Safe Handling of Vegetables and Why it Matters

A country of meat-and-potato menus, chock full of big steaks and baked potatoes, is making room for more vegetables. The choices go far beyond traditional mashed potatoes and steak fries. Fresh vegetables from field and farm are rising in popularity.

With so many vegetables piling up in the walk-in, it's helpful to have a solid understanding on proper purchasing, storage and safe handling of the menu's newest pushy partners.

Today, small family farms are making a comeback, their seasonal bounty ready for delivery. Maybe the safest way to add new vegetal flavors and textures to the menu is straight from the source -- your local organic farm.

Check with the state's restaurant association for local organic farms. Many are setting up farm stands around the city or town, and many more are getting together in cooperative fashion and bringing fresh produce to the restaurant.

In my city of Chicago, restaurants are fortunate to have access to local organic farm markets such as the Green City Market and co-ops such as Home Grown Wisconsin (HGW). HGW delivers in high season twice a week, and once a week in the fall and winter. Even in the cold of January, it's possible to get organic hard squash, root vegetables and hearty greens from area farms. These are some of the safest, freshest and easiest-to-handle vegetables any operation can seek out. Guests will notice, and local produce can give the menu added value with a local marketing edge. Increasingly, consumers want to know where their food is coming from and that it is safe and good for them.