๐Ÿฅ• Paigeโ€™s Produce Project: How Our 11-Year-Old Prepped a Week of Fruits & Veggies (All by Herself!)

Summer means fresh fruit, busy days, and trying to keep healthy snacks stocked in the fridge. And this week, our 11-year-old Paige took charge of it all by herself.

While I was at work, Chris was at the gym, and sisters were otherwise occupied โ€” Paige decided it was the perfect time to tackle our Costco produce haul. She washed, chopped, and packed everything into mason jars for the week. Total star move. ๐ŸŒŸ


Mason jars filled with fruit

We stocked up on:

  • ๐Ÿ“ Strawberries
  • ๐Ÿ‡ Grapes
  • ๐Ÿซ Blueberries
  • ๐Ÿฅ• Baby carrots
  • ๐ŸŒถ๏ธ Bell peppers
  • ๐Ÿฅ’ Cucumbers
  • ๐Ÿ Pineapple

Pro tip: letting kids choose their fruits and veggies gets them excited to prep and eat them too.


๐Ÿงผ Step 1: Wash & Sort

Paige rinsed everything. Then she set up her prep station with bowls for each type of produce. No one else was around โ€” just her, some background music, and a kitchen full of fresh food.


๐Ÿ”ช Step 2: Chop Like a Pro

Using kid-safe knives, she sliced strawberries, diced cucumbers, and chopped bell peppers all on her own. Sheโ€™s been helping in the kitchen for a while, but this was her first solo mission โ€” and she crushed it.

Paige with pineapple head

(Alsoโ€ฆ every great chef deserves a goofy break. ๐Ÿฅด๐Ÿ)


๐Ÿงป Step 3: Pack the Jars

Each jar got a folded paper towel on the bottom to help absorb moisture, then she layered in the prepped produce. Everything was bright, colorful, and snack-ready.


๐Ÿ”’ Step 4: Seal for Freshness

To finish the job, she used our one-button electric vacuum sealer to remove air from each jar. The seal helps everything last all week โ€” and Paige said it made her feel โ€œlike a scientist.โ€

Fridge drawer full of jars


๐Ÿ’ก Why We Love This

  • Healthy snacks for the whole week
  • Zero waste on produce
  • Huge confidence boost for Paige
  • And this mama didnโ€™t have to lift a finger

๐Ÿ›๏ธ Paigeโ€™s Favorite Tools

๐Ÿ”— Ball Mason Jars (32 oz)

Ball Mason Jars

๐Ÿ”— Electric Mason Jar Vacuum Sealer

Vacuum Sealer

๐Ÿ”— Kid-Friendly Knife Set

Kid-Friendly Knife Set

๐Ÿ”— Non-Slip Cutting Board Set

Cutting Board Set


Want more kid-powered kitchen ideas? Or just need snack prep that actually works? Follow along at Paging Real Life ๐Ÿ’›

Let us know if you try this method โ€” and donโ€™t forget to tag us with your mason jar fridge lineups!

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