How do you Keep Produce Fresh?
One of my biggest pet peeves is finding rotten/moldy fruits and vegetables in the bottom of my refrigerator. I hate the thought of throwing away food and am always consumed by guilt when I forget about the grapes or strawberries that get pushed beneath the other fruits/veggies only to be discovered when they resemble a hairy beast. Yuck!
This brings me to the topic at hand. How do you store your produce? What are your tips to extend the life of your produce? Do you buy produce in large quantities at warehouse stores like Costco or do you shop for produce every few days at your local grocery store or farmer’s market?
In an effort to prevent the hairy beasts from growing in my refrigerator, I have found some helpful tips to extend the life of my produce (please share any additional tips that you may have in the comment section below):
*Keeping a paper towel lining the drawer of your crisper will keep moisture from accumulating and over ripening your fruit as fast.
*Keep cut fruit fresh without it turning brown by adding lemon juice when storing it in the fridge; the juice of half a lemon is enough for a quart or two of cut fruits.
*Prevent fresh fruit from getting crushed in your grocery bags. Simply blow air into the plastic bag containing the fruit and tie it so that the air cannot escape. When the fruit is packed in the paper bag, the air in the bag acts as a cushion for the fruit on its ride home.
*Prevent fruit from turning brown by dissolving two crushed vitamin C tables in a bowl of cool water before adding fruit.
*Ripen fruit quickly by placing it in a brown paper bag with a ripe apple. Set in a cool, shady spot and make sure there are a few holes in the bag. The ripe apples gives off a gas, ethylene, which stimulates the other fruit to ripen.
*To keep apples crisp and other countertop-stored produce fresh, store them out of direct sunlight, either directly on the countertop, in an uncovered bowl, or inside a perforated plastic bag.
*Keep produce in perforated plastic bags in the produce drawer of the refrigerator. (To perforate bags, punch holes in the bag with a sharp object, spacing them about as far apart as the holes you see in supermarket apple bags.)
*Keep fruits and vegetables separate, in different drawers, because ethylene can build up in the fridge, causing spoilage.
*When storing herbs (and asparagus, too), snip off the ends, store upright in a glass of water (like flowers in a vase) and cover with a plastic bag.
*If you are unsure about the best place to store your favorite fruit and veggies (i.e. countertop versus refrigerator), click here to view a helpful chart.
(Thanks to SparkPeople and RecipeGoldMine for some of these helpful tips!)
I’ve found that asparagus will last if you cover the ends with a damp paper towel and put in the veggie crisper. Works perfectly.
I actually snap the tough ends off and put it in a glass with an inch of water in the fridge. Lasts a long time this way!
To completely avoid the storage problem, keep fresh fruit out on the counter. It will more likely be eaten (and not forgotten) if it’s out in plain sight.
break your bunch of bananas apart into separate bananas- they don’t ripen as fast
Also store them in the fridge and they will last weeks. Sometimes the outer skin will turn brown or black but inside will remain firm and not overripe tasting. ( I hate really ripe bananas so I buy them green with one or two ripe ones as well so the green ones will be ready when I am then ready for bananas.)
Wow I needed these tips! I have the worst time with my Strawberries! I pay so much for them and then they spoil so quick.
Just wanted to add that I keep my potatoes in the fridge after I have had them a while, it makes them last a LOT longer.
When potatoes are stored in the refrigerator the starch turns to sugar, causing the potatoes to taste sweet. Have you had this problem?
I buy a lot of strawberries when they’re on sale, too. I’ve found they last longer if I rinse them, allow to dry on a towel, stem and cut them up, then store in one of those Rubbermaid produce containers (with the little insert in the bottom that prevents them from sitting in liquid).
OK… I know this might not be convenient for everyone. I have been addicted to strawberries for as long as I can remember. So every summer I watch for that ‘Killer’ deal which usually ends up being in a ‘Gigantic’ box right! After several times having to dissect those mushy ‘hairy beasts’ one-by-one, ewwww, I think I have come across the most effective way of “keeping” those lucious-red-berries at their best.
A) Clean & remove stems n’ leaves.
B) Cut in half length-wise & place each on paper towel as you go along.
