Question about kale

[Adagio Breezes]

I blend 3 or 4 kale leaves into a green smoothie 6 mornings a week, and I often purchase 3 or 4 bunches of kale at a time. My mom has been complaining that my kale takes up too much room in our fridge. I would buy less, but it's more convenient for me to buy 3 or 4 bunches at a time.

Could I possibly keep it in my bedroom or something? Does kale HAVE to be refridgerated?

[Raw Jewelrylady]

I haven't done this, but I have heard of others washing their greens & freezing to use in their smoothies. You can place in a ziploc baggie & *smoosh* all the air out & it won't take up as much space.

You could go to the store one extra time per week & buy 1/2 as much. Just some ideas...

Lana

[Stina]

Yes, kale will go limp. You could consider dehydrating it, freezing it or composting it, no, wait, I mean fermenting it. If it sits in the fridge for a couple of days, I like to trim the end and give it a drink of water to freshen it up by putting the bottom into a bowl of water. Negotiate with Mum!

[spicyfull]

You can also buy SEEDS and plant your own. It can grow in the Ground or in Pots. You can get seeds from any Nersery................

[Kate]

I don't live with my mum anymore, but when i do go home to visit, (over Christmas, etc.), the fridge gets stuffed.
Fortunately we live in ice cold Canada, and solve the problem but placing my kale, etc., in a box in the cellar. It keeps fresh down there for 3-4 days, but it is no fridge.
Other tricks I have tried (while traveling, etc) include rigging bags of produce outside of hotel windows (again, the temp must be right..) and storing greens in a bathtub/sink full of ice.
Also you could buy some big heavy duty ziplocs, and cut the kale into small pieces (removing stems, etc.) and stuff the bags to their max. This saves a little space and saves work later.

If all else fails, buy a mini fridge at a big box store (i know, i know) and keep it in your room!

Good luck!

[Veganforlife]

Actually what I have done? I have blended with a bit of filtered water and froze the juice in jars. Then it's quick and easy for green smoothies!

[domestic goddess]

Actually what I have done? I have blended with a bit of filtered water and froze the juice in jars. Then it's quick and easy for green smoothies!

What an awesome idea! :D

[Conscious Midwife]

I'm still trying to figure our how much space 6 servings of kale really takes up.:confused: Hmmmm, are you using a micro fridge? I throw all of my grens prewashed into the bottem drawer of the fridge. This is where I use to store some fruits thatI now prefer room temperature.

[JGex]

Actually what I have done? I have blended with a bit of filtered water and froze the juice in jars. Then it's quick and easy for green smoothies!

Domestic Goddess is right... that is a fabulous idea!

[Veganforlife]

Well, I learned after getting my "box" from my organic food co-op and having tons of food for one what could I do? This way too for traveling, it's easy.

[Bingo24]

Why not a little travel cooler in your room - ziploc some ice to store in there with the Kale?

[JGex]

Well, I learned after getting my "box" from my organic food co-op and having tons of food for one what could I do? This way too for traveling, it's easy.

We go to the desert once a year to camp and vend off and on in the summer, which is challenging with raw foods. We've learned how to make a "deep freeze" from an Extreme cooler, so we are able to keep frozen foods for 7-10 days depending on the conditions. In the desert, we have to make sure we leave no trace, so the less packing and cleanup as possible is best. I'm planning smoothie ingredients as most of our diet this year and the frozen cubes are just freakin' perrrfect.

:D

[Adagio Breezes]

Thank you for all the replies!

Lifeagift, we have an incredibly full fridge. We buy a lot of food. We joke to people that if there's ever a mass food shortage, you want to be at our house. Mom jokes that Trader Joe's gets a third of her income. There've been times when people have come over to our house and they're stunned at how much food we have. The freezer is stuffed (very little of it's mine, though). Last night, we went shopping (I was out of kale :D I only bought 2 bunches this time) and Mom bought three frozen items. Two of the items could fit in the freezer, but the other had to go in the fridge because there was no room. Right now, she has 3 big styrafoam containers (leftovers from restuarants) in the fridge. Together, they take up more room than my two bunches of kale (well, bunch and a half after this morning's smoothie...)

[spicyfull]

Thank you for all the replies!

[B Right now, she has 3 big styrafoam containers (leftovers from restuarants) in the fridge. Together, they take up more room than my two bunches of kale (well, bunch and a half after this morning's smoothie...)

I HATE those styrafoam containers in the refridgerator. I would always take the stuff out and repackage it. I can't stand a box full of stuff, so I am constantly rearranging.....

[KatK]

How about a little dorm refrigerator in your room?

[Rawkinlocs]

Actually what I have done? I have blended with a bit of filtered water and froze the juice in jars. Then it's quick and easy for green smoothies!

I was thinking the same thing - you could keep maybe one head of fresh and/or consider washing, cutting/breaking it up and tightly packing into a ziplock bag so it takes up a little less space in the fridge. Then, blend the rest with water and freeze - though I was going to suggest in ice cube trays (you can get some from the dollar store!) and then once frozen, put those cubes in the storage option of your choice in the freezer and then just add the cubes to your smoothie! I've done this with wheatgrass too - I'd blend with a little water, strain (since wheatgrass pulp is not really all that digestable by humans from what I've heard) and then froze into cubes. I know that freezing will cause it to lose "some" of the nutrients, but not all and you'll still get some benefits from it especially if you are also having some that are actually fresh in addition to the frozen!