Eat 3 homegrown things a day plan !!

[veggiechicken]

As usual, bear with me while I explain.

This week I've defrosted the freezer and, lurking at the bottom were countless bags of tomatoes (whole and pureed) and sliced beans. Some from last year, some from the year before.
I tried cooking them - they were awful! The chickens didn't mind though.

Anyway, it made me realise that I really only want to eat veg that are fresh, not frozen. I'm happy eating courgettes every day until they stop because I will never buy them from the shops for the rest of the year. Same with tomatoes and strawberries - I don't eat them unless I've grown them.

Instead of growing to glut point, I'm going to grow for freshness fulfilment.

My daily requirements are roughly:-
Breakfast - fresh fruit for cereal or homemade jam for toast
Lunch - fresh salady things for a sandwich or salad and soup in the winter.
Dinner - seasonal veggies.

If I can grow something for every meal, every day of the year, I will be happy.

That's my next challenge to myself!
Care to join me?

[Chestnut]

Might take me a few years to get the knack of growing without gluts....
We still have 6 jars of last years crumble mix and this year’s fruit is ripening!

[veggiechicken]

Same here, Chestnut, but I'm not going to put toms and beans in the freezer this year. Its a waste of space!! Either eat them all whilst fresh, give them away or find another way to preserve them. Next year. maybe cut back a bit.

[Jay-ell]

I assume you/re going to include storage items such as squash, spuds and onions as fresh foods.

I was toying with the idea of getting a canner (one of those oversized pressure cooker things) but didn't get one

[SarrissUK]

I much prefer fresh fruit and veg, but I find that raspberries freeze well, especially if in thick plastic bags. Thin bags lets other flavours through and they taste of freezer.
I don't often buy vegs that I couldn't grow myself and store, but my plot isn't big enough.
I love your idea though VC, and I will make more of an effort to live seasonally!

[Greenleaves]

I find vaccum packing veg before freezing helps immensely, but maybe not for two years

[veggiechicken]

Yes to Jay-ell - Stuff that sits on the shelf and needs no processing counts as fresh

Yes to Sarriss - I find rapsberries are one of the few things that come out of the freezer almost the same as they went in.

To Greenleaves - don't have a vacuum sealer but I do have a Hoover. Seriously, do they make a big difference. Could I bung in a bag of toms and they'd come out edible?

[Greenleaves]

Not toms no, too much water content but beans are really good

[Small pumpkin]

That's not the nuttiest idea you've ever come up with VC

I won't be joining you this time.

Having said that I'll never have to buy another chilli or chilli based product ever again

[Chestnut]

If the current heatwave keeps up, we might be able to produce our own sundried tomatoes and other assorted antipasti

Have decided not to make runner bean chutney again though....

[Bren In Pots]

I can grow lettuce all year around then I do sprouting seeds for winter salads but that's all I've managed in eating my own produce all year round.

Have decided not to make runner bean chutney again though....

I thought runner bean chutney sounded the perfect way to use up some beans until I tasted it couldn't even give it away.

[SarrissUK]

If I have a tomato glut, I cook them down in the oven before bagging them in thick bags, and making sure no air is left in the bags. They taste exactly the same six months later, but I can't vouch for leaving them any longer - they never last longer than that!

[veggiechicken]

I might try that, Sarriss, Thanks.

[Earthgirl Jen]

I assume you/re going to include storage items such as squash, spuds and onions as fresh foods.

I was toying with the idea of getting a canner (one of those oversized pressure cooker things) but didn't get one

They are very good, I have one, we imported it from the US 5yrs ago. Canned toms, meat, soup, beans etc... The possibility are endless.. I still have 'canned' toms from last year (I grew rather a lot!) that I know will keep for this year and next! They take up shelf space... that is all.. I'm still a novice at it and learning more each year...

[BarleySugar]

I freeze veg for curries. The curry spices conceal any flavour loss/change, and the veg bulk up meat or pulse based main meals. That said, I decided I prefer pumpkin puree to courgette as it gives more flavour.