D) Put in a 32 ounce plastic yogurt container. Close lid pinching out air as you snap in place.
Voila you have ready-to-eat berries for 3-4 weeks… maybe more depending on your fridge!
By The Way… I would estimate you’ll need one 32 oz container approximate per pound of strawberries.
There are directions on how to freeze strawberries here: https://mealplanningmommies.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-freeze-bananas-and-strawberries.html
Sometimes it is easy to forget what I have down in the depths of those drawers, so I placed a repositionable chalk board on the inside of my pantry. It keeps my grocery list continiously updated, the week’s menu, special requests and things that need used. Since doing this we have hardly wasted a thing!
Keep cut fruit fresh without it turning brown by adding lemon juice when storing it in the fridge*************you can also use orange juice.
Plus, my daughter loves to take apples to school. So I will cut the Granny Smith apples into something like Sprite/7 up to prevent the browing before I pack them. May not be as healthy, but gives a sweet snap to the sour apple, and she will eat a ton! of them that way!!!
I thimk I’ve also heard it works with diet 7-up/sprite if you are worried about sugar.
Pineapple juice also works if you don’t want to alter the flavor of apples very much. We were serving a large quantity of sliced apples and caramel dip for a church function and this worked really well to prevent browning on the apples.
Cut apples into salt water and they wil keep for about 4 days in a Ziploc bag in the fridge. The apples look just like you just cut them.
There are a lot of products that reduce e.gas in your frig. I’ve used the green bags which work very well, balls that you put in your frig drawers, and special plastic containers. I’ve used all these products and they really reduce food spoilage and I think are worth the extra cost. The green bags and containers can be washed and reused. The balls need ot be replaced or refilled every three months. It also helps to have a prepared container of veggies that are washed, cut and ready for snacking!
Yes, the Debbie Meyers green bags work wonderfully. I was hesitant to pay the $10 to try them, but I am sooooo glad I did. My fruit and veggies last soooooo much longer. I wish I could afford her green boxes that she sells on HSN, but right now, they’re out of my $ league. I did find some less expensive ones sold just like her bags at Wag’s and they work very well too. With the bags, you get 10 in a box and each bag can be used up to 10 times and still work. Just rinse them out after each use. A great product!!!
Pam you can get the same green bags ( just not debbie meyers name on them ) at the dollar store for $1! Save you a whole lotta money.
I agree–love the green bags. I got them as a gift so the expense wasn’t an issue, but they are awesome!
Thanks, Lolo!!
The green bags work wonders. I got some at an Art and Wine Festival for free one year.
Celery will last a lot longer when wrapped in tin foil.
Does the foil keep the celery crisp?
Yes!
Ditto…..another wonderful idea, celery in tin foil, and it really works.
IT WILL KEEP FOREVER THIS WAY! Well, not FOREVER, but close! 😉
If your celery does wilt, cutting it up and soaking the stalks in ice water will bring them back to life again
Buy a GOOD refrigerator like a Sub-Zero! It keeps your food fresher for longer.
Does anyone know about Milk? I’ve heard you can freeze it bit I’ve never tried it myself can you really freeze it and if so for how long???
P.S. Borden gallon of Milk is on sale 2/$5 at Minyards for any of you guys out in Texas you can use $1/1 coupon from 1/10 SS. or you can price match at Walmart! making it 2 gallons for $3.00
I freeze my milk and have not had a problem. Usually I don’t freeze it more than a week or two, but I don’t know what the “limit” is.
We always freeze our milk if we find it at a good price. It will expand and sometimes deform the container, but we’ve never had 1 break. We put them n our deep freeze.
I had a friend who would buy 4 gallons of whole milk when it was on sale and to make it last all month she woudl use old milk jugs that were washed. (4 of them) and dump half the milk into each of the washed/older jugs. That way you now have 8 half full milk jugs (from the 4 you just bought) Then she mixes up some powdered milk and adds that to the 8 milk jugs and fills them not quite to the top to leave room for expansion. She then freezes them and they lasted about 2-4 weeks in there. She woudl pull one out a couple days before she needed it to let it thaw in the fridge. I think it made the milk like 2% or less mixing the whole with the powdered skim. Plus she saved a ton of money on milk this way. The box of powdered milk lasted a long time cuz she put it into a tupperware thing. This friend of mine also made her own mayo and used mayo jars 9cleaned and peanutbutter jars (cleaned) to put the homemade mayo into.
