Before preparing fresh vegetables, cut away any damaged or bruised areas. Bacteria that cause illness can thrive in these places.

Immediately refrigerate any fresh-cut items for best quality and food safety.

NEVER mix your fresh produce preparation area or tools with those used for meat, fish, dairy or you risk cross contamination. Always wash & disinfect cutting boards and wash containers and preparation tools before you being working. Not doing so is a primary reason for food poisoning.

Keep these food types separate until just before cooking.

Vegetables that make good finger foods are starred (*).

• Artichokes Wash under cold running water and remove discolored petals. Dip into acidified water to preserve color. (One tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice per quart of water.) Cook before serving.

• Asparagus spears* Break off the tough lower ends of the stalk. Wash. If sand or grit is present under scales, scrape off scales. Brush gently with a soft brush. Swish in water. These are a tasty finger food when cooked, cooled, and drained.

• Beans, Blackeye Beans or peas, or Lima Shell. (Scald pods to make shelling easier.) Rinse. Fresh shelled beans should be cooked before serving to deactivate naturally occurring toxins.

• Beans, green or wax* Wash. Trim ends; remove any strings. Cut or break into 1-inch pieces, slit lengthwise into thin strips (for French-cut beans), or leave whole for a different type of finger food, after cooking.

• Beets Remove tops, leaving 2-inch stems on beets. Wash. Remove stems and roots, and peel after cooking.

• Broccoli florets* Cut off tough stalk ends. Wash. Cut florets from stalks. Save stalks to shred for coleslaw or add to chopped salads for an interesting crunch. Florets can be served raw or cooked and make a simple-to-prepare finger food.

• Broccoli spears* Cut off tough stalk ends. Wash. Cut broccoli lengthwise, if thick, to speed cooking. Cut horizontally into thirds. After cooking, these make excellent finger foods.

• Brussels sprouts* Remove discolored outer leaves. Wash. For cooked vegetable, cut an X in the stem end to hasten cooking. When cooked and cooled, Brussels sprouts make a no-fuss finger food.

• Cabbage* Remove discolored outer leaves. Wash thoroughly. Quarter and core. Crisp in cold water, if wilted. Shred or cut into 1/2 inch wedges. Serve raw or cooked. Wedges are more easily eaten as a finger food after cooking and cooling.

• Carrots* Wash. Scrape or peel with vegetable peeler. Cut off ends. Chop or cut into slices or sticks. Children enjoy carrots raw or cooked.

• Cauliflower* Remove outer leaves and stalks. Break into florets. Wash. Cauliflower florets make an attractive finger food either raw or cooked.

• Celery* Separate ribs; wash celery and scrub grooves with brush. Trim off root and blemishes. Chop, slice, or cut into sticks. Serve raw as a finger food or cooked in mixed dishes. For a finger food, fill with peanut butter, low-fat cottage cheese, or reduced-fat cream cheese (thinned slightly with milk). Pimentos may be added to cream cheese for color and extra flavor. Well-drained, crushed pineapple is also an option.

• Cherry tomatoes* Wash, remove blossom-end stems. Cherry tomatoes should be halved for easier eating and to prevent choking in young children.

• Corn on cob Husk; remove silk. Rinse; do not allow corn to stand in water. Corn is typically cooked before serving.

• Cucumbers* Wash. Peel if waxed or if skins are tough. Cut into strips, chunks, or wheels. Cucumbers are generally served raw.

• Eggplant Wash. Peel and cut into pieces or slices. To prevent darkening, hold in salted water (1 Tbsp salt per quart of water) until ready to cook. Eggplant should be cooked before serving.

• Green leafy vegetables Wash greens in water as many times as needed until there is no sand on the leaves. Lift greens out of water beet greens, chard, (instead of pouring off water) so that sand remains on the bottom of the sink. Strip leaves from tough stems collards, kale, mustard) and discard any discolored leaves. These vegetables are typically cooked.

• Jicama* Peel skin like a potato, then cut into slices or strips. Can be served raw as a finger food or tossed in a salad.

• Kohlrabi* Peel and cut into match-like strips. Good raw or cooked.

• Mushrooms* Do not wash before storage. When ready to use, clean with a damp cloth or soft brush. Rinse briefly under running water and pat dry. Never soak, as they absorb moisture. Trim end of the stem and slice before serving.

• Okra Wash. Leave small pods whole and thickly slice the large ones. May be served raw or cooked.

• Onions, mature Peel; rinse. Quarter, if large, or cut as desired. May be served raw or cooked.

• Parsnips Scrape or peel. Leave whole or cut into strips or pieces. Parsnips are typically cooked before serving.

• Peas, green Shell. Rinse. Should be cooked before serving.

• Peppers, green, Wash. Cut out stem or blossom end and remove seeds and fibrous portion. Wash the inside. yellow, red* Cut or chop as desired. Can be served cooked or raw as finger food or in salads.

• Potatoes Wash, scrubbing with vegetable brush. Peel (unless serving with skins). Remove eyes. Cut potatoes to serving size. Pierce skins if baking whole. Fresh potatoes are typically cooked before serving.

• Pumpkin Store around 50 °F until cut. Remove stem and cut pumpkin in half. Scoop out flesh and seeds. Cook as desired. Can also be baked whole. Seeds are preferred roasted.

• Radishes* Wash, trim off root and stem end. Cut as desired, or leave whole. If mildly flavored, and not hot, radishes are a delicious and crunchy finger food. May also be served steamed.

• Rutabagas Wash. Peel and cut as desired. Rutabagas may be eaten raw or cooked.

• Spinach Wash thoroughly. Cut off tough stems. Discard yellow and damaged leaves. Serve raw or cooked.

• Squash, summer* Wash. Cut off stem and blossom ends. Trim as desired. (It is not necessary to peel summer squash.) Slice, cut into sticks, or chop. Makes a mildly flavored finger food. Can be served raw or cooked.

• Squash, winter Wash. Cut in half with a heavy-bladed knife. Remove seeds, fiber, and peel. Cut into serving pieces. (If peel is hard and tough, soften by steaming or boiling.) Winter squash should be cooked before serving due to its hard texture.

• Sweet potatoes Scrub, using brush. Peel (unless serving with skins). Fresh sweet potatoes are typically cooked before serving.

• Tomatoes* Wash. Cut out core. Cut into quarters, wedges, or slices. (Tomatoes may be peeled by scalding. Dip the tomatoes, uncut, into boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Plunge into cold water and slip off skin. After peeling, core and cut as desired.)

• Turnips* Wash. Peel and cut as desired. For finger foods, cut into sticks; serve cooked or raw.