I wanted “ya’ll” to get your qouta of DoAhead Dining recipes/tips for the week so I’m sharing one of my favorite kitchen tips today!

I’m crazy about our Food Saver. And no…it’s not  “love-affair caliber crazy” but I am having a definite fling with the noisy fella that’s parked next to my toaster.

We buy in bulk around here so our Food Saver is a major asset. In recent weeks I’ve been reminded of another feature I love.

Vacuum sealing jars full of salad!

Now that school is in full swing there’s no more lazy lunches out on the porch. My boys breeze in the door with a whopping 25 minutes until it’s time to be back at class.

Enter the Food Saver!

I’ve found I can take the largest bowl in my kitchen, mix up greens like, lettuce, spinach and chopped cabbage and then store them in an airtight jar for up to a week. And it’s FRESH!

The only trick is remembering to re-seal the jar after each use. Not a big deal.

[Sidebar: Our most recent favorite topping for salad is Terra Stix. We’re making major cutbacks on gluten in our kitchen so standard croutons are out. Terra Stix are vegetable based and crunchy. A perfect salad topper!]

Below are links for two versions of the Food Saver. I have the Food Saver brand so it’s the only one I can speak to. It’s held up well for 10 years and it still sucks great (and I mean that in the nicest of ways.) The prices range from $75 to $150 but you’ll need to pay more for accessories.

Food Saver Starter Kit (jars not included)- $73.45

Food Saver 2 in 1 (counter-top & handheld)- $149.85

Food Saver Containers (set of 4) -$52.10

If you’re a research junkie here’s a link for a review of the top five food savers. Consumer Reviews-Best Vacuum Sealers.

That’s it DoAheads! Next week I’ll share a fast & easy recipe for taking the last of those garden veggies and turning them into a tasty side-dish.

Your DoAhead Friend,

Cindy