A friend of mine taught me about freezing milk. Just as someone above said, leave room in your container for expansion as it does expand when it freezes. I have left mine longer than a month and have never had a problem. And, like someone else said, be sure to take it out of the freezer several days before you need it as it will take that long to thaw out.
So wonderful that Collin allows us to share ideas. I have learned so much from this website!!
Yes I freeze it all the time but a word of caution…. the milk will expand and sometimes if the milk is in a cheap plastic bottle it has actually cracked my plastic bottle so when I defrost it, I have to watch it and transfer it to another container. To avoid this problem, open up the mild and remove some so that it has room to expand. I will often buy 4 gallons when I am at Costco and freeze 3. I am a single person so as you see you can keep it quite a while. With fat milks (ie not nonfat) then you will get separation of the fat and water so be sure to thoroughly defrost it and then shake it good to remix. DO not try to use a bit off the top before it is unfrozen (I have done this many a time :s and you will get all the fat to start… very thick) .
Yeah, I often freeze it :). Nothing ever has gone wrong.
– Check your crisper twice a day. Since I work during the day, I do breakfast and dinner.
– Removing berries from their plastic containers and placing them in pint or quart glass jars with a paper towel at the top on a shelf in the fridge. They last longer and don’t get lost in the crisper.
– If fruit is looking past its prime but not moldy, freeze it then use it in smoothies.
– I don’t like using lemon juice to prevent browing because you’re giving sweet fruit a tart taste (I haven’t tried orange juice) Instead, as apples, pears, etc. begin to brown, I think of other uses: applesauce, pear butter, small fruit crips, add them to muffin mix, etc.
Excellant tips!
Pineapple juice works well for fruits too, if you don’t like the tartness of lemon juice. I’ve bought a can of pineapple juice and then freeze it in ice cube trays (which equals about 2 Tbs. per cube) and then store the cubes in a zipper bag that way I don’t have to buy it very often. This also works well to have the juice on hand for recipes that call for a small amount of pineapple juice, such as when making a sauce.
If you want directions on how to freeze strawberries, go here: https://mealplanningmommies.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-freeze-bananas-and-strawberries.html
Try the green bags, they really do work, on some things better than others. THey have been great with bananas. My mom found some boxes at her dollar store, they were an off brand but worked great. I have been unable to find them at mine but I always keep an eye out for them now in case they get more in stock. They sell out fast. Great bargain for just $1 considering how much food it saves, and they are reusable too.
Wish I could have found them at the Dollar store. I did find them at Wag’s for $10 with the “as seen on TV” products. They are an off-brand, not Debbie Meyers.
most of the hints above i do, I don’t think I have anything to add, I really like the green bags they work.
I honestly think the best thing is to not over-buy and to plan your menu’s accordingly.
I know sometimes it is easy to get caught up at the store when you see a good deal or a really delicious piece of fresh fruit. But if you don’t plan as a part of your diet to eat it during that week – best not to buy it.
I used to buy canteloupes every time I went to the store – they just looked good but every time I would forget to carve them up or just not give them another thought. I finally realized that while it IS a yummy fruit (and we really should enjoy eating it) – after throwing away several of them in a row is a hint that we just don’t need it.
Green bags. I swear by them. Don’t wash them with soap though– it makes them stop working. Otherwise, rinse and re-use! They are not as effective when water or moisture builds up inside the bag, so if you find this is happening with your water veggies (lettuce, etc.) pull the veggies out and wipe the bag down. I can keep veggies fresh for 2-3 weeks, even lettuce. Crisp and perfect!
I totally agree! I always put 1 piece of paper towel in the bag. It really helps with the moisture build-up.
I agree with using the Green Bags (bought mine @ Walmart by the As Seen On TV items). Ive used them for a couple of months and have saved so much on not wasted produce! I dont like going to the commissary every week, (especially on payday weeks) but these make my fruit & veggies good for longer than 3 weeks, still tasting just as fresh!
