When to buy Christmas vegetables

[Overthebow]

Lots of supermarkets have 8p veg bags today. Is it too early to buy the fresh veg for Christmas Day now or would some be still ok next Wednesday?

Buy them, prepare and blanch them and then freeze them.
At 8p a bag I'll be stocking freezer!
You can guarantee they won't be 8p next week, or even the weekend!

Good idea, I’ll do that

Can you freeze potatoes?

Yes, par-boil first! And you don't need to defrost them, so very handy on Christmas day!
https://realfood.tesco.com/article/how-to-store-and-freeze/how-to-freeze-potatoes.html

But tatties seem to last forever, may not need to

You can freeze mash or roasties. I think you need to cook spuds before freezing.

Also, why not make a massive veg soup. You can portion this and freeze.
Batch cooking (if you can) is so economical and handy!

You don't need to freeze them, stored correctly they will last for weeks!!!

Remove veg from plastic and store in the fridge or put in a box lined with newspaper and store somewhere cool. Shed,garage, cold cupboard. boot of the car.

They will be fine for next wednesday. I ignore sell by dates on veg.

Root veg and sprouts are fine unless it smells bad or is squishy. It stores better taken out of the plastic packaging and doesn't need to be in the fridge as long as the potatoes are out of the light and the veg is somewhere a bit cool..

What is blanching and why do you need to do it to freeze them?

They will still be cheap up until Christmas Eve

Blanching is just boiling for a couple of mins, then put into cold water. It prevents the water particles in the veg crystalising and then turning to mush when defrosted!
Also keeps their colour (no grey runner beans!)

Oh okay thank you

You're very welcome! 😊

We got ours from Sainsbury's yesterday as all veg is 15p, 2.5kg potatoes, carrots, broccoli, parsnips.. etc, absolutely filled the fridge.
Will make a couple of soups/stews, veg curries and obviously Christmas dinner.

Veg is 8p in Aldi.