fftf: my #1 secret to a super fresh, waste-free crisper drawer

Last week I wrote about the “diet” —> lifestyle I live by, which I call 80/20 Striving. It’s a system by which I make ~80% of my meals in 20 mins or less, without much planning or use of recipes. When I say “system” and “lifestyle,” what I mean is that I do this essentially on autopilot. Just like brushing my teeth or making coffee in the morning - there’s no “motivation” required - it’s a “system” full of habits that allow me to cook, eat, and (thereby) live well without spending a lot of mental energy on it. If you feel like cooking is a "chore," this is basically the opposite of that. (And it's all I'm gonna be talking about/teaching for the foreseeable future, so if you're intrigued, get excited/stay tuned!)

One of the foundations of this system is storing my veggies - and all foods really - so as to maximize their life in the fridge (I’ve written about this/Instagram-storied about it for a while). This is well worth the small effort it takes because a) it gives me more flexibility and more time to decide how/what to cook; b) it means I can shop less frequently, and c) it prevents food waste and d) saves me money!

I’m always evolving and improving upon my food storage system. And so I need to tell you about my latest evolution. In the past I’ve talked about the containers I use for storing lettuce; and my hot-tip to store carrots submerged in water to keep them crispy for weeks.

Well, as of late my veggie storage has evolved to be heavily reliant on these vejibags. I had been using one for a while, but I now I am obsessed. I use 3 of them at a time, and I swear by them. They seem to keep just about EVERY veggie lasting longer - carrots, hearty greens, broccoli, lettuce, scallions, whatever I throw in there. I store multiple different veggies in the same bag. And I haven't found a veggie that doesn't seem to enjoy the vejibag. They take up less space in my fridge than the containers. And as they dry out, they remind me to eat up the food inside. (The way they work is you wet them, wring them out, and then store washed veg inside.)

I think they even help the foods OUTSIDE the bag stay fresher, when used this way: My crisper drawer currently contains a bottom layer of lemons, limes, zucchini, cucumbers, and poblanos (photo below), topped with three damp vejibags full of greens and such (earlier photo). I think the damp bags are also helping the food underneath stay fresh! DOUBLE WIN.

This is not a sponsored post (I don't do sponsors) - I just SERIOUSLY love these bags and can’t recommend them enough, even though they are a little pricey. I have also heard similar raving feedback from everyone else I’ve introduced to them.

My other favorite thing about them is that - because I have to wet the bag anyways, it's easy to make a habit of also quickly washing the greens and/or other produce before I put it in the bags. So then when I’m cooking, everything is already washed and crisp and ready to go. Again - a winning habit that shaves a few minutes off my cooking time - which sounds small but seriously helps, especially in times like these when my motivation is at an all-time low.

So - VEJIBAGS - check em out! I use three, but start with one and see if you like it. This is also a good time to remind you about my Kitchen Shop page on my website, where I have links and descriptions of my favorite kitchen tools, as well as a guide to veggie storage. Check it out if you haven’t! (And when you buy through my links, Amazon does give me a small commission, which helps me out at no cost to you 😀. I also support you supporting your small local businesses instead of Amazon, so if you can find these things elsewhere, please do!).

And, before you go, just letting you know that my online cooking course - Intuitive Cooking 101 - will be launching again on October 14! It’s 5 weeks long and includes weekly cooking plans, short video lessons to watch on your own time, and a live call/demo with me every week - plus lots more special stuff. If you're in a cooking rut / want to learn the basics of my 80/20 system and apply it to your own life, this course might just be for you! More details coming soon!

happy weekend!

love,
Jess

PS. Like FREE STUFF?! Download my Craveable Salad Guide to print out and hang on your fridge for inspiration!

If you like this email, I would LOVE IT if you forward along to your favorite food-loving friends, or better yet, forward and then cook something together! Wannabe subscribers can sign up here. Thanks for reading!
In case you missed out, here are a few past issues to check out:

August 28: introducing... the "diet" I live by 💥
August 21: {recipe} 15 minutes to cooling breakfasts all week long!
August 14: avoid the “frosty land of misfit foods” with this simple trick
August 7: what is MOST essential to you?
July 31: 2 mins work ➡️ week's worth of sustenance
July 24: is there hidden cash in your trash can?
July 17: Crunchy spices + refreshment?! YES and I’m OBSESSED
June 26: 5 ingredients, 5 minutes - a favorite summer salad
May 8: It's been one year of FFTF!
April 17: I’m 100% sure you can do this veggie trick
April 3: my dad’s surprising vitamin advice

Hi, I'm Jess! I help health-conscious, busy people transform their cooking from "chore" to "lifestyle" through intuitive cooking, which I teach through online classes, free content, coaching and more. This is my newsletter, Food for Thought Fridays, where I share highly actionable tips and inspiration to help you cook more intuitively (which makes cooking feel easier and SO much more fun!). Once a month, I share a recipe that's really worth making, and I only share those with my email subscribers.

I currently work + live on land that is the unceded territory of the Ramaytush Ohlone. And I can't wait to eat at Cafe Ohlone when they reopen someday! Check out this article about them.