I have a friend–let’s call her “Glee”–who recently admitted to me that she canceled her CSA membership because too many veggies were withering in the fridge.  “Meal planning is just impossible,” she said.  Many CSAs operate only during summer months, but in mild climates like ours, they go year-round.  Here in Oregon, your winter CSA selections will consist of many rutabagas, potatoes, and beets.

That does sound like a challenge!   I don’t belong to a CSA.  Since I don’t have a car, it just wouldn’t work for me.  However, I do have something similar, which I’ve mentioned before: every other week, I get a box of organic vegetables delivered to my door.  Now, unlike a CSA, 100% of the vegetables are not local, which means I get a little extra variety, although I suppose I lose a few eco-points for that luxury.

Unlike “Glee,” however, I find meal-planning with my organic veggie delivery is very easy.  I never planned menus or meals before, but now that I’m forced to eat through fifteen pounds of vegetables in two weeks, I can plan meals based on what I receive.

Here’s what arrived on my door one Monday morning:

  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower
  • Leeks
  • green pepper
  • eggplant
  • Swiss chard
  • lettuce
  • mushrooms
  • potatoes
  • beets (steamed, pureed, and froze for future chocolate beet cake)
  • broccoli
  • tomatoes

And here’s what I made for dinner over the next two weeks:

  • Brussels sprouts with wild rice, feta, and hazelnuts (organic Brussels sprouts were on sale for $.99/lb at the store)
  • Potatoes au gratin with salad
  • Eggplant parmesan with salad
  • Sweet potato cakes with salad
  • Swiss chard enchiladas
  • pasta with broccoli, tomatoes, feta
  • peanut noodles with carrots (x2)
  • veggie burgers with sautéed mushrooms and homemade buns
  • spicy cauliflower with homemade naan
  • flamiche aux poireaux (leek tart) with sliced apples
  • green beans and potatoes (green beans were frozen)

We also ate out one night and had leftovers another night.

What I like about basing my meals around my organic veggies is that I don’t have to menu plan in the traditional sense.  I can just look at my veggies, think of a meal, and make it.  Almost everything I made during those two weeks required nothing but the vegetables and a few staples (flour, eggs, pasta, etc.).   I make sure to eat up the more delicate vegetables like lettuce first, and I very rarely waste anything.

My veggie-based meal planning helps me spend much less on food than the average family.  (Here‘s where I explain how I spend just $175 a month on mostly organic groceries.)  On Friday I’ll dish about what we eat for breakfasts, lunches, and snacks–so stay tuned!

This post is a part of We are THAT Family’s Works for Me Wednesday blog carnival.