Make your own sprouts
In recent weeks, when vegetable prices increased, Ms. Dang Thao (Thanh Xuan ward) proactively grew sprouts and bean sprouts to ensure her family's meals were nutritious and cost-effective.
According to her, this is a suitable solution because it is cheap, less labor-intensive and quick. Because sprouts and bean sprouts can be soaked and incubated at home using simple items such as baskets/trays lined with damp towels, milk cartons, used styrofoam boxes, etc., and can be harvested and processed in just 3-5 days.
“My family really likes leafy vegetables, but these days vegetables are scarce and prices are high, so if we buy them for two meals a day like usual, the cost of vegetables alone will be quite expensive.
Not to mention, at a time when vegetables are scarce and expensive, I am afraid of the situation of spraying stimulants to make vegetables grow faster. In the countryside, my parents cannot grow vegetables to send to their children, so I think growing sprouts and bean sprouts myself will be safer," Ms. Thao shared.
Vegetable prices are increasing, many families in Hanoi are looking for ways to overcome this such as growing their own vegetables, transporting them from the countryside, reducing dishes...
Green vegetables increased from a few thousand to tens of thousands of VND/bunch. Tomatoes increased the most, from 18,000-20,000 VND to 60,000-70,000 VND/kg. Photo: Nhat Ha
This woman also said that the price of sprouts and bean sprouts is quite cheap, only about 10,000-20,000 VND/package, weight 20-50g, all kinds from cruciferous sprouts (white radish, red radish, sweet cabbage, green cabbage, broccoli) legume sprouts (green beans, red beans, soybeans, peas) to other types such as water spinach, sunflower, black sesame seeds, chia seeds...
Ms. Thao calculated that before, a bunch of mustard greens, Malabar spinach or water spinach that a family of four could eat comfortably only cost about 10,000-15,000 VND, but now the price has doubled while the amount of vegetables has decreased to half or 2/3. If her family could eat comfortably for one meal, they would have to buy 2 bunches, which would cost 40,000-50,000 VND.
Meanwhile, with a few ounces of green beans bought for about 20,000 VND, she can soak and incubate 1kg of bean sprouts, divided and used for 2-3 meals. As for sweet mustard seeds, soaking a 50g package (priced at 15,000 VND) will yield a few ounces of sprouts, enough for the whole family to use at once.
“These vegetables are not only rich in nutrients, providing abundant vitamins, but can also be flexibly processed into many dishes. For example, bean sprouts can be boiled, stir-fried, or made into salads, sour soups, and sprouts can be eaten raw or mixed in salads, etc., all of which are delicious,” she added.
Many families grow their own bean sprouts and sprouts to save money and ensure safety. Photo: Hoa Quynh Nguyen, Nguyen Hong Nghia
"3 dishes for 2" meal
Similar to Ms. Thao, Ms. Nhat Ha (Hoang Liet ward) has been regularly asking her parents to send her home-grown vegetables every few days for nearly a month.
She said the fare to send the vegetables by bus from Luu Kiem ward ( Hai Phong city) to Nuoc Ngam bus station is about 50,000 VND, equal to 1kg of vegetables at current prices, but in return, the whole family can eat vegetables freely and be assured of the quality.
“Usually, during this season, my parents mainly grow cold-season vegetables such as cabbage, kohlrabi, and cauliflower to harvest during Tet.
However, because the price of vegetables in Hanoi has increased sharply, my mother grows more short-term vegetables such as sweet cabbage, bok choy, chrysanthemum greens, lettuce, etc. to harvest quickly, or buys some more tubers and other vegetables from neighbors, in time to send supplies to her children and grandchildren who live far away," said Ms. Ha.
Many housewives in Hanoi have to rely on their families to transport clean vegetables from the countryside.
According to her, vegetable prices in the countryside have increased slightly but are still cheaper than in Hanoi.
Previously, each meal for her family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children) usually had 3 dishes, including 1 meat dish and 2 vegetable dishes (1 soup or boiled vegetables and 1 stir-fried vegetable dish).
However, when vegetable prices increased 2-3 times, she designed a meal of “3 dishes for 2”, reducing one vegetable dish to save money. She even had to worry about what to cook to suit the family’s taste, save money but still provide enough nutrition.
“My husband and children like dishes like rib soup, sour soup, squid, stir-fried beef, but these dishes require several types of vegetables like cauliflower, kohlrabi, carrots, potatoes, etc. and herbs.
But when vegetables are expensive, I have to calculate to save more, only cook simple dishes with one type of meat and one type of vegetable, so that each meal only costs about 80,000 - 120,000 VND," she said.
When vegetables were scarce and expensive, Ms. Ha reduced the number of dishes from 2 vegetable dishes to 1 dish. Photo: Nhat Ha
According to this woman, aquatic and leafy vegetables are scarce due to unfavorable weather, prolonged rain, difficult harvesting, and a significant decrease in the supply of goods to Hanoi.
At the same time, transportation costs are also high, so input vegetable prices are pushed up and increase sharply.
Not only green vegetables but also root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, squash… have increased in price from 20% to 40%.
However, with personal experience, Ms. Ha believes that even though vegetable prices have increased, if housewives know how to calculate and spend wisely, they can still balance their family's meals, ensuring nutrition and affordability.
Vietnamnet.vn
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/rau-tang-gia-nguoi-ha-noi-tu-lam-gia-do-rau-mam-thiet-ke-bua-an-3-mon-con-2-2465347.html
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