The Strawberry Lady: Amy Cross on Longer-Lasting Produce & No Food Waste.
Amy Cross: How to Keep Produce Fresh for Weeks with the Strawberry Lady.
"Experience the power of freshness with Amy Cross - the Strawberry Lady who changed the way we store produce and save money on groceries!"
"My strawberries in a jar hack has been shared well over 18 million times, tagged back to me and millions more times not tagged back to me for the correct instructions. But people all over the world are starting to recognize the Cross legacy at Amy Cross as being a produce expert and really being able to teach you how to save money on groceries."
Amy Cross is a born and raised Washingtonian, known as the Strawberry Lady for her viral strawberries in a jar hack. She is an expert on produce, teaching families how to save money on groceries and reduce food waste.
MacKenzie Passegger ran an Instagram survey of our followers on Instagram asking who people would like to have as a guest on the podcast and Amy Cross was number one requested guest. We aim to please and we are thrilled to have Amy on as our guest for this episode of the Exploring Washington State Podcast.
Amy Cross is known as the Strawberry Lady as she went viral with a post of her strawberries in a jar hack which has been shared over 18 million times. Amy shared that she started her blog and Instagram in July 2021 as a way to cope with the pandemic and life changes. She also discussed how to save money on groceries and how to keep produce fresh longer. Amy's first post was strawberries in a jar which has become iconic and has changed her life.
Learn all about Amy's journey to help consumers save money every day by making their grocery money go further. Want the secret to keeping Avocados fresh longer? Listen in to learn!
In this episode, you will learn the following:
1. How Amy Cross went viral with her strawberries in a jar hack and changed lives all over the world
2. How to properly store produce to save money and reduce food waste
3. The science behind why certain fruits and vegetables stay fresher longer when stored correctly.
Chapter Summaries:
Each episode, I have a conversation with an interesting guest who is living in or from Washington State. These are casual conversations with real and interesting people. I think you're going to like the show.
Amy Cross is also known as the Strawberry Lady. Her strawberries in a jar hack has been shared well over 18 million times. People all over the world are starting to recognize the Cross legacy at Amy Cross. She can also teach you how to save money on groceries.
Amy started her blog in July of 2021. Where she shares tips on how to keep produce fresh longer. By October, it had went viral, and it totally, completely changed her and her families lives.
For avocados and bananas, for those two items, if you don't believe in buying organic, buy them. The lemon and the avocado are produce buddies, and they keep each other fresher longer. Amy only goes to the grocery store once every three weeks, and they have zero food waste in their house.
The average family in the United States throws away 40% of the food that they buy. The World Economic Forum came out and said it was actually 61% globally. The problem with our budget isn't that we're spending too much at the grocery store. It's when we bring it home and throwing half of that away.
How to make strawberries last for three weeks. Raspberries are shipped in from the Southern Hemisphere at this time of year. Other countries have different growing procedures, but it doesn't mean the United States is the best either. Fresh things taste better when they're fresh.
In the United States, it's 5% distilled white vinegar that you want. Heinz actually has produce on the label, which helps in Canada. beach water doesn't necessarily leave a bleachy taste on things.
I only go grocery shopping once every three weeks. How long does it take you on average to prep the fruits and vegetables that you purchased on an average shopping trip? Plan ahead for grocery washing day, produce washing day. Have kids involved in it.
Our grocery budget is $135 per person, and right now in our household, we only have two people. I batch cook meals, so I only have to cook two to three times a week. You have to meal planning. Who hasn't made a new year's resolution?
A year and a half ago, Cross started the Cross legacy, LLC in Washington state. She spends at least 4 hours a day answering questions on Instagram. Cross is working on something that's going to be huge and impacting local area with local food bank.
So far in Washington. A couple of things that are lining up in Texas that we're trying to make them all line up together. But yeah, between western Washington and eastern Washington, mostly in washington right now.
The book is called I Bought It Now What. I love that title. It teaches families how to go to the grocery store less and have food security in their homes. Your platform now is just online and global versus a room in a school in a neighborhood.
The Cross legacy is helping other families in the United States with some economic cash. The team was stay at home moms, needed extra grocery money and flexible schedules. One of them met with the local newspaper to say how much this has changed her life.
If you and I were to go to a local coffee shop, two questions. Where would we go for a cup of coffee together? We would go to Anchor House in Buckley. And what would you order? Well, I would order a caramel latte.
For people with sensitivities and allergies, it's more complex than that. additives and preservatives do flare my body up. I don't get sick when I eat there. But. I now know how we're going to promote this episode.
I have a whole children's book line, like a whole nine book series. I would love to find a publisher that does cookbook kind of books and children's books. My grandmother's cousin was Laurel Ing as Wilder. The idea of a book can really change your family forgetting generations.
Your favorite city in Washington state, Pullman. Cowan or some near Washington is also pretty amazing. Is it the sun and summer weather, or is it that you like harder winters? I'd rather have snow or hot than damp.
In 2017, it just seemed like we never got a run of blue sky in western Washington. I like the weather here, the 509 side of the state's weather. The only thing I would supervise moving that way is not seeing the mountain as much as possible.
Lettuce is the most recalled produce item, even though it often says it's triple washed. Do you have any tips and tricks for somebody who might be intimidated by all the choices at a farmers market?
I'm an Allergy family, like I'm an allergy mama. Most of our recipes are allergy based and trying to train that. It's not just about produce. It is about batch cooking and teaching how to have meals all day long.
Amy Cross: Where can people find out more about you about the Cross legacy? What social platforms do you want them to take a look at? She says she personally answers every comment, every question.
Some of the People and Places Mentioned in this Episode
Each episode we will have a chat with someone who has a great story to share about Washington State. From artists, to business owners. Musicians to athletes. Exploring Washington State will showcase the beauty and creativity here in Washington State.
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