{Approved for You} Clearly Fresh Bags

Before 2008, I didn't like to cook. I never knew what to cook, much less how to actually cook it. And string together multiple recipes to make a meal? Well ... that was quite a challenge.

But things have changed since then. In May of 2008, I started a recipe binder. Now, it's nearly full of recipes I choose to make. Again and again. My husband even has favorites. And I no longer dread meal planning or even the actual cooking/preparing.

In addition to cooking, I like to grocery shop too. I don't even mind taking my kids. Crazy, I know. And while I'm sharing my household nerdiness, I'll just go ahead and confess I really like the produce section at Kroger. There are so many colors and textures. And it makes me feel good when I know I'm going to chop up celery for soup and carrots for my daughter's lunch. I love apples or strawberries in salads. And I like to mix iceberg lettuce with other kinds.

But sometimes fruits and vegetables can go bad before we use them. I try to buy what need for a week, but sometimes it doesn't work out just so precisely. So when a representative from Clearly Fresh Bags asked if I wanted to try that product in exchange for a review, I knew developing an opinion about something related to food was a good fit for me.

The bags look like Zip-locs but they include a breathable membrane that keeps fruits and veggies fresh for up to 50 percent longer than traditional storage methods, according to the product description.

Honestly, I haven't recorded information to verify or dispute this 50 percent longer claim. But I will tell you, my lettuce stayed fresher longer and the celery I bought last week for some vegetable beef soup I postponed making is still ready to use. I've used the bags for Honeycrisp apples too, but they don't stay too long around here, so it probably would have kept them fresher longer had I kept the apples themselves longer.

Would I use the bags again? Yes. In fact, I still have some. I will especially use them for lettuce, broccoli and celery -- items that seem to go bad before I am finished with them. I probably will save them for those foods and not waste a bag for apples and clementines that are eaten faster around here.

I did wonder about reusing the bags. I was sent a package of 10 bags, which retail for $3.99 at Clearly Fresh Bags' website. Anne, my contact with the company, said they could be reused with discretion as to how often and for what items. Apparently the BreatheWay technology can not be submerged in water or washed without lessening its effectiveness. Because they can't be washed, she said some Clearly Fresh Bags staff members will reuse bags with whole fruits but only once with messier foods like broccoli and lettuce.

Bottom line: Spending $3.99 to make lettuce and nine other fruits or vegetables last longer seems like a good deal to me.

Now it's your turn. Do you have any tips for keeping produce longer? Or what about meal planning and preparation? Any tips to share? {You never know when joining in the conversation could have its advantages. Hint.}
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