We’re here to help you use up the delicious bag of fresh leafy greens you just bought.
Some people have no problem going through a 1 lb. bag of kale in a week. They might actually go through 2 bags!
However, there are a number of us who—for a number of various reasons—struggle to use up a 1 lb bag of kale before it expires.
Maybe you bought kale because you needed a cup for one recipe and you had no other plans to use it.
Maybe you bought a 1 lb. bag because you had plans, but then your plans changed and you found yourself eating differently, leaving that bag of kale sitting lost in the fridge.
Whether you weren’t planning on using a lot of kale to begin with, or you simply didn’t use the kale like you intended, here are a few ways that you can USE the kale so you don’t waste food and money!
Freeze it
Yes, you can freeze kale!
There are numerous ways you can do it.
Blanch and freeze. Simply put the greens in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, remove, place in ice water, remove, and then place into quart freezer bags. Place freezer bags onto a cookie sheet so that the greens freeze flat. Be sure to write the current day’s date on the bags so that you know how old they are in the future.
Blend and freeze. Simply add water with kale and blend as fine as possible. Then, use silicon ice trays or silicon muffin trays to freeze blocks or pucks of kale! Once frozen, pop them out individually and place into a freezer bag. You can then use one or two each time you make a smoothie!
Just put the bag in the freezer. If you’ve got the space, go for it! Kale won’t freeze well this way for long, but this is a great short term solution.
Meal Plan
If you plan where your ingredients on-hand will go, you’re more likely to use them. Here’s how you can do it:
Asses what you already have on-hand. Can you combine your current ingredients to make a meal or two?
As you plan your grocery list and add kale or any other dark leafy green, think about different ways you can use up that bag of kale throughout the week. A kale smoothie once or twice, a kale salad for lunch once or twice, and perhaps pasta with kale or sautéed kale as a side?
Shop and stick to the list. Sure, add in a “treat yo’ self” item here or there. If you stick to your list, you’re more likely to save money, use your ingredients, and waste less food.
Easy Kale Creations
How are you using kale and other dark leafy greens? We would love to know what works for you!
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