I vow...

[OceanAnnie]

to never buy fruit in bulk ever again! Ugh. It just doesn't move. We start off eating some of it but after a day or so, it just sits there.

Bananas aren't so bad. A few left over can go into a quick banana bread.

I have good intentions and I've tried to serve fruit in a different ways raw (spreads, dips, pairings, frozen- grapes and bananas) but raw fruit doesn't get eaten so much at our house.

I had a ton of apples that had to be used or go bad. So I made a apple walnut bread. Tonight we're having french toast with an apple topping. I have peeled and diced a bunch of apples. They are simmering in the crockpot with spices.

We have a bunch of grapes that I need to find a way to use. It's nuts! Any ideas?

What do you vow to do or not to do?

 

[eliza61]

I'm so with you on the fruit thing OA. I just threw out 2 pounds of grapes that went bad. ugh....

My vow is to try and fold the clean clothes before they become the size of Mt. Everest. We sort of use our space bedroom as a staging area. clean clothes are deposited on the bed in there to free up the laundry basket. Next thing I know, you have to wade through a pile of clothes to find a matching sock.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I'm so with you on the fruit thing OA. I just threw out 2 pounds of grapes that went bad. ugh....

My vow is to try and fold the clean clothes before they become the size of Mt. Everest. We sort of use our space bedroom as a staging area. clean clothes are deposited on the bed in there to free up the laundry basket. Next thing I know, you have to wade through a pile of clothes to find a matching sock.

Oh that's another one for me! I have a "transitional area" where the clean clothes are folded into stacks for each person. I don't always have time to put them in the rooms they belong and (that's the big one) put each item away. I think if the "transitional area" was in a highly visible place it would get done a lot quicker.

 

[SpecialK]

You could make grapes into dessert with this recipe.

Taffy Apple Grapes

Green Grapes (washed and dry)

White bakers chocolate

Nuts - chopped fine

Melt white chocolate in a bowl. Dip the grapes in the white chocolate, then the nuts. Place on parchment paper and let sit in refrigerator overnight.


Not the healthiest, but you'll use up your grapes. And they taste just like taffy apples.

I'm making an apple pie today for the same reason - too many apples!

 

[OceanAnnie]

You could make grapes into dessert with this recipe.

Taffy Apple Grapes

Green Grapes (washed and dry)

White bakers chocolate

Nuts - chopped fine

Melt white chocolate in a bowl. Dip the grapes in the white chocolate, then the nuts. Place on parchment paper and let sit in refrigerator overnight.


Not the healthiest, but you'll use up your grapes. And they taste just like taffy apples.

I'm making an apple pie today for the same reason - too many apples!

Thanks! I'll keep that recipe. I'm sure I'll use it at some point. Right now, I have a bunch of red seedless grapes. Those things aren't cheap either. I think they were $2.98 a pound. And for some reason, I bought 2 pounds. I have eaten some. I probably have a pound left over.

 

[daughtersrus]

Thanks! I'll keep that recipe. I'm sure I'll use it at some point. Right now, I have a bunch of red seedless grapes. Those things aren't cheap either. I think they were $2.98 a pound. And for some reason, I bought 2 pounds. I have eaten some. I probably have a pound left over.

You can freeze the grapes. I put them on a cookie sheet and put it in the freezer. Once they are frozen, I put them in freezer bags. That way, they don't stick together. My kids love eating them frozen.

 

[bicker]

I used to be a big fruit eater, thinking that it's fruit, as in "fruit and vegetables" - as if they were all just as good-for-you as each other, spurred on, no doubt, in how they were grouped together in the older versions of the food pyramid. I think, even now, with them separated out, that the recommendations are for more fruit than most adults necessarily should be eating (mostly because the serving sizes are smaller than many typical fruit portions).

So we have become very conservative buying fruit. We never buy the big bags anymore, instead picking out individual fruit and usually buying just a few at a time. If we really need more fruit, then we can go out of our way to buy one at lunch, for example, so we can be sure not to waste any.

 

[punkin]

If I leave fruit in the fridge, it never gets eaten. The trick for me is to keep a constant but limited supply of fruit in the fruit bowl for the kids to eat. When the supply starts dwindling, I replenish from the fridge.

 

[scrapquitler]

I find that if I just put the fruit on the dinner plates, people eat it. If I leave it in the fridge or on the counter, not so much.

So for all those extra grapes, I'd just throw a handful on each persons dinner plate, or on a napkin next to their bowl of cereal, or in a baggie in the lunch box at each meal or at least once a day until they are gone. If they are there with the rest of the meal, people will be more likely to eat them. If they have to get the idea, Hey, I'll have grapes with my lunch and actually go get them, it's not going to happen.

 

[lovesmurfs]

You can freeze grapes -- it's a fun snack in the summertime.

 

[Enchanted_Mama]

we're big fruit eaters in our house, so I do buy it in bulk. I agree with a lot of the suggestions already posted (put it on dinner plates, pack it in lunches, freeze it) and wanted to add a couple more...

fruit smoothies and fruit salad. these are two ways I use up fruit that needs to get used asap. also, another dessert suggestion - toss the grapes with sour cream and brown sugar. sounds funky, I know, but it is delicious.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I vow to stop spending a small fortune on all of this "summer fruit" that I crave!

Last week, at the grocery store, $40 of our total bill was on pineapple, watermelon, strawberries, and cantaloupe!

It was delicious, but just not worth it.

I can't wait until SUMMER when you can get a 20 pound watermelon for $2.50!!!

 

[Kycha]

Well, the easiest thing to do would be to freeze it. Most fruits can be frozen, including grapes, apples, bananas, berries, etc. I freeze bananas to make into banana bread. Everytime we get a bunch of bananas, there always seems to be one leftover that turns black before anyone gets to eat it. I just throw the banana into a bag I keep in the freezer. When I have 3 or 4, I make the banana bread.

 

[npmommie]

I'm so with you on the fruit thing OA. I just threw out 2 pounds of grapes that went bad. ugh....

My vow is to try and fold the clean clothes before they become the size of Mt. Everest. We sort of use our space bedroom as a staging area. clean clothes are deposited on the bed in there to free up the laundry basket. Next thing I know, you have to wade through a pile of clothes to find a matching sock.

This is me! and I vow this every week. LOL

 

[OceanAnnie]

Thanks for the ideas, everyone. Believe me, I've tried a bunch. I do put them on their plates to round out meals, or put the fruit on a "fruit tray" with dips and such. Sometimes it's a hit, other times not. It's not knowing when the "not" will be.

I had forgotten about smoothies. But that's kind of a hit or miss for us too. They taste great. Seems like my family gets in and out of a "fruit mood". So I think I'll start buying less and ask them what they feel like. Maybe if they pick it out, they'll eat it. I do get a variety that they historically have liked. I'm thinking if they "say" they want it and see it, they'll know I got it just for them. LOL. A few here and there. That should work.