Fruits and vegetables are good for us and highly recommended by our doctor and dentist, but they have a tendency to go bad fast. I know years ago, personally, I wasn’t aware of the gases some fruits give off which in turn spoiled my food faster or that storing a dry paper towel in my leafy greens like lettuce and spinach helped preserve their fridge life. I’ve found the one rule that applies to both fruits and vegetables that helps them not spoil so fast to be: don’t wash your fruit or vegetables until ready to consume. You can by all means wash all your fruits and vegetables when you get home (I did this for a time until I formed the habit of washing them right before my family and I ate) if that will help you to eat them instead of letting them die in the fridge grave shelves but if you’re trying to obtain optimal freshness of your fruits and vegetables you should wait to wash them right before consumption. Over the years, I’ve researched and tried out various fruit and vegetable preservation methods some of which worked and some of which did not. In this blog, I will be sharing my top tips I’ve found over the years to keep my fruits and vegetables fresher longer.
All About Fruits
Here are some tips to help you keep your fruits fresh longer:
Storing fruit: Different types of fruit have different storage requirements. For example, some fruits like apples, oranges, and grapefruits can be stored at room temperature for a few days; however, fruits like berries, grapes, and cherries should be stored in the refrigerator. It’s important to keep fruit away from direct sunlight, heat, and moisture. Moisture can promote the growth of bacteria and mold, which can cause fruits to spoil faster. To prevent this, dry the fruit with a clean towel before storing it. You can also line the bottom of your storage container with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Replace the paper towels every few days for optimal freshness.
Different types of fruits require different storage conditions. For example, some fruits such as bananas and apples release ethylene gas, which can cause other fruits to ripen and spoil faster. So, it’s best to store ethylene-sensitive fruits like berries, grapes, and citrus fruits away from ethylene-producing fruits. This is quickly remedied by keeping your bananas, apples, avocados, tomatoes, mangoes, pears, peaches, plums, kiwi, and melons on the counter out of direct sunlight. One quick note to add is ethylene gas is produced by ripe fruits, which can cause other fruits to ripen and spoil quickly. To prevent this, store ripe fruits separately from unripe fruits. To prevent bananas from further ripening, separate the bunch of bananas into single bananas. If you have very ripe bananas, you can freeze them as is or use them to make banana bread. If your avocados are ripe already and you want to slow the ripening process, you can place them in the fridge just be aware of the ethylene gas they will be giving off to the other ethylene-sensitive fruit.
Use airtight containers: Place sliced or cut fruits in airtight containers and store them in the refrigerator. This helps to prevent moisture loss and keeps the fruit fresher for longer. Some people have found glass jars keep their fruits fresher longer and I believe they do help. I’ve tried out the Debbie Meyer fruit and vegetable storage containers and found they did not keep my cut fruit fresher longer than other store-bought containers. While you use airtight containers to store cut or sliced fruit, you want to store your uncut fruits in containers that allow air circulation to help prevent moisture buildup. You can use baskets, mesh bags, or ventilated containers. Some people use the fruit containers they bought at the store and clean them out to store their uncut fruit as the store packages has holes in them allowing the fruit to ventilate. One idea is to use a glass storage jar with a lid with holes on it like these jar lids from the dollar tree.
Refrigerate fruits: Fruits that do not give off ethylene gas such as citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, etc.), berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.), pineapples, grapes, cherries, pomegranates, papayas, and mangoes (produce some ethylene, but at a slower rate than other fruits) can be stored in the refrigerator to extend their fridge life as they tend to dry out on the counter.
Freeze the fruit: You can also freeze fruits to keep them fresher for longer. Wash and dry the fruit, then freeze a few centimeters apart for 15 or so minutes then place it in an airtight container or freezer bag and store it in the freezer with the date.
Use lemon juice: Lemon juice is a natural preservative and can help keep fruits fresh for longer. You can add a few drops of lemon juice to cut fruits like apples and pears to prevent them from turning brown.
All About Veggies
Here are some tips to help you keep your vegetables fresher longer:
Store vegetables in the right place: Different types of vegetables require different storage conditions. Some vegetables like carrots, beets, and turnips can be stored in a cool, dry place, while others like leafy greens and broccoli should be stored in the refrigerator. For example, root vegetables like potatoes and carrots can be stored in a cool, dark place, while leafy greens like lettuce and spinach should be stored in the refrigerator.
Keep vegetables dry: Moisture can promote the growth of bacteria and mold, which can cause vegetables to spoil faster. So make sure to dry your vegetables thoroughly before storing them. You can use a salad spinner or pat them dry with a clean towel then store them with a paper towel. Be sure to replace the paper towel throughout the week as you start to see it collect moisture.
Use proper containers: Store your vegetables in containers that allow air circulation to help prevent moisture buildup. It is important to take them out of the plastic store bags unless they have good ventilation. You can use ventilated plastic bags, mesh bags, or vegetable storage containers. Line your produce drawer and containers with paper towels to collect the moisture; this includes salad bags and containers. For broccoli and cauliflower storage, transfer to a container or drawer with a towel with a little bit of the bag open so the broccoli and cauliflower can breathe.
Refrigerate vegetables: Most vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life; however, some vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and garlic should be kept in a cool, dry place instead of the refrigerator. Do your best not to overcrowd your fruits and vegetables to allow good air flow.
Freeze vegetables: You can also freeze vegetables to keep them fresher for longer. Blanching your vegetables before freezing helps preserve their flavor and texture. To blanch your vegetables simply place your vegetables in boiling water for a few minutes, then cool them down in ice water, pat dry and place a few centimeters apart on a cookie sheet in the freezer for 12-15 minutes before storing them in airtight containers or freezer bags.
Use vinegar: Vinegar is a natural preservative and can help keep vegetables fresher for longer. Mix one part vinegar with three to five parts water and soak your vegetables in the mixture for a few minutes before rinsing and storing. Vinegar and lemon juice are natural preservatives and can help keep vegetables fresher for longer. You can add a few tablespoons of vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice to a container of cut vegetables like cucumbers or peppers.
If you have vegetables about to go soggy, you can use them in a recipe that calls for that such as soups and casseroles.
For washed greens like lettuce you plan to eat in the next few days, you can store them in a towel.
For lettuce that needs to be in smaller pieces to consume, don’t chop it with a knife as it’ll brown faster instead tear it with your hand.
You can store herbs (except for basil), celery, carrots and asparagus by cutting the ends and placing it in water in the fridge similar to flowers.
While ginger is neither a fruit nor a vegetable, we’ve included this tip for keeping it fresher longer by drying it and storing it in a sealable bag.
While mushrooms are neither a fruit nor a vegetable, we’ve included this tip for keeping it fresher longer of storing in a container with a towel for moisture absorption with plastic wrap over top. For optimal freshness, wait to clean your mushrooms until ready to use in your meal.
We noticed fruits and vegetables do better when in their own separate drawer. We keep our fruit drawer at low humidity and our vegetable drawer at high humidity.
Conclusion
Some say the skinnier the cucumber the better tasting it is but to us they all taste pretty good. We hope these tips help keep your fruits and vegetables fresher longer. We suggest you print this page out for quick reference if you are working on implementing some or all of these tips and place it in your recipe binder for quick, easy access for your meal planning. We are referencing the recipe binder we spoke about in our blog post meal planning. If you haven’t yet started meal planning, we suggest you check out our blog post meal planning to help save you money and time on your groceries. In our next blog, this Tuesday, we will be sharing different recipe ideas for using up rotisserie chicken meat. Leave a comment for what you found the most helpful and Subscribe so you never miss a blog! Stay saucy!
Comments