Gulay Priority Cycle: How to Prep & Store Veggies

Prevent food waste by prioritizing cooking produce that spoil easily first and storing them properly!

When you receive your veggies for the week (and after admiring everything in your tampipi) sort them according to type:

1. leafies
2. green beans
3. hearty (fruiting / flowering / cruciferous veggies)
4. rootcrops & hardier crops.

Leafies

Use your leafy greens first, they’re always best to use fresh! Give priority to those that wilt easily. We like to make a quick simple soup the day we get our greens (think a really hearty miso soup!)

Storage tips:  

• Wrap in cloth, paper bag or closed container and store in your crisper box
• Some subscribers parboil their leafies and keep in a closed container for fuss-free adding onto any meal later on
• Hardier leafies like spinach: you can blanch, squeeze and freeze if you want to keep for later.

Green Beans

Your green beans such as 

sitaw, sitsaro & french beans 

are versatile veggies perfect for blanching or saute. Toss sitsaro with sesame oil & korean chili flakes for a light snack or side!

Storage Tips:

• Store them in your crisper though because they tend to dry out! Best to wrap in cloth or paper bag. Ideally, use within 2-3 days.
• Blanch in advance and keep in your refrigerator or even freezer!

Hearty Veggies

Heart Veggies are what we like to call vegetables in the cruciferous family (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) and fruits we consider vegetables (eggplants, zucchini, squash). These veggies are perfect for making hearty stews and stir-fry that will leave you stuffed. 

Storage Tips:

• Best to keep in crisper drawer (ie. eggplant, cauliflower, zucchini, radish, carrots, lettuce, peppers etc.)
• Use within 5-7 days, otherwise you may blanch and freeze.

Root Crops

Horray for potatoes & kamotes! These sturdy crops can also be stored for a long time, so you dont have to worry much about spoilage. Add diversity to your source of starch & sugars for a well-rounded diet by roasting & steaming them. Try using them to make flatbreads too!

• Store at room temperature, in a shaded, dry place, on counter top
• You may also steam rootcrops and keep in fridge for easier meal prep
• There will be some exceptions, like carrots & beets (which fair better in your fridge) and cassava (which should be eaten or prepped as soon as possible)