Sick of throwing out uneaten fruit and vegetables? Here are five simple ways to keep produce from spoiling.
1. Wait to wash
Many Fresh and minimally processed fruits and vegetables, like apples or bagged lettuce, have been treated with food-safe substances (sulfites) that help to keep them fresh. Waiting to wash will prevent early spoilage and wasted money.
2. Wash in a water-vinegar solution
When ready to consume, produce can be washed in a water-vinegar solution.
Home-Made Fruit & Vegetable Wash Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup vinegar
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, pyrex measuring cup, or spray bottle.
For leafy greens and berries – pour or soak them in a bowl for just a couple of minutes. Once rinsed, prepare as usual or store with a paper towel in a sealed baggie or Tupperware. Note: If left to soak too long, the vinegar may start to “cook” the greens.
For all other fruits/veggies – spray generously and rub using your hands or a gentle scrub brush. Rinse and prepare as usual, or store in an airtight container.
Why Vinegar?
Vinegar is a substance with an acidity greater than coffee but not as acidic as stomach acid. Because of its high acidity, vinegar will break down any buildup and grim (think oils) on the surface as well as kill many strains of bacteria living on the surface.
3. Wrap stems of fresh bananas
Wrapping the steps of bananas can slow ripening, keeping your bananas in a more desirable state of ripeness.
4. Store In the Right Place
Cold temperatures generally keep bacteria counts down and also prevent oxidation and browning. Most produce can safely be stored in the crisper drawers, but some, like bananas and tomatoes, may do better on the counter.
Here are some storage tips that can help maximize the life and quality of your produce.
Carrots and celery can be washed, prepped, and stored in water to maintain peak crispiness and avoid wilting or drying. Be sure to change the water daily and keep it in an airtight, spillproof container in the refrigerator.
Lettuce, asparagus, and scallions can be brought back to life and/or stored in the refrigerator with the root end in water. Be sure to change the water daily and keep it out of direct sunlight.
Mushrooms can be stored in a brown paper bag to keep them from getting slimy.
Berries can be washed and rinsed, then stored in an airtight jar or tupperware in the refrigerator.
Avocados can go from sheer perfection to nasty in half a day in the right circumstances. To avoid this, keep perfectly ripe avocados in the refrigerator. Hard avocados can be forced to ripen if you store them overnight on the counter in a brown bag with another piece of fruit. You can also just leave them on the counter and they will ripen within a few days.
- Only eat half the avocado? Submerge the other half in water, seal it, and store it in the refrigerator to keep it from browning.
https://thedietitianscauldron.com/avocados-can-make-you-look-younger/(opens in a new tab)
5. Plan ahead
Maybe you shop like me. Impulsively grabbing things that look good. While that might be satisfying at the moment, the reality is, once we get home and put it away, we (assuming you’re like me) forget we ever ought it. Next thing you know, a week has passed, and there’s a funk in the fridge, and you’re throwing food and money into the garbage.
By planning a menu and generating a list, we can avoid spoiled produce and save money!
