We are eating fresh, local and freezing for the future!

Now that we have planted the Fokas garden, after completely renovating it to suit our lifestyle, we will start ‘Fokassing’ with you on how we eat local with fabulous new fresh ideas throughout the seasons. Going “Fro-cal” is one of the best ways to get locally grown foods on the table for my family when the season has passed.

As we move into July, we are starting to see more and more local produce everywhere! How do we get fresh, local flavours in the winter months? Simply by freezing and storing the season’s best as it is harvested. While we are eating fresh, we are also freezing! How easy is that?

Often I find it hard to get frozen local packaged produce in the winter months here in Ontario. Our choices are usually limited to imported, non-local fruits and vegetables that are not as tasty and travel thousands of miles as far away as Europe!

Ontario farmers are saying that we are in dire need of more packagers for local fruit and produce. They also say that some local packagers are importing fruits from overseas and then labeling the packaging as “Product of Canada.” Always read the labels! Look for the Country of Origin to know where your food is coming from. Until we can find frozen local produce at our grocers, “I want you to get “Fro-cal” with us” and start freezing your local favourites now for this winter.

Thinking ahead is what I teach people via my freshalicious cookbook:) You will go “Fro-cal“  by following these simple steps

5 point guide to  Kickstart Living Local with Stacey Fokas:

1. Grow a Garden; Join a Local CSA.
2. In-Season – Know when local food is available.
3. Read All Labels and look for Country of Origin. 
4. Local Food first, Local Organic when available.
5. Tweak your finest recipes and Keep it Simple.

Go “Fro-cal”  this season by freezing our local berries (click to see how easily we  freeze strawberries) instead of making jams that can be challenging to fit into our schedule this year. This is very cost effective, quick and easy with very little work.

Right now we are freezing asparagus, cherries, blueberries and, of course, more strawberries:) There is a definite difference in the taste of local blueberries over the imported ones. Freezing fruits and vegetables in their natural state is so simple that anyone can do it. This keeps them good for up to 6 months at sub-zero temperatures and some stats say they last longer, for up to 12 months.

For moms looking to get the best nutrition for their babies in the winter, and to know exactly what they are feeding them, making frozen baby food cubes is a fabulous way to go. I did this for the girls when they were babies.

We have a long growing season ahead and much more fruit and produce to harvest that you can safely freeze and store away … keeping it real, keeping it fresh, simple and packed full of nutrition.

This is a great way to support local farms, growers, farmers’ markets and producers within your community. Your best tasting fruits and vegetables are always grown close to home.

Go “Fro-cal” with the Fokas’s – simply Frozen & Local!

Stacey

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