🥒 Homemade pickles: a simple and healthy way to take care of your diet

🌿 What are pickles?

Pickles are vegetables preserved in a mixture of water, salt, and vinegar, to which spices and herbs can be added to enhance their flavor.

It’s an ancient technique used in many cultures to:

• Preserve food for longer

• Intensify flavors

• Support digestion

Unlike fermented foods, vinegar pickles are quick to prepare and don’t require long processes. That’s why they don’t contain probiotics, as no natural fermentation takes place.

🌟 Benefits of including pickles in your daily routine

🦠 Support digestion
Although they don’t contain natural probiotics, vinegar stimulates gastric juices, helping you digest food better and avoid feelings of heaviness.

🥗 Help you eat more vegetables
They’re an easy and delicious way to add vegetables to any meal, even in small amounts.

🔋 Add flavor without extra calories
They transform simple dishes into more complete experiences, without the need for fats or ultra-processed foods.

⏳ Natural preservation
They extend the shelf life of vegetables without the need for artificial additives.

🥕 What vegetables can you pickle?

The beauty of pickling lies in its versatility. You can use almost any vegetable:

• Cucumber

• Carrot

• Onion

• Radishes

• Cauliflower

• Bell pepper

• Zucchini

• Garlic

• Celery

• Kohlrabi
• Fennel

We recommend combining them to create colorful and flavorful mixes.

🍶 Easy homemade pickle recipe

Making them at home is simpler than it seems. In less than 15 minutes, you can have them ready.

Ingredients

• 500 g of vegetables (your choice)

• 250 ml vinegar (apple cider or wine)

• 250 ml water

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional) – we always use panela

• Spices to taste (pepper, turmeric, mustard seeds...)

• Herbs (bay leaf, dill, thyme…)

Step by step

1. Wash and cut the vegetables
   Into slices, strips, or small pieces. The thinner they are, the faster they’ll absorb flavor.

2. Prepare the mixture
   Lightly heat the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar until well combined.

Tip: You can briefly boil the vegetables in this mixture so they don’t stay too hard (though it’s not necessary).

1. Fill a glass jar
   Add the vegetables and your preferred spices.

2. Cover with the liquid
   Make sure all the vegetables are fully submerged.

3. Let it rest

• Minimum: 24 hours

• Ideal: 2–3 days

Over time, the flavor intensifies.

🧊 Storage

Keep them in the fridge. Once opened, they usually last 1 to 3 months, and even longer if they are always well covered by the liquid.

✨ Conclusion

Homemade pickles are much more than a recipe—they’re a simple tool to support your health.

Small changes, sustained over time, lead to big results.
And sometimes, it all starts with a jar of vegetables, water, salt… and a little patience.

If you’d like to keep exploring the world of mindful eating and wellness, at Retiru you’ll find inspiration, guides, and spaces to take these habits to the next level 🌿