I buy my produce at our local produce market because it’s much cheaper and they have coupons in our local paper, which is awesome. I try to go once a week and buy what i think we will need. If veggies are going “bad” ie celery or carrots, I make a pot of veggie soup or at least veggie broth to use for other soups/meals.
I use these things called green boxes by debbie meyer. I got them on hsn awhile ago, maybe like 2 years ago, and have been using them faithfully since the day i got them. I just love love love LOVE them and can’t say anything bad about them. Their dishwasher safe, and all you do is put your fruit or vegetable into the container then put a papertowel on the top then cover it. I don’t know whats in them, or how they made them, but no matter how many times you use them, they just keep on working! At first i thought there was a limited amount of usage to these things, but nope- they just last forever!
Once a month my husband and I will drive to costco (it’s like almost 50miles from where we live) and we buy vegetables in bulk (we really love vegetables). Well one time my baby organic spinach lasted 3 weeks in those little suckers! I know- sounds gross right? like 3 weeks- they can’t still be good. But they were! as fresh as the day we got them! Don’t even get me started on mushrooms! omg, LOVE these boxes. I’ll put up a link just incase anyone wants to see them. This isin’t the set I own, i think this is a newer set, with like little boxes- my boxes are pretty big. https://kitchen-dining.hsn.com/debbie-meyer-lockin-greenboxes-18-piece-set_p-5645549_xp.aspx?web_id=5645549&ocm=sekw|items_recently_aired.
Yes, I agree, Debbie Meyers stuff (boxes and green bags) make your fruits and veggies last MUCH longer. She explains that they are made so the boxes and bags remove the gases that the fruits and veggies give off and yes, they do keep working forever. I wish I could afford her green boxes, but can’t right now. The bags work great and I also found off- brand green boxes at Wag’s. (Sorry I have posted similar throughout here, but really want people to know this stuff works!)
Tupperware Fridge Smarts containers. I have kept green grapes crisp and juicy for two weeks, strawberries fresh and red for 3 weeks. And bags of lettuce, when on sale, keep beautifully for almost a month. A little pricy, but for what they have saved me in wasted food has made them a wise investment.
https://www.tupperware.com/coe/app/!tw$shop.p_category?pv_ic_code=25000
Very true.
The Rubbermaid ones work great, too–and they’re economical! I bought a small one on clearance at Target last year for around $1.79 after coupon. In February, Kroger had them on clearance for $1.79, and after coupon, got two for .79 apiece. Now, Food Lion has the larger size on clearance for $2.39. They only had one, and I snapped it up! I’m haunting my other Food Lion, waiting for them to clearance these so I can get a couple more bigger ones.
Collin, great tips! I shared your article on my website!
I agree with Jennifer…tupperware fridge smarts! They are amazing! I don’t hesitate to buy lots of produce now when it is on sale. They stay fresh for so much longer! Just be sure to not wash the produce before you store it in them, and it will last longer.
Do you know if the Tupperware works on the same principle that Debbie Meyer’s green boxes do?
I don’t think so. Tupperware and Rubbermaid produce containers are more about the physical design of the container (i.e., preventing the produce from sitting in liquid), whereas Debbie Meyer products contain “proprietary minerals” that extend the life of produce by absorbing the gases they emit.
I’ve never used green bags, but after reading all the comments, I’ve decided to buy some. Can somebody please tell me approximately how many times these bags can be reused..Thanks
On Debbie Meyer’s green bag boxes, she says you can use each bag up to ten times. It is very worth it ’cause they really do work. Can you tell I am passionate about these bags with all my posts here 🙂 but it was heart-breaking to throw out all the spoiled fruits and veggies over the years before I found these bags.
check your dollar store to see if they have some (off brand) I have found them at .99 store and I think dollar tree and my mom tells me she has found them at the grocery outlet. HTH
I found mine at the dollar tree and they are the Debbie Meyers brand too. Also as I stated above, there are balls and clip on packages of e. gas eliminators that you can put in your produce drawers (I think I got these at Trader Joes, though others carry them). They don’t work as well as individual storage, but they are less expensive and still makes produce last longer, last about 3 months in the frig and protect the whole drawer.
