Times are tight for many families. Stretching food dollars is how a lot of them are staying on a budget.

Colorful and delicious fresh fruits and vegetables are in abundance this time of year. But they can be expensive and run the risk of ruining before your family can enjoy them.

Carol Watkins, the nutrition manager at Cornell Cooperative Extension Service in Oneida County, has tips on how to savor the sweetness of summer:

• Make sure strawberries are totally red. Go through and throw out any with bruising or visible damage.
• Rinse any berries to get off dirt; lay them out on the country to dry, and don't put them back in the refrigerator wet.

Watkins also has recommendations for vegetables.

“You boil it for about 3-5 minutes," she said. "After you get done boiling it, you’re going to put in a water bath. So that’s just a cold water bath for about the same time. ... So if you blanched it for three minutes, put it in a water bath for three minutes. And after that, you can go ahead and put in your freezer. Just put it in a freezer bag.”