Thursday, January 30, 2014

Food Waste in America

Last night for dinner I opened a plastic container of BBQ meat, slapped spoon fulls onto a hamburger bun, heated it in the microwave and yelled, "KIDS! DINNER IS READY!"

My husband came into the kitchen to tell me that what I "made" doesn't count as dinner.  I laughed. He is right. It wasn't. Everything on that plate was dead food. And so I grabbed a few oranges and milk and ice, and made an orange smoothie to go with it, along with a quick simple side salad. Not much better, but still...better.

And the reason we had the dinner that we had? No one really likes left-overs in our house. To even type that sentence in admittance is a little shameful. My family is surrounded by so much food, it is never an issue of someone going hungry. We have perfectly editable food in the refrigerator but it is ignored, pushed to the back in favor of a plastic tub of pre-made BBQ meat.

I need to really change my habits. My husband is a left-over eating champ. He doesn't waste anything. America could use a whole lot of people like him in the world. I am working towards that change, but not with as much gusto as perhaps I should be.  At least we eat our left-over produce, right?  I take an apple from the bin on one day, and I am willing to take another from the bin the next. Does that count as leftovers? :)

Here is an interesting article on leftovers and waste in America that was in Business Week. A quote from the article reads, "On average, my fellow citizens throw away 20 pounds of food each month, which amounts to $2,275 a year for a family of four, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture."  Yikes. Maybe we should have sandwiches for dinner to use up the lunch meat and cheese before it goes bad, even though my upbringing and culture says that a sandwich isn't a dinner item.

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-10/living-in-the-united-states-of-food-waste

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Dr. Oz introduces The Bluapple

My mom loves watching The Dr. Oz Show. I love watching The Dr Oz. Show.  Goodness...even my husband loves watching The Dr. Oz Show.  He always has good ideas to share with his viewers and I almost always feel like a million bucks after watching him, ready to take control of my health!

Dr. Oz is even better when he informs viewers about how The Bluapple absorbs the ethylene gases that produce emits, causing the produce to last longer, saving money and being better for the environment.  Less waste is always a win!


Monday, January 27, 2014

Super Bowl Sunday Dips

Disclaimer.  I don't watch football. I have never watched a game from start to finish in one sitting. Ever. In high school, football was a place to hang out, eat food and leave early.  One of the things that I love about my husband is his lack of interest in football. (Loving someone for something they don't like. Interesting.)

This coming Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday!  


I have two boys who don't like to watch football, except for Super Bowl Sunday.  Why?  Because their peer group seems to watch it and they'd like to participate in the conversations about the game the next day at school. 

And of course, food.  They love to eat and watch T.V.

On Super Bowl Sunday, my non-football loving family makes delicious snacks and we sit on the couch to eat, occationally commenting on the game.  We talk about other interests, play a game or two of Angry Birds, look at our Facebook wall and laugh during the commercials.  And then...we eat some more!

Are you a Super Bowl lover or just a Super Bowl food lover like us?  

Our family likes a good dip.  A good dip goes with just about anything. We make a warm vegetable dip for chips, guacamole and hummus dips for vegetables, and yogurt dips for fresh fruit. 

It really is the perfect Sunday.

http://www.oregonlive.com/cooking/2014/01/super_bowl_food_13_dip_and_spr.html 

 


Friday, January 24, 2014

Healthy Eating

Some days for breakfast I have a delightful piece of fruit with a side of whole grain oatmeal, black coffee and a glass of water. Not all days start like this. This morning I ate the cold leftover piece of toast with three bites already taken out of it from my son. I washed it down with a Diet Coke. (I am hanging my head in a little bit of shame.) 

Have you ever had a conversation about what is in your diet with a friend or family member who is riding the wagon holding a banner of, "I've been eating healthy for a week now, so I am pretty much an expert" and regretted ever mentioning it to them?  I have had the conversation, and have been guilty of holding the banner.  This video brought back a lot of memories from my days of living in an area where it seemed that everyone around me was in some kind of competition of being the healthiest.  I tried to compete.  I failed. So I stopped the game and just played myself.  I now just try to do MY best because at the end of the day, that's all I have.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
Eat them.
Keep the produce fresh with The Bluapple.
Watch this video and have a good laugh.
May your weekend be fantastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lraDNDuFNj8

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Organize your refrigerator

Organization is a hard one for me. I tend to be one that can thrive in a mess.  Except when it comes to the refrigerator. I like a neat and tidy cool area. I've been known to eat something just to have it gone so that it will look nicer when I open the door to my cool cave food keeper. Sad. I know.

Here are some fun tips from the website Buzzfeed.  While some are great, and others, in my opinion are not, I think they are fun to read and just might spark some creativity in you to come up with your own ideas.  The one thing the list is missing however, is the color BLUE.  A Bluapple, that is. :)

When cleaning out your refrigerator and throwing out rotten produce that you found stuffed in one of those thin plastic bags that has now turned into a slime fest, remember the Bluapple and the part it can play in freshness.  There are three pillars to freshness: Temperature, Humidity and Ethylene Gas Control.

-Temperature is your refrigerators part (and most can be switched up or down according to your needs.)

-Humidity is both you and your refrigerator. Many have separate drawers with humidity control.  Also, take your produce out of the bags upon arriving home. Not only do they make your produce so that they can't get breathe, but they hold in the ethylene gas that causes produce to ripen, causing them to ripen quicker than if they were out of the bag and had a Bluapple placed among them, absorbing the ethylene gas and allowing for a longer life.

-Ethylene Gas Control, as mentioned above, is what allows for the produce to last longer.  The Bluapple effectively absorbs the gas, which can save you money, time and is great for the environment. 

Enjoy the weblink. The roommate note made me actually Laugh Out Loud, along with a vocal, "ewwwww."  http://www.buzzfeed.com/twopoodles/optimized-refrigerator-storage

Monday, January 20, 2014

We think that our product, The Bluapple is more than just a money saving ethylene gas sucking device...it is cute! :)

Seriously though, I had a poinsettia on my table during the month of December.  The plant is known to last awhile as it is in the home, 7-10 days some retailers say. And as the plant only costs $5, it is a small price to pay to enjoy a beautiful plant for over a week.

However, I had it sitting on my table for the full month of December. 30 days.  How?  I placed a Bluapple in the pot under the leaves.  The fantastic little cute apple extended the life of my plant more than double the amount of time it most likely would have lived.  And can I just add, it was a nice conversation piece when guests at a few parties would say, "What is that little blue thing doing there?" 

I controlled the temperature and humidity.  The Bluapple absorbed the ethylene gas that would have killed my plant off too early for my taste. 

Valentines Day is coming up folks. When you are out spending your money on flowers to make him or her feel like a million bucks, add a bluapple to extend that feeling. And, after the flower is gone, the bluapple can be placed with your loved ones produce and reused an endless amount of times with the low cost refill packets ($10 for a years supply!)

Happy Holidays my friends all year long.