LOVE green bags!
Tupperware fridge smarts!
Tupperware fridge smarts are the best. I have kept strawberries fresh for week using them. They’re great for lettuce too.
The tupperware fridge smart containers are amazing. They are more than paid for themselves, as I have been using them mine for over 7 years. I cut up enough romaine lettuce for salad for a week at a time then let my kids add their own veggies, which I store separately (like a salad bar) . They love it and now eat salad.
I just vacuum seal cut lettuce in a jar (https://www.salad-in-a-jar.com/skinny-secrets/salad-in-a-jar) and it works great! I hate prepping lettuce for salads, but this has made it so easy and my lettuce gets eaten before it goes bad. (I already had a vacuum sealer.)
Thanks so much for posting that website!! I have a Food Saver with the wide mouth jar attachment and a dozen Ball jars. I’m going to try this!
I have one of the handheld vacum sealers by reynolds I think… and I do not buy the expensive bags that go with them rather I use the grocery produce bags (or ones from the meat department cause they are usually a little thicker) and then I insert the nozzle part into the bag and form a seal with my index finger and thumb around the opening and suck out all the air and then before I stop with the suctioning I twist the bag to prevent air being reintroduced and then remove the suction tool. This forms an airtight seal and keep stuff like cilantro from going bad and I redo it each time I open it.
I cut the stems off my cilantro and place it in a freezer bag with air, and freeze it. When it gets hard, I just crush it up, and instantly have cilantro for a recipe. It keeps its taste so much longer too.
Fantastic idea!! thanks!! I lose so much cilantro due to spoilage as I don’t use it often enough that it would stay fresh in the green bags, but I love to keep cilantro on hand. Fortunately, it’s not one of the more expensive veggies, but I’m going to try your tip.
We eat a lot of salads, so mine doesn’t usually go bad, but I think I may try this, since I already have a vacuum sealer.
One thing to note is that Romaine lettuce keeps very, very well anyway. I bought a three pack of hearts about a month ago, and the last head just finally started wilting. (We don’t use a ton of Romaine, but I like to keep some on hand if I can’t find any good deals on the baby lettuces.) I soaked it in cold water, spun it, drained the spinner, and stored in the fridge for almost another week. (I won’t vouch for the nutrition content at this point, but is sure looked fresh!) When stored in the spinner in the fridge, the cut edges don’t get rusty for me.
One other thing to think about when storing veggies in the fridge is the crisper settings. I always ignored them or didn’t have a manual to decipher what they meant. When we got our new fridge, my husband read the manual from front to back and set up each crisper for different temperatures and humidities for the different types of produce we buy. We have virtually no waste. Although I do often buy produce a couple times a week, I also stock up when I find it on managers’ clearance and I do store much of it for a week or more–sometimes much longer.
I cut up all my snack produce. Strawberries, melons so on. It helps me with grabbing a health snack and the kids love it too. One tip i found out thanks to GOOD EATs is if you take off the peel and cut in half bannanas you can keep them in the freezer for up to a month for smoothies. Also i always buy peppers when they are on sale. You can easily cut them up and use them in soup and other dishes. I have also gotten into canning. Home made pickles are the best.
To learn how to freeze bananas, go here: https://mealplanningmommies.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-freeze-bananas-and-strawberries.html
What a lot of great ideas! I think I’m going to have to try the green bags. They sound great. One thing I do is wrap my red onions in foil (individually) & store them in the refrigerator. They last much longer this way. Thanks for the ideas.
Now, if Debbie Meyers or Tupperware would just make one of their products into those large round covered divided containers that many of us have, it would be great as you could have cut up veggies on hand all the time and they wouldn’t get icky or spoil so quickly.
There you go… You have a great idea, turn it into $$
I like to cut my celery into 4 inch stick, then place it into a plastic container with water. It crisps up even very limp celery, and my family is more tempted to eat it because it is easy.
If I have fruit that is over ripe, or about to go bad, I cut it and place it on a cookie sheet making sure it doesn’t touch any other fruit. Then I throw it in the freezer and put it in a ziploc after it is frozen. It makes great smoothies without any ice or sugar. Or blend it with a little juice and add it to a popsicle mold. YUM!
