4 Fruits You Can Stop Wasting With These Helpful Tricks

| 3 min read

Bowl of fruit
Like many people, I’ve been making an effort to eat more fruits and vegetables. But sometimes, I find myself throwing away produce because I never took the time to cut and use it properly.
I found that if I set aside time to wash, cut and store fruits as soon as I get home from the grocery store, I’m more likely to put them to good use. This can be a hassle, but it’s better than throwing away unused produce.
Here are tips to help you save time and gain energy by making sure you use, not lose, the fruit you buy:
  1. Grapes: Grapes are a low-calorie healthy snack. But how often have you bought a bunch of grapes only to leave them untouched in the fridge? Before putting grapes in the fridge, remove them from the stem and soak in water to clean. Dry grapes in a large colander and package handfuls into clear snack bags to store in the fridge.
  1. Strawberries: Strawberries can be used in a variety of ways. Topping off your salad, tossed into a smoothie or just enjoyed alone. I like to remove the stems and wash strawberries right away. I then cut some of them into ¼ pieces, which I keep in a small sealed container for adding to salads. The others I will keep whole and put back in their plastic container so they are clean and ready to use for my next smoothie or snack.
  1. Lemons: Lemons are a good source of Vitamin C and can add a huge flavor boost to dishes like baked chicken and fish. They can also zest up your daily water intake. I like to cut off the ends of the lemons and slice them thin with the rind on for readily available garnishes. Store lemon slices in a container in the fridge.
  1. Melons: This is the fruit I am most guilty of buying and wasting. I see a fresh cantaloupe or honeydew at the grocery store and toss it in the cart while dreaming up all of the fruit salad I plan to make with it. Before I know it, a week has gone by and the melon sits untouched on the counter, starting to spoil. Now, I clean the melon and cut it in half, and use a wooden spoon to scoop out the seeds. Then you can cut the halves into wedge slices to keep stored for snacking, or continue cutting into melon cubes.
If you’re someone who is really strapped for time, you can always grab pre-cut fruit containers in the produce section at most grocery stores. Just keep in mind you’re likely going to pay more for the convenience.
Are you guilty of buying fruit and not using it? What time-saving tricks do you use for cutting fruits?
Photo credit: Wendy Nelson (cropped from original)

A Healthier Michigan is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
No Personal Healthcare Advice or Other Advice
This Web site provides general educational information on health-related issues and provides access to health-related resources for the convenience of our users. This site and its health-related information and resources are not a substitute for professional medical advice or for the care that patients receive from their physicians or other health care providers.
This site and its health-related information resources are not meant to be the practice of medicine, the practice of nursing, or to carry out any professional health care advice or service in the state where you live. Nothing in this Web site is to be used for medical or nursing diagnosis or professional treatment.
Always seek the advice of your physician or other licensed health care provider. Always consult your health care provider before beginning any new treatment, or if you have any questions regarding a health condition. You should not disregard medical advice, or delay seeking medical advice, because of something you read in this site.