Living in this troubled time is a challenge. With news broadcasts telling us that pollinators are declining, food availability is threatened, budgets are tightening as food prices rise, and meanwhile, experts tell us that we get nutrition from food. Getting the most out of the budget we spend on food has quickly become a priority. Cooking with nutrition in mind is the central theme of our cookbook: From a Little Garden: Over 300 Delicious Nutritious Recipes. Despite common belief, it can be quite simple to provide a healthy menu plan without a lot of extra shopping and expense. In fact, you can save quite a bit of money simply by being a little smarter and less wasteful.

Let’s start with the most common mistake, overcooking. Overcooking vegetables or any other food drastically reduces nutrients. So choose to steam your veggies, rather than boil them, and simmer them so the veggies are still textured and a bit stiff.

Avoid heating food in the microwave: it is very easy to cover and gradually heat up the leftover food; Cover loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil and bake in a 300-325Ëš oven for 20 minutes or so. The food will have the same texture as if it were freshly cooked and will retain the flavors. If you must use a microwave, heat only until hot enough, but not too hot.

The skin and seeds are packed with fiber and nutrients, so removing them is counterproductive. For tomato sauces, use a blender to soften the skin and seeds. If you make your own juice, you will have a little pulp left after the juice is extracted. Buy yourself a food dehydrator so you can use the dehydrated pulp in different ways. In the case of vegetable pulp, dry and mix until obtaining a powder that can then be used to thicken soups, stews and stews. The pulp of the fruit can be sweetened with honey and made into a delicious fruit leather, or the pulp dried and mixed into a powder to use in smoothies.

Humans aren’t the only ones who benefit from these powdered mixes, either. Dogs love these dehydrated mixes, we simply scoop half a tablespoon of the powder into their food, add a little hot water, and let it cool before feeding.

Food will lose nutrients as soon as it is harvested and will continue to lose nutrients as it ages. Growing your own food in the soil that you have built and modified is a great way to ensure that your food has the optimal amount of nutrients. However, buying locally at farmers markets can offer you almost the same value. For centers where none of these options are options, there are always outlets that buy locally grown food. Choosing these options ensures that your food is as fresh as possible.