For veggies about to go bad, I make soup. Tomatoes, carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, whatever I have, I’ll throw it in the crockpot with whatever meat I have and add salt, pepper and whatever herbs/spices I have and cook it all day. No one can tell if it was a little wilted before I put it in there or not, and I can freeze the soup for later if there is too much.
I do this with my celery too! I also do it with my whole carrots – peel them, and cut them into sticks. They store well in water :).
To avoid rotten fruits in the house, we usually buy fresh fruits every week for the amount were using up for that week. We buy the fruits that are in season and on sale.
I’m a veggie waster. but my fruit is always eaten up. I do this thing called bountiful baskets which is available in i think 5 states, but is expanding. You can get a laundry basket full of fruits and veggies for $15. you never know what you are gonna get, but i like the surprise. Its hard to use everything though. Last time i bought it i got this thing called a salad savoy and its still in my fridge. i did a bad job of using the veggies. most went to waste. : (
Slightly off topic, but did you know you can freeze fresh eggs…..on the Dr. Oz show the other day, he said you can mix them slightly with a wire whip and then pour them into ice cube containers. After frozen, put cubes into freezer bags. Each cube equals approximately one egg.
awesome. Thanks.
I LOVE the Debbie Meyer Green bags you can find them at stores in the “As Seen on TV” area. I wash mine out to reuse them but they do work and are not that expensive I think around $10 for several.
A lot of people have said we can find the Debbie Meyer bags at the various Dollar stores.
collin you crack me up… hairy beast!! pffttttt!! 😀 😀 😀
I cut the bottom of the cliantro and place it in an old garlic plastic container. I fill it the container with water and leave the top off. I let the cliantro stick out of the top of the container. The cliantro will last for almost 2 weeks if you change the water every few days! Thanks for all the great tips … you have awesome readers 🙂
Apples last longer in the fridge crisper. They will stay crisp this way for up to a month or longer (as long as other apples don’t have rotten or spoiled spots). That’s how we store them up here in NY state apple country. 🙂
Also don’t wash your berries until you’re ready to eat them. They will become mushy.
I meant eat or freeze them.
When I want to keep my apples from browning I soak them in salt water. I don’t know about the rest of you, but my lemons cost about a dollar each, so I only use them for cooking.
My kids love strawberries. I soak them, stem them and place them on a plate. They have them for breakfast and then snack on them all day.
Joelle…next time you’re at a restaurant just ask for extra lemons. They’re FREE! 😉
I also keep apples in the crisper drawer for up to a month.
I keep seeing green bags at Menards, not sure of the brand name. It seems they go on sale pretty frequently, but if not, I still think they are only a few dollars. I’ve never seen them in my Dollar Store, unfortunately. I’m definitely going to give them a try. Thanks so much for all the tips!
I use the Debbie Meyer green boxes and bags. I bought them of HSN! Here’s a post to how I LOVE them and other ways I save in the Kitchen. I am frugal!!
https://designingandmotherhood.blogspot.com/2010/02/stacis-frugal-practical-waysrevealed.html
Staci
The green boxes can be found at Wags if you don’t know what to do with the many RR’s from last week. It can be a good investment I’m planning on buying them next week.
About the produce I only buy what’s on sale that giving week. Meal plan what I will be using chop, freeze the rest. That way there is no waste.
Sorry if these are repeats—time’s limited right now.
Celery—wrap tightly in plastic wrap (I did read aluminum foil, but not tried it) Put in fridge
Strawberries–wash & let drain. Cap & slice. I put a papertowel in the bottom, fill w/ cut berries & then a paper towel on top. No mushy berries & my last container made it an entire week before we finished them. And I use the original container & put in fridge
Lettuce—place a papertowel in the bottom of a ziploc (or the Hefty version of the Green Bags). Fill w/ lettuce, then place another papertowel in. Or you can do one on each side. I buy the huge box or organic at Sam’s for $3.38 & never had it go bad. (in fridge)
Grapes—DO NOT WASH. Just place in fridge & wash them as needed. I’ve tried numerous ways & this keeps them the longest! Or you can wash & freeze, which makes for a great snack!
