"Don’t Let It Go to Waste: Extend the Life of Your Summer Produce"

If you know us, you know sustainability is at the heart of everything we do—and that includes reducing food waste. One of the easiest ways to practice sustainability right now? Make your summer produce last well into the fall.

By extending the life of your fruits and veggies, you’re not only cutting down on waste, but also squeezing more joy out of the season’s short-lived bounty. Plus, it’s a fun way to get a little more creative in the kitchen.

Keep reading for 10 practical tips (and simple recipes!) to preserve the flavor of summer—so it can stick around just a little longer.

 1. Freeze Your Berries Right

 Gently rinse, dry, freeze on a tray.

 Try this: Frozen Berry Chia Jam (No-cook)

 2. Roast and Freeze Tomatoes

 Roast with garlic and olive oil, freeze in portions.

 Try this: Quick Tomato Pasta Sauce

 3. Make Pesto with Any Greens

 Don’t toss wilted greens—blend with nuts, garlic, and oil.

 Try this: Anything Pesto

 4. Pickle Your Cucumbers (or Radishes!)

 Quick pickle brine: vinegar, salt, sugar, water.

 Try this: Simple Pickled Cucumber & Red Onion 

 5. Dry Fresh Herbs

 Hang dry or use oven method at low temp.

 Try this: Herb Salt Blend 

 6. Grill and Freeze Zucchini or Eggplant

Grill slices, freeze with parchment between.

 Try this: Summer Veggie Panini (using frozen grilled slices)

 7. Make Fruit Compotes

 Cook soft fruit with a little honey and lemon juice.

 Try this: Peach Compote over Yogurt or Oats 

 8. Build Your Favorite Crock Pot Meal

 Gather all your ingredients and stop just before cooking then freeze in a container or bag. When you're ready, dump into the crockpot, press start, and done!

 Try these crockpot kits 

 9. Bake and Freeze Muffins with Extra Produce

 Use zucchini and/or carrots, overripe bananas.

 Try this: Zucchini-Banana Muffins 

 10. Blend & Freeze Smoothie Packs

 Portion fruits + greens in bags to easily grab-and-blend.

 Try this: Strawberry–Spinach–Banana Smoothie 

Have any of your own preservation tricks we didn’t touch on? Drop us a comment or a line, we’d love to hear from you! 

Book a Session

A little prep goes a long way! Need help creating a fresh plan for fall? Let’s talk. Book a session and learn how to build a realistic, flexible approach to food that doesn’t include guilt or restriction. Book a session with Emily or Lisa!