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Fruit Salad. Yummy, yummy!

Ah, yes! That Wiggles tune is back to haunt those of us who cringed as our children listened to the song over and over again. But those Wiggles were much smarter than we gave them credit for.

Fruit salad is yummy and so good for you, if you make it from scratch. And it isn't as hard as you think. Not only is it healthy, but it looks so pretty and colorful. Put out a plate of fruit salad on the kitchen counter before the kids even walk through the door after school, and I guarantee you after they spot it, they won't ask for a different after school snack.

Fruit can be expensive. And I have been asked how one can fit it into one's budget. Well, quite simply, instead of buying a few of packages of processed foods or boxes of sugary cookies, one can buy fruit instead. Finding the freshest fruit is a science, not an art. It is all about getting to the grocery store at the right time.

Local grocery stores don't receive deliveries on Sunday. This means that Monday morning is quite literally the worst time to shop. The shelves have been raked clean from the weekend shoppers. Some will have Saturday delivery, but most likely it will just be the bigger chains. Your best time to shop for any kind of produce would be Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning. After that, they will be stocking up for the weekend, so Thursday evening or Friday morning will be your next best bet. Keep this in mind when you shop for your produce. I actually try to make it to the grocery store twice a week for fresh goods. Tuesday morning and Friday morning. If I make it to the discount warehouse that week, I may only make the one trip.
Speaking of the discount warehouse, I find the best produce at Sam's Club. The reason for this, I think, is that they have great turn around. Small restaurants, schools, cafeteria's, etc. buy their food at a discount warehouse. Because Sam's is the one here in my neck of the woods, it is the one I shop at. For you, it may be a Costco or a BJ's. But they all provide the same service. Because of this, there is a fast produce turnover. The other great thing about a discount warehouse is that you get a lot more for your money. For a dollar more, you generally get twice as much than you get at the grocery store. If you are afraid that you won't be able to eat that much, don't be. I challenge you to prepare a fruit salad the way I will tell you and fruit will become a main staple in your household. You will serve it at breakfast, blend it up with yogurt for smoothies, or use it as a side dish for Chicken Quesadillas at dinnertime!

In my next post, I'll tell you whether it is worth the extra price to buy organic fruit. I'll tell you how to clean your fruit. I'll also tell you how to stretch the life of your fruit so it doesn't go bad before you get the chance to enjoy it.

To be continued...