Cucumber—slice & place a paper towel in the ziploc
Sweet Peppers—Don’t remove the seeds from the portion you will store (removes the flavor). I will tear a paper towel & place on the cut portion & wrap in plastic wrap. Beware! They will flavor other produce!
Apples–you can use any acidic juice to toss w/ sliced pieces. Apple juice works, but not as well as others.
Bananas—don’t store w/ apples, they’ll ripen quicker. I store them in a bowl all their own on the counter. If they ripen too much, place them in the freezer & use them for banana bread
Tomatoes—store upside down on the counter. Fridge will not let them ripen & will cause them to lose flavor.
Pineapple & Mango–if a GREAT sale here ($.99 for pineapple & $.69 mango) I will cut & freeze. Then take them out in portions while I’m fixing dinner. Great for tropical fruit salad.
Cantaloupe, Honeydew & Watermelon—cut up & place in fridge. Drain off anyliquid that accumulates in the bottom (I do it daily to keep it from going sour). They also freeze well
Zucchini & Yellow Squash–I will put them in a ziploc w/ a paper towel, which gives them a few more days.
And while I’m at it….
Flowers—- cut off leaves that will be in the water. Bleach will keep mold at bay Sprite or light colored soda in the vase perks them up! 🙂
One thing I do with my fruit and veggies (or at least the ones you can eat raw) is make a fruit and veggie tray. I keep them covered in the fridge and for every meal we pull it out and eat some of it for one of the side dishes. For example, for breakfast the kids might have a muffin, yogurt, and then fruit from the tray. At lunch, a sandwich, goldfish, and fruit/veggies from the tray. Same at dinner. My kids have even been known to open the fridge and pull out a few grapes or carrots or whatever and snack on them at the table. I’ve told them they can do this as long as they sit at the table. I’m telling you it makes my kids eat this kind of stuff a lot more if they know they can get it for themselves whenever they want to. And you’d be surprised at how fast your fruit and veggies go at that point. I haven’t wasted any of it since I started doing this. I got the idea from a cute little food website called http://www.southernplate.com.
If you think you just have too much strawberries to eat before it spoils… just wash, dry and cut and freeze. It’s perfect for smoothies. –Berries that also start to soften but are not yet rotten can be made into jams and jellies. There are a lot of simple recipes on the internet. —- I had too much tomatoes one time so I sliced them up and I dehydrated in the oven. Turn on the oven at it’s lowest setting and put slices on a racked cookie sheet. Leave overnight until dried out. You can use like sun-dried tomatoes. I’ve done this with Basil as well. After drying up, I just crumbled and have dried basil to use. For those who love cilantro like me– this the only herb that all of it components is usable. After I take out the leaves, I freeze stems and roots. When I make a stew or soup that need it’s flavor, I wrap the bunch in a cheese cloth, add it in let it simmer along and just take it out when cooking is done.
–If you use lemons, oranges or limes, zest them first. Set aside the zest between paper towels, set aside to dry up, when dried up, put it in a ziploc bag and keep it in the fridge. So, if I need lemon, lime or orange zest, I have some on hand. I also freeze extra juice on ice cube trays, take them out and store in freezer bags. If I need fresh lemon, lime, or orange juice, I thaw out as many cubes as I need. HOTH 🙂
great topic and lots of great recommendations !! i haven’t tried the greens bags , this is something i really want to try , i will be on the look out for these. i have always felt guilty when my fruit and veggies spoil and waste . Thanks collin and everybody with your shared information . I love this website !!!
Not sure if anyone else uses them, but we love the Green Bags from Debbie Meyer. We purchased some from QVC quite a few years back and we swear by them. We get our fruit and vegies from a Co-op and the local Farmers’ Market, so the produce seems to go bad faster. I highly recommend them!
Thanks so much for your tips. How useful it is!
Debbie Meyer green bags have saved us a lot of money? I get mine off eBay. I give them for gifts to friends, they laugh at me when they open it but then about three weeks later they call me and thank me because thier vegies are still fresh!!!