Learn What To Do With Too Much Zucchini

Most vegetable gardeners are familiar with the problem. Zucchini plants that gift us too much fruit, and much of it is just huge. The big squash may be grated and frozen for cakes or breads, but who needs that much zucchini? Somewhere someone thought it would be a great idea to create a national Sneak Some Zucchini On Your Neighbor's Porch Day. That is certainly one way to get rid of extra squash, but beware of No Trespassing signs before you bestow the fruit. 

Too much zucchini is a common gardener's complaint. And harvesting zucchini too late creates another problem. Once they get big, the seeds are a problem and the flesh is not as sweet and tender. So if you are wondering what to do with a lot of zucchini, consider honoring August 8th, national Sneak Some Zucchini On Your Neighbor's Porch day. 

What to Do With a Lot of Zucchini

Zucchini is a prolific plant once it gets established. If there is a long growing season, gardeners can look forward to the fruits until the first frost. There are many recipes for zucchini, from stuffed to grilled, and encompassing foods like breads and muffins. But it is easy to tire of this food, which doesn't can well and is best fresh. One great way to save zucchini for things like bread is by grating and freezing it. The resulting product will need to be thawed and squeezed free of excess juice before using it in recipes. But if you don't want to fill your freezer, too much zucchini will have to be given away. 

The Origins of Zucchini Day

Zucchinis were probably first grown in Italy. The region has the perfect climate for this heat loving food. They have been traced to the early 1900s, but didn't make their way to the west until several decades later. They were initially cultivated in California but new varieties have allowed even northern gardeners to grow this fruitful plant. 

Zucchini enjoys popularity across the world, featuring in a wide range of cultural recipes. The guy who started National Sneak Some Zucchini On Your Neighbor's Porch Day was Thomas Roy. He is an actor who, with his wife, made up around 80 special days, including Dimpled Chad Day, and Eat What You Want Day. 

National Sneak Some Zucchini On Your Neighbor's Porch Day

It seems there is a national day for everything. Coffee, parents, doughnuts, you name it, there is a special day set aside. While many of these require a card to commemorate them, Sneak Some Zucchini day does not. All it requires is the permission of a neighbor to deposit extra squash on their porch. It is a good idea to make sure they want zucchini and have a use for it. You can help them out by tying a favorite recipe to the fruit.

If your neighbor isn't up to cooking with the food, you can always share the harvest by making them a batch of zucchini apple muffins, or zucchini chocolate chip bread. Zucchini is a perfect foil for baked goods and translates well in sweet dishes. If you have eaten and frozen as much of the squash as you can stomach, and your neighbors and family have been treated to their goodness, there is another way to get rid of excess harvest. Donate it to your food bank and give freshness back to your community.