Vegetables

1. Vegetables What You Will Learn In This Unit: 1. How to properly select and store veggies 2. How to prepare veggies 3. How to preserve their colors, textures, flavors & nutrients 4. Different methods for cooking vegetables 5. How to classify vegetables

2. Vegetable ABC’s!! • With your group…name a vegetable that starts with each letter of the alphabet as quickly as possible!! • Let’s see who can come up with the most in the fastest time!! 

3. What Are Vegetables?! • You Tell Me…. • Plant parts that are edible by humans • Can be served raw or cooked

4. How Can You Purchase Veggies? • Fresh • Frozen • Canned • Dried • Many veggies can be purchased year round • Specialty stores carry more “exotic” types of veggies (beyond the basics)

5. Vegetable Classifications -Using the vegetable cards given to you…group them into categories by how you think vegetables are classified Classification is another way of saying how a type of something is: -arranged, grouped, organized, or sorted Let’s see how you did…

6. Vegetable Classifications • Veggies are often grouped according to the part of the plant they come from • Two other ways to classify: • Flavor • Color

7. Now… • Think of a plant. • Using the classifications given… • Group the vegetables under the classification (or category) you think they best fit under. GOOD LUCK!! 

8. Classifications: Bulbs Flowers Artichokes Broccoli Cauliflower • Garlic • Onions

9. Classifications: Fruits Leaves Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Lettuce Spinach • Tomatoes • Cucumbers • Eggplant • Okra • Peppers • Pumpkins • Squash

10. Classifications: Stems Seeds Peas Corn Beans • Asparagus • Celery

11. Classifications: Tubers Roots Beets Carrots Parsnips Radishes Rutabagas Turnips • Potatoes

12. Guidelines to Selecting Fresh Vegetables: • Good color • Firmness • No bruising or decay • Avoid wilted and misshaped veggies • Very small veggies can be immature & lack flavor • Very large veggies can be over-mature & tough

13. Be A Smart Consumer: • Buy only what you will use within a short time • Fresh veggies lose quality quickly! • Vegetables that are in season are usually high in quality & low in price

14. Nutrients in Vegetables • Veggies contain: • Vitamins, Minerals, & Carbohydrates • TONS AND TONS of vitamins and minerals! • Iron and vitamin C- dark leafy greens • Spinach and kale have tons of iron! • Vitamin A- especially yellow and green veggies • Squash, Carrots, sweet potatoes • Vitamin B • Peas, beans

15. Nutrients Continued • Some vegetables contain a lot of starch, and not as many other nutrients. • These have the highest calorie levels • Potato, sweet potatoes, squash, corn • Almost all vegetables have a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. You should eat the rainbow!But that do these nutrients DO for you? • Iron= Helps your body carry oxygen to supply your organs with energy • Vitamin A= Helps maintain healthy eyes • Vitamin C= Helps body repair itself and fight infection • Vitamin E= Helps protect white and red blood cells To name a few! Remember, eat the rainbow every day to get a wide variety of nutrients your body NEEDS!

16. Storing Fresh Vegetables • Can keep most in fridge for a few days • Place most in plastic bags or containers

17. Canned Vegetables • They come: whole, sliced, or in pieces • Cost less than frozen or fresh • Store in a cool, dry place before opening • Store (covered) in the refrigerator after opening if not all is used • Consumer Tips: • Choose generic/house brands to save money • Choose a container size to meet your needs (don’t buy more than you need)

18. FrozenVegetables • Keep appearance & flavor of fresh veggies better than canned or dried • Freezing may alter texture • Cost less than fresh (usually) • Buy frozen veggies when they’re not in season = cheaper! • Bags should be clean & solidly frozen • Heavy ice layer on package = was thawed & refroze • Store in coldest part of freezer

19. Dried Vegetables • Legumes • Peas, Beans, Lentils (seeds) • Choose legumes that are uniform in size, free of visible defects, & brightly colored • Store in covered containers in a cool, dry place

20. RawVeggies • Have the most nutrients! • Attractive to serve – very colorful & crunchy • Adds texture to meals & snacks • Most edible part grows in or near the soil • WASH VEGGIES BEFORE EATING!!  • Cool running water; Do not soak (nutrients lost) • Taste best when served cold • Store washed & drained in covered container in refrigerator

21. What Happens When You Cook Vegetables? • Fiber in veggies softens to make chewingeasier • Starch absorbs water, swells, & is easier to digest • Some nutrients are lost & some colors change • Most healthful way to cook veggies- Steaming! This retains the most nutrients! • Least nutritionally beneficial way to cook veggies- Deep frying! This adds a ton of fat and calories.

22. What Should A Proper Cooked Veggie Be Like?! • Colorful • Flavorful • Crisp-tender texture (“fork tender” texture) (think of “al dente” for a veggie) • An overcooked veggie will be overly soft in texture!

23. How Much Liquid Should I Use When Cooking? • Minimal amounts • The less water you use, the more nutrients you’ll keep in the vegetables • If you use lots of water, the nutrients will dissolve in the liquid

24. Different Methods of Cooking Vegetables • Cooking in water • Steaming • Pressure cooking • A pressure cooker produces high temps so foods cook quickly • Baking • Frying • Broiling • Microwaving

25. How Can You Make a Difference?? • Start a vegetable garden in your backyard or even on an apartment/condo balcony • Fresh, cheaper, convenient, great for the planet! • Buy local veggies from farmer’s markets • Support local farmers, fresh, cheaper • Try buying organic when possible • No pesticides used – healthy for you & the planet! Even try composting – old scraps of veggies gives great nutrients to the soil – and that soil is then great for your veggie garden each year!!