Part of eating a healthy, nutritious meal at home is making sure you are getting a good selection of healthy produce with which to work. Our home chef in Los Angeles has been choosing and preparing the best produce for years, and has great tips that can help you get good produce without all the thumping, sniffing and searching. Follow these tips and you’ll have a great selection of beautiful fresh produce on hand in no time!
Bring Home the Best Produce
Know Your Source
Whether you are purchasing from a large chain or a small mom-and-pop road-side shop, know where your produce actually comes from. Chef Julie recommends buying produce from locally grown sources when possible. We’re spoiled with great produce options in the Los Angeles area, so buying local shouldn’t be too hard. If you can’t buy local, learn more about the company or farm that you are buying from to ensure it’s ethical and safe.
Buy in Season
You might not be able to get everything you want in all seasons, but what you do get will be fresher, healthier, and better tasting. Buying fruits and veggies out of season means they were probably grown in another part of the world and shipped here over long distances. The result is fruit and veggies with a huge carbon footprint that won’t have the same flavor as fruit that’s locally grown and in-season.
Grow It Yourself
Growing your own produce isn’t difficult, especially in our California sun. If you purchase a lot of tomatoes, get a plant or two started in your backyard, balcony, or even on your window sill. There are lots of easy-to-grow herbs that you can keep indoors, as well. When you grow your own produce, not only do you save a lot of money, you’ll know exactly how and where your produce was grown and can avoid any unwanted chemicals or pesticides in your food. If you are short on space, look for indoor garden unit that help regulate water and light.
Branch Out
If you do all of your grocery shopping at one store, you might not be getting the best produce. Take a few minutes and try a different location to add variety and quality to your produce selection. Try stopping at a farmer’s market, a road-side stand, or search online for farms that sell their produce to the public. By taking a few minutes out of your day to try a new location, you might discover an incredible source for all of your favorite fruits and vegetables.
Let a Home Chef Buy It For You
Chef Julie often purchases and prepares fresh produce for her clients. Because of her years of experience, she’s able to find and buy the best-tasting produce at local markets. Plus, she can inspire you with great new ways to prepare your produce, creating dishes that are packed with flavor and made with the best fresh ingredients.
Interested in having Chef Julie purchase and prepare your favorite produce? Call her for a free consultation today!