Recently, I bolted to our city’s new Sprouts Farmers Market and came home with bags filled to the brim with berries to leafy greens. As you know from earlier an earlier post, I’m quite the hunter when it comes to tracking down low-cost produce and clearance grocery finds.
  6. Clean and store your prepped veggies in transparent containers with secure lids. Lettuce should be washed and completely dried before storing it in new Ziplock bags. The only way you’re going to actually make time for smoothies before work is if you clean and dice all your newly purchased fruit!
Open bags and packaging, rinse with water, and allow them to completely dry before placing vegetables in new see-through containers. Place grab and go items at eye-level.

Admitting that you’ve fell off the “healthy diet” wagon isn’t easy but the shame doesn’t last long if you own it. If you admit that you live a rushed lifestyle and that the only way for you to eat healthy on a regular basis is to have grab and go produce or meal prepped food, then make sure your refrigerator (and pantry) contain those items. Taking a couple hours each weekend to prep your refrigerator for the week, will pay off.

I’ve included two produce driven recipes that are easy to pack for lunch or prep for breakfast. Try this fruit-filled spinach salad or one of five smoothie recipes!

If I can do it, you can too. Walk over to your refrigerator, open the door, and be honest. You got this!

Let me know your tips for overhauling the lazy eater’s syndrome and getting healthy in comments section below. I’d love to hear from you.

*While Sprouts Farmers Market did recently like this Instagram photo, they are not an affiliate.

Filed Under: DIY Tagged With: breakfast, clean, condiments, diet, dirty, DIY, fruit, healthy, how to, lunch, market, mustard, prep, produce, refrigerator, salad, smoothies, spinach, Sprouts, takeout, waist, waste

Spinach Fruit Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

June 15, 2016 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get tired of catering to my meat-and-potatoes man and I want to lighten up my entreé. While he wouldn’t be caught dead eating this fruit loaded salad, it’s one of my indulgences. It makes a layered lunch or dinner salad that tastes tangy, sweet, and finishes with a hearty bacon flavor. And well, Spinach Fruit Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing  just looks gorgeous. Yay for pretty food!

Note: You could use a store-bought raspberry vinaigrette, but the recipe is simple if you have the time to whisk it up.

spinach-fruit-salad-with-raspberry-vinaigrette-dressing

To make the salad base, simply layer or group the following ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing recipe below.

Ingredients:

  • spinach leaves
  • blueberries
  • sliced strawberries
  • sliced kiwi
  • sliced Gala apple
  • shredded cheddar cheese (feta or goat cheese could be substituted)
  • crumbled hickory bacon
  • slivered almonds (toasted walnut could be substituted)
  • Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

 

onedelightfullife.com

Serves 2 cups

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

A light and tangy dressing, it adds a fruit forward flavor to any salad.

5 minPrep Time

5 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup raspberries
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 T honey
  • 1 T dijon mustard
  • pinch of black pepper
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of black poppy seeds (optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well blended.
  2. Refrigerate in a jar for one hour prior to serving, if time allows.
  3. Shake jar before serving.

Notes

This dressing will last one week in a jar in your refrigerator.

7.8.1.2
6
https://onedelightfullife.com/spinach-fruit-salad-with-raspberry-vinaigrette-dressing/
onedelightfullife.com

Nutrition

Calories

50 cal

Carbs

13 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
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Filed Under: Lunch, Salads Tagged With: almonds, apple, bacon, blueberries, cheddar cheese, dressing, fruit, Gala, kiwi, raspberry, raspberry vinaigrette dressing, salad, salad dressing, spinach, spinach fruit salad, spinach salad, strawberries

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Hello! I'm Vanessa. Welcome to One Delightful Life, a blog created to add more delight to your life with delicious recipes, travel destinations, and lifestyle improvement ideas. Thanks for exploring my blog!

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