If you buy fruit and vegetables regularly,
you will notice that it starts to wilt after just a couple of days.
However, you can prevent this from happening by bearing in mind these
smart storage rules.
1. Cucumbers stand alone
Most fruits like tomatoes, bananas and
melons produce ethylene gas, a ripening agent that speeds up spoilage.
Cucumbers are especially sensitive to ethylene gas and will need to be
stored on their own. They are best stored on the counter, as opposed to
the crisper drawer with off-gassing fruits. But if you prefer cold
cucumbers, you can store them for a few days in the fridge (away from
fruits).
2. Treat herbs like fresh flowers
Trying to cut back on salt? Herbs are a great way to add taste to a
dish, just be sure not to store them in the fridge. Fresh herbs should
be stored like fresh cut flowers. First, make sure the leaves are
completely dry. Then, snip off the ends and place the herbs, stem down
in a cup or mason jar with water. Most herbs last longer when stored in
the fridge, this way. However, basil prefers to be stored at room
temperature, but will best be placed in a jar with water. When the water
turns bad, drain and add fresh water. Most herbs stored this way last
for up to two weeks.
3. Squash and pumpkins don’t go with apples and pears
While squash and pumpkins are known for
having a long shelf life, apples and other fall fruits, like pears,
shouldn't be stored next to them, as it will cause the squash to go
yellow and go bad. Squash and pumpkins keep well at temperatures between
50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit - cooler than room temperature, though not
as chilly as the fridge. Large pumpkins and large squash will keep for
up to 6 months. Though, you need to keep an eye on the smaller ones,
which usually last about three months.
4. Bag your root veggies
Root vegetables like carrots, yams, kohlrabi, beets, and onions are some
of the most nutrient-dense vegetables we eat as they absorb nutrients
from the soil. To keep the good nutrients, store your vegetables in a
cool, dark, and humid place. A root cellar is the most ideal, but as
most of us don't have one, the next best place is in a paper or plastic
bag in the crisper. If you just toss them in the fridge, they will
soften and rot a lot quicker.
5. Give your berries a bath
Berries are sweet and easy to eat, but they
can get moldy if not stored properly. Tiny mold spores make little
nooks and crannies of the berry skin their home. The best thing to do it
to avoid washing them until you're ready to eat them because moisture
equals mold. You can also extend their life by a few days by soaking the
berries in a solution of one cup vinegar to three cups of water. Let
them soak briefly and gently rinse in a colander. The vinegar will
hinder the mold growth. But make sure to dry them thoroughly by laying
them out on a paper towel and blotting them gently. Store the berries in
a well-ventilated container, or leave the lid partially open.
6. Separate your apples and oranges
We can't all get along, and apples and oranges are two such examples.
Fruits give off a gas called ethylene, the ripening agent that will lead
to faster spoilage of the produce around it. If you want to extend
their shelf life, store apples in the fridge. Oranges stored in the
fridge - away from apples - should be placed in a mesh bag allowing air
to circulate around them. Plastic bags make oranges moldy.
7. Break up your bananas
While banana hooks put bananas in their
best life, they will also ripen at the same time. So unless you're
eating bananas for two days straight, the solution will be to break the
bunch and store them in a fruit bowl on the counter to ripen, or in the
fridge to delay the ripening process. If you missed your chance, use
them in banana bread or place them in the freezer to make banana ice
cream.
8. Don't let onions and potatoes mingle
Onions will cause the potatoes to go bad, so it's best to store items
like potatoes and squash in an open-wicker basket in a cool, dark place,
this will preserve freshness. They can also be stored in a paper bag,
but ideally, in a container, where moisture or condensation can't build
up, making them go soft or bad, faster. Garlic and onions can be stored
next to each other without ripening or spoiling but should be stored in a
well-ventilated space.
9. Ripen avocados next to bananas
According to a survey conducted by Pollock
Communications and the trade publication Today's Dietitian, avocado is
number two on the list of the Top 10 Super Foods for 2017. Avocados can
be pricey and should be stored correctly. If under-ripe, store them next
to bananas. The gasses released from the bananas promote ripening. If
you need to extend the life of an avocado, store it in the fridge, to
slow the ripening process significantly.
10. Don't store tomatoes in the fridge
Too much time in the fridge can make tomatoes mushy and bland-tasting.
They can be stored for about two to three days, but when kept at room
temperature they have more flavor. So ideally, store them on the
countertop. To stop tomatoes getting bad now, I find a simple solution, putting a small see through plastic tape on top of the stem part and keep it all standing up.
Green chilies remove the stem before you store them.
Coriander leaves- remove the root, remove all leaves that are bad, can either be stored in a container with holes all around for air to circulate in the fridge. Or put them in fine plastic vege bags that I get.
Spinach or other green leafy veges, when you buy, cut the roots, remove all bad leaves and store them in fine nylon bags with hole. Or wash well, blanch them, puree it and store in containers if you're going to use after 3-4 days or freeze them.
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