Holiday Leftovers: Food Safety Tips and Recipes
A holiday meal is a special occasion, usually full of foods we do not eat every day. With a little planning, leftovers or “planned-overs” from the holiday meal can last several meals.
As the days grow shorter, our need for fresh, nutritious produce continues through the winter. Many late-season vegetables are still available at local grocery stores and through some Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) outlets. You may also have grown and stored your own vegetables for winter consumption.
Some vegetables that can be enjoyed throughout the colder months, fresh, include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, herbs, onions, potatoes, and more. Winter squash are also plentiful and offer a delicious and nutritious addition to winter meals.
Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage should be stored in the refrigerator. Wait to wash them until you are ready to prepare or eat them. Avoid storing these vegetables in airtight plastic bags, as they benefit from airflow to help prevent premature spoilage. Winter squash should be kept in a cool, dry location, out of direct sunlight. Be sure your storage location isn’t too cold, causing them to freeze. If they do freeze, the flesh will become soft and rot. Avoid storing them in a location close to fruits that emit ethylene gas, as this may cause them to spoil.
Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage are all members of the cruciferous vegetable family and can contribute important nutrients to a healthy diet.
Winter squash are packed with nutrients that can support a healthy diet. They are generally:
Winter squash also have a relatively low glycemic load, meaning they generally have a more modest effect on blood sugar than many higher-carbohydrate foods. A cup of baked butternut squash contains about half the carbohydrates of a comparable serving of sweet potato.
Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) recommends that adults consume three servings of vegetables daily. When making your selections, aim for a variety of whole, colorful vegetables.
If fresh produce aren’t available, frozen and canned vegetables are excellent alternatives. When choosing canned vegetables, check the nutrition label for added sodium and look for lower-sodium options when possible.
One of the best things about winter squash is their versatility. Depending on the variety and preparation, squash can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. Try adding it to soups and stews, blending it into smoothies, or stuffing and roasting it for a hearty side dish.
And don’t forget the seeds! The seeds from many winter squash can be cleaned, seasoned, and roasted for a crunchy, nutritious snack.
As winter approaches, make the most of the produce available to you. Whether fresh, frozen, canned, homegrown, or stored from your garden, vegetables can add color, flavor, fiber, and important nutrients to winter meals.
A holiday meal is a special occasion, usually full of foods we do not eat every day. With a little planning, leftovers or “planned-overs” from the holiday meal can last several meals.
It is not a matter of time as much as a matter of planning ahead so you can enjoy an unhurried dinner. If you have meats thawed and ingredients on hand, most things can be tossed together in about the same time as it takes to order and wait for the food at a restaurant. Slow cooking something in the oven or crock pot is a hand option for making tasty food with little food preparation time.