storing all the CSA vegetables

I got a really solid start on cooking over the weekend and thought I should take advantage of this moment to talk about what my weekend vegetable prep looks like. A CSA share can be intimidating for the uninitiated – it is A LOT of vegetable to deal with at once, but it is totally possible if you can set aside the time to properly wash and store your vegetables as soon as you get home with them. We do a CSA pick up (Large Box from JBG) every other week. We’ll be running low or down to just root veggies by the last couple of days, but for the most part this lasts us for a whole two weeks.

Here’s what I did this weekend:

• Lettuce – Eat salads on first day. Wash, dry, and divide remainder into jars for salads on the go.
• Kale – Pull greens off stems, wash, dry, and store in fridge in vented plastic container.
• Spinach – Wash, dry, and store in fridge in vented plastic container.
• Collards – Trim ends off half and place, stems down, in a bowl or jar with a bit of water on counter. Wash, dry, ribbon, and store other half like other greens in fridge.
• Cabbage – Shred entire cabbage and store in fridge.
• Carrots – Scrub and store in water in fridge.
• Daikon – Julienne all of the daikon. Use half in quick pickles; store other half in fridge for addition to salads or stir fries.
• Sweet Potatoes – Scrub, peel, steam, and store in fridge.
• Radishes – Scrub, vacuum seal into reusable bags, and store in crisper drawer.
• Beets – Roast, peel, quarter, and store in fridge.
• Brussel Sprouts – Wash, dry, and store in fridge in vented plastic container.
• Spring Onions – Slice and store in fridge.
• Artichokes – Wash.

It is a sizeable stash and fitting it all in the fridge took some real-world Tetris, but I am set for the week and have a jump-start on meal prep for most days. I’m trying to structure my meal plan a little differently for this week so you can get a better idea of how all this prep breaks down into meals. Should have that up by tomorrow.

P.S. There are two products in particular that I have come to cherish on Saturday afternoons – the Rubbermaid Produce Saver line and my FoodSaver handheld vacuum sealer with reusable bags. Neither kitchen addition was terribly expensive and both have made a huge difference in the life of my veggies. I strongly recommend them.