We've all been there: you start the week with your abundance of freshly purchased, beautiful, and vibrant fruits and veggies. You tell yourself you will meal prep, you will eat salads, you will finish this produce! Then by the end of the week, you find yourself tossing out stinky, slimy, moldy fruits and vegetables, that despite your best intentions, have gone uneaten. How can we prevent this cycle that wastes food, your hard-earned money and leaves you feeling like you've disappointed yet another clamshell of baby spinach? The best solution for this is to eat your purchases. However, there are a few tips and tricks to make your fruits and vegetables last longer and stay fresher so you have the chance to enjoy them.
- Apples
- Can be kept at room temperature
- Will last up to a month in the fridge
- Keep away from other produce due to their high ethylene production (a gas produced by produce which causes them to ripen)
- Avocados
- Keep at room temperature until ripe
- Once full ripe can store in the fridge; refrigeration stops the ripening process
- Bananas
- Never refrigerate
- Berries
- Refrigerate and keep unwashed until ready to use
- Excess moisture can cause them to rot quicker
- Carrots
- Refrigerate
- Celery
- Refrigerate and wrap in foil so ethylene does not get trapped and speed up rotting
- Citrus
- Will not ripen after picked
- Store at room temperature out of the direct sun
- Will last several weeks refrigerated
- Corn
- Do not remove husks until ready to use
- If no husk, refrigerate
- Cucumbers
- Very sensitive to cold and will last longer if you keep room temperature
- Garlic
- Do not refrigerate
- Keep in a cool, dry location
- Grapes
- Refrigerate
- Wash just before use to prevent rot
- Greens
- Refrigerate unwashed until ready to use
- Airtight containers work best
- If you prefer to wash beforehand, make sure to dry completely before refrigerating
- Herbs
- Refrigerate in a glass of water like a bouquet
- Trim ends first
- Melons
- Store uncut at room temperature
- Once cut, refrigerate so prevent bacterial grown
- Onions
- Do not refrigerate
- Keep in a cool, dry location
- Sweet potatoes and potatoes
- Do not refrigerate
- Keep in a cool, dry location away from high ethylene producers (apples, onions)
- Tomatoes
- NEVER refrigerate
- Keep room temperature and out of the direct sun