Are you wondering how to store your produce in the fridge? Filling your fridge for the long haul is a good way to have things to eat now and later. But you don’t want to buy too many products and have them go bad quickly. You need to make sure that you check which fruits and veggies you can be refrigerating and come up with a grocery list highlighting the ones that will last the longest in the fridge.
Tips to Keep Fruits & Veggies Fresh Longer
Here are the best tips to keep your produce fresh in the fridge longer.
Always Store Produce Dry
Produce can have a little humidity, but too much is not good. A little moisture will keep the produce perky, but too much can cause mold or your produce to become mushy. Always be sure you dry whatever you are washing thoroughly prior to putting it in the fridge. The exceptions to this rule are scallions since they should be stored upright with the roots down at room temperature. Asparagus should be kept in a glass of water and refrigerated until you are ready to cook it. Keeping carrots and celery in a container of water will also help keep them fresh. When storing produce in water, be sure to change the water every couple of days.
Bag Produce
Using the plastic bag that your produce came in to store it will prevent the moisture in your produce from evaporating. This means that it will keep your produce from going limp after a few days. This trick also works for hardy greens as well. But be sure to remove the stems and put them into a plastic bag or container with a lid.
Swaddle Herbs
Remember to be patient and gentle when storing herbs. You can begin by taking off any twist ties or rubber bands from your bunches. If you purchase herbs that are dirty, make sure that you wash them first. You can then use a salad spinner to dry them or, if you don’t have one, roll them up between two layers of dish towels. Once they have been dried, you can put the bundles into resealable plastic bags.
Put Ripe Fruit in Fridge
Some fruit is best to keep at room temperature so that it is allowed to ripen, such as pineapple, mango, and avocado. However, once you have ripe fruit, be sure to move it into your fridge so you can basically pause the ripening process. This can be used as a short-term fix, since everything will eventually go bad. This trick will buy you a few extra days.
Freeze Your Produce
Finally, if you really want to pause the ripening process, toss your produce in the freezer. Once your fruit has become ripe, you can peel it and cut it into pieces. Throw them in a resealable plastic bag or freezer bag. This should last in the freezer for up to 3 months. For vegetables, make sure that you chop and blanch them.