Will it all be okay

[Imturningabitgrinchy]

If I do the Christmas shop tomorrow, will it last until Sunday? Will veg like Cauliflower & carrots be okay in the fridge? Will cheeses be ok in the fridge for that long (unopened?) I just want it done and out of the way so I can just try to sit down and chill a bit!

I did mine Saturday and everything worked out perfectly in regards to dates and what was freezable. I did par boil the potatoes and veg so they've gone in the freezer. Will be got out on the 23rd.

Most things should be fine for that long (definitely cheese should be) but veg may not be so good for that long

@Stressedmum2017 What have you done with veg?

@whatkatydid2013 Yes, it is mainly the veg I’m wondering about 🤔

Those are some terrible veggies you’re buying if they don’t last for 5 days. Root veggies like carrots last weeks and weeks

@ShirleyPhallus But, say cauliflower & broccoli? I’m sure they go off fairly quickly

Keep all the veg in their bags, air tight, carrots and cauliflower will be fine but broccoli can go funny if left too long.

Boiled them for about 10-15 minutes then put in a freezer bag and froze. Should be fine have done it before makes no difference to taste or consistency of the veg. I did potatoes (peeled and quartered) , broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.

I dry carrots, leave them out for a while as they are usually damp from the bag, the wrap in foil and put them in fridge, same with parsnips. I have noticed in the last few years that carrots start to go black otherwise and parsnips will go leathery.

I blanch veg I can't store in the fridge, dry it off and freeze it. Can be done with most types and will keep for quite a while.

*then wrap

Im doing my veg shop tomorrow. I always shop on a tues and the veg is always fine until i go shopping again

Blanching is putting them in boiling water for 5 minutes, straining, leaving them to cool and drying them off before putting in bags and freezing. Too long makes them soft and pretty much cooked in 15 minutes, and if they are almost cooked they can go soggy when frozen.

You can just get unlucky sometimes. Mostly root veg does last ages and greens are generally good for that long too but I have had weeks where there must have been a bashed bit on cauliflower or a single green bean past it’s best and it’s done for the whole pack. Also carrots sometimes just aren’t great particularly if you buy prepacked and forget to take them out of the bag.

Any veg (including broccoli) bought now will easily last in a fridge until Sunday. I’m sure that all the veg in the shops now will all have been picked a while ago and kept in storage until transported to the shops. I doubt they’ll be harvesting any fresh between now and Sunday. So go and do you your shop tomorrow (check use by dates on things like broccoli if you’re really worried). Then come home and put your feet up and feel smug that it’s all done.

If you have space in the freezer, get it steamed or boiled, pop it in containers and give yourself a helping hand for Christmas Day by prepping in advance!

Eh? Veg lasts for bloody ages...

Even longer if you take it out the packaging and line your veg draw with some paper towels.

Easy peasy

It’ll be fine. Done mine at the weekend. I’ve got carrots floating around in the fridge from months ago, and I’m still eating them. Not dead yet 😁

Cauliflower seems to last forever in my fridge - at least two weeks.