Last week I hit the motherload of free produce. It was nuts! You can definitely tell when things start to pick up in the produce section and people start to buy more fruit.
Although the free produce boxes from Mr. Produce Guy were overflowing again this week, the pickings were kind of slim when compared to last weeks findings.
There were lots of bruised pears, a few apples and one lonely banana as well.
Wrinkled avocados. 🙁
Squishy unwrapped watermelon. Good for chickens, not so good for people.
Red bananas? I don’t think I’ve ever had a red banana before. Do they taste any different than the yellow ones? Does anyone know?
After everything was picked over, this is what we saved to eat ourselves. Not to shabby if you ask me. I have no idea what we are going to do with all those kiwis or red bananas, but I’m not complaining. Free is free, no matter how you look at it.
I’m just happy I’ve been able to save my family thousands of dollars over the past 14 months from the reclaimed produce boxes we pick up each week.
If you have any great kiwi recipes, please leave me your recipe {or a link} in the comment section below.
Peace Out Girl Scouts,
~Mavis
Would you like to see what else we have brought home over the past year?
Head on over HERE to read all the past stories and to see all the pictures.
If you have just stumbled upon this series and are wondering how I got all this food for free, you’ll want to read this story first.
To read more on the topic of food waste. Check out the book Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal
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Melanie says
This recipe looks good for your kiwis http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/strawberry-kiwi-jam
Em says
I have never had a red banana.
Smoothies is what comes to mind for kiwi and banana. I would make some kind of jam or dessert with the pears, and applesauce from the apples. Or more pie filling. 🙂
BrownThumbMama says
I was thinking popsicles, but smoothies would be great too. Or make the smoothies and then freeze them as popsicles!
Claudine says
Freeze the bananas in chunks for smoothies later.
Bake banana bread, you can freeze that too!
Sheila M. says
When I asked about the product the produce guy was throwing in a box at my local supermarket, he said someone from _____ (a town 40 minutes away) comes to pick it up. (I live in the city where there are grocery stores on every other corner.) I have to admit that I was disappointed that the produce was being picked up by someone who isn’t likely even a customer of the store. This is the only local supermarket that gives their old produce away in my area….the others stores are larger chains. I was hoping to cut my chicken feed expenses….my 8 hens loves watermelon.
On a similar note: I went on a field trip recently with my son’s class and they were asked to separate their lunch leftovers into garbage, recycle, and compost. I was assigned to monitor lunch, so (with the host’s permission) I intercepted produce destined for the compost for my chickens….2 whole apples, bag of grapes, half eaten apple, bag of unopened crackers. I’m considering speaking with the school where my kids attend and seeing if they are interested in sorting their lunch waste to reduce what goes to the garbage….and offering to take home the compost material. I’m not sure if it will be allowed, but my chickens could have first dibs and my garden would be happy to have additional compost material.
Danielle SW says
Kiwi sorbet! I just make simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, boiled for 5 min, then cooled) and pureed kiwis. Pop it in the ice cream maker, crank away, and sorbet! I haven’t ever had a red banana, so can’t help you there. Do let us know how they tasted!
Madam Chow says
Just eat them like yellow bananas. I used to live in a tropical climate and we would get all different varieties, and just ate them like regular bananas. You can also peel, slice and freeze for smoothies, same with the kiwis. You can also make banana jam, which is awesome, but I don’t have a recipe for you that I’ve tried yet.
Jeni says
Layered fruit popsicles! Put your kiwi and pears into the food processor – separately, of course – and layer them for popsicles. I make mine in 3oz plastic “Dixie” type cups and use craft sticks. My little guy LOVES them!
suzanne says
http://www.kiwirecipes.org/ Chutney, sorbets, bread Yummy! I peel and freeze mine then throw them into smoothies or greenies when I’m out of apple. I believe the red bananas are used for baking and frying like banana fritters.
Kayla says
You could try kiwi popsicles! http://divascancook.com/2011/07/refreshing-kiwi-popsicles-ahhh-summer.html
Sherle says
You can make kiwi/strawberry jam or just kiwi jam.
Teresa A says
The red bananas are slightly sweeter than yellow, good for baking anything you would normally use a yellow one in. Freeze them or dehydrate them for a sweet treat. The kiwi is great dehydrated, a very nice sweet treat.
Jen says
Dehydrated kiwis are one of my daughters favorite snacks!
chris says
I would dehydrate the kiwi’s….or use in smoothies….or eat right out…..and the bananas….wow…those are THE BEST….eat them “as is”… (the more ripe bananas are…the more cancer fighting nutrients they have) or use them in smoothies…OR…freeze and make banana bread….
Kendra says
Last summer I canned Kiwi Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate. It is delicious to mix with water, or ginger ale (and even a little vodka for the adult folk)
Here is the post I did about it (and the recipe): http://www.bkdarr.com/2012/08/strawberry-kiwi-lemonade-concentrate.html
Bea says
Kiwi is a great marinade and meat tenderizer. Check out the recipes on http://www.kiwicovelodge.com/kiwi_vineyard/kiwi_recipes.htm for jam, basic meat marinade, guacamole (here’s a good idea for those extra avocado’s), muffins, etc.
Or …. one of my favorite recipes is for kiwi and strawberry cake. Everyone ooh’s and awes over this one.
http://www.jo-ann-growingingrace.com/2012/04/strawberrykiwi-angel-food-cake.html
Faith says
Make fruit salsa!
http://allrecipes.com/video/795/annies-fruit-salsa-and-cinnamon-chips/detail.aspx?prop24=RD_VideoTipsTricks
Laura Kate says
Mavis, you need a juicer! We got one a few months ago, and it is a great way to use extra produce!
Mari says
Peel the Kiwifruit (Please note, the Kiwi is our national bird – it is not eaten, you are talking about out kiwifruit here, not the bird!!!!), slice about 6mm thick (1/4″ to you) and dehydrate. For the bananas. – put the juice of one lemon in about 4 cups of water. Peel then slice the banana (I do them diagonally), drop them in the lemon water until ready to put on dehydrator tray. This stops them from going black when dehydrating too. You can also use honey instead of lemon juice which give a sweeter banana. You can never have too much dried fruit, great for food on the go, snacks, lunches or just the munchies.
Trina says
Red bananas taste very similar to apple bananas. More sweet than your typical yellow banana. Just peel and eat! Just like regular bananas, they’re ripe when they’re soft.
Veronica says
I loved the Kiwifruit Ice I made a few years ago. The recipe is found here: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Kiwi-Ice
SweetGracey says
Hi Mavis!
I’m from the Philippines and well, we have all kinds of banana here, and i can tell you that making a banana bread/cake from red banana taste WAY better than the yellow ones, i don’t know why exactly, but yeah, they taste better than the yellow ones that is why they’re a bit more expensive than the yellow banana.. 🙂 I know we have different climate here, but i still love reading your blogs and getting tips from your gardening, i love what your doing with your gnomes project, keep it up. 🙂
Mavis says
Thanks SweetGracey!!
Jennifer says
Hi Mavis,
I was wondering is the food you “gleen” from the store GMO free or do you even think about that? ….or you’re just thankful to have the food? I try to buy organic food whenever possible but sometimes it’s just too expensive. We end up buying what we can and trust God for the rest! 🙂
Mavis says
I glean what I can. It’s free. I use non GMO seeds {Botanical Interests} and do not use chemicals in my garden.
Nancy says
I made Kiwi jam and it was beautiful as well as tasty
Mavis says
Yay! I’m glad you liked it.