Getting ingredients from the salad bar

[emm74]

The two stores I shop at the most (King Soopers - local version of Kroger, and Sprouts) both have many produce items available in individual units that you pay for by weight.

But I cook enough that I can buy, for example, a whole head of celery and use it up quickly enough - if you wrap it in foil, it last a really long time. And I cook soups frequently so it doesn't matter if it's a little bit wilted for that. Even though I cook for two (or often just one, if it's something my picky kiddo won't eat), I batch cook and freeze individual portions to take for lunches or have for a quick dinner on a night I don't want to cook.

[GiGi603]

Originally Posted by Sundaydrive00

I'm not normally one to be worried about germs, but the salad bars gross me out. And it does seem like for a while a few years ago there were always reports or recalls on the salad bar due to ecoli or hepatitis.

The grocery stores all sell carrots and celery by the each, so if I only need a limited amount, I'll buy those.

Me too. Carrots and celery especially have a good shelf life. I wrap my celery in aluminum foil--it prolongs the life.

I eat an entire stalk of celery every week. A bunch of carrots in two weeks.

To answer the OP--no, as like Sundaydrive--salad bars gross me out.

[charlygal]

Veggies like celery and carrots can be frozen for later use. Buy the bunch, cut, freeze, and save the rest for later. It saves money and time.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by charlygal

Veggies like celery and carrots can be frozen for later use. Buy the bunch, cut, freeze, and save the rest for later. It saves money and time.

True. Every few months I make a batch of lentil spinach soup. Frozen chopped celery and carrots would work there.

[cat1116]

I've done it for taco night on occasion. Just didn't feel like buying separate packages. It saved me some $$ too.

[Forever Blue]

I never really thought about it, but should try it here & there. I only really have 1 grocery store in my immediate area in which I can get things like chopped celery, so GOOD IDEA!

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by cat1116

I've done it for taco night on occasion. Just didn't feel like buying separate packages. It saved me some $$ too.

For me, sometimes saving time is more valuable than saving money. I used to love to cook when I was married and we had friends over. One thing we did fairly well together was entertain company. Barbecues, dinner, etc.

Then when I was divorced and raising my daughter, she would have friends over all the time and I made things for them. Every year I made a big pot of chili and we had the whole marching band over. The kids loved my chili.

Now that it's been years of just me and cats, now down to one cat, I really can't be bothered to expend much effort cooking. I take no pleasure in it anymore, and would rather be out of the kitchen as much as possible.

I'm not going to waste the precious minutes of my life chopping carrots or celery to save fifty cents now and again.

[katie45]

I do the same thing.

Mainly the celery as the OP stated, but also chopped onion.