10 Hacks to Keep Your Produce Fresh

There’s nothing quite like throwing your hard-earned cash in the garbage. It’s pretty upsetting when your fresh produce goes bad, especially when it happens sooner than you had anticipated. 

If you’re an inspired shopper, you would know all about this, as you’ve likely gone home on numerous occasions with more fresh produce than what was on your list. Nobody benefits when fresh produce goes to waste, so here are 10 Food Hacks to Keep Your Produce Fresh!

1.Towels with Greens

Slimy greens are one of the saddest sights in the refrigerator, especially when you discover them mid-smoothie making. If you line your bag or box of leafy greens with a few sheets of an eco-friendly paper towel (FSC-Certified, chlorine-free (PCF) and at least 80% post-consumer recycled), this can work to absorb any condensation. Excess moisture makes your greens wilt much quicker. Wrap fresh bundles of greens with a clean organic kitchen towel.

Extra tip: It’s also worth while to add a few sheets of paper towel or a tea towel to your vegetable crisper, this will work the same way.

2.Let Avocados Ripen on the Counter

If you’re lucky enough to find the perfect avocado just when you need it, you should probably pick up a lottery ticket too. If your new avocado friends resemble rocks, let them ripen on the counter. They’re ready when they give a little when you press them. At this point it’s best to store them in the fridge to slow down the ripening process. 

Extra tip: If you don’t use a whole avocado at once, use squeeze of fresh lemon juice and wrap with beeswax wrap to keep from rapidly oxidizing.

3. Don’t Chill Your Tomatoes

Putting your tomatoes in the fridge will seriously alter their flavour and change their texture. Find them a place on the counter, this will allow them to ripen them to their full potential.

4. Keep Your Bananas United

If you’re looking to ripen bananas quickly, separate them from the bunch. If you want to slow down the ripening process, keep them together and away from other fruit. When you do snap off a stem, use a sheet of beeswax wrap to re-create a seal, this will keep your nanners fresh for longer.

5. Apple with Potatoes

Sprouts are great, but not the kind that grow on potatoes. To prevent your spuds from spudding, keep an apple with them. Apples produce ethylene gas, which keeps potatoes fresher and firmer for a few more weeks.

6. Store Your Apples Alone

While apples are good for potatoes, they don’t play well with other stored fruit. Ethylene gas doesn’t benefit much else. Store your apples away from other fruits, preferably in a glass bowl or paper bag in the fridge. 

7. Cleanse Your Berries

Extend the shelf life of your fresh berries by bathing in a 1:3 ratio of vinegar to water before storing. This rinse works to naturally kill mold spores and bacteria which makes them go fuzzy. Since berries tend to be on the pricey side, you’ll appreciate this simple hack! 

8. Keep Your Celery Hydrated

Since celery is mostly water, it thrives in a moist environment. You can store celery in a closed container with a little water, or immerse the bottom in a cup of water to keep it crisp (change water daily).

9. Treat Your Herbs Like A Bouquet

Just like cut flowers, herbs thrive when placed in a glass of water and placed near a window sill. Keeping them in a plastic bag is a one ticket to slime town. If you’re entertaining, try adding bouquets of herbs to the table, so guests can garnish their own meal.

Extra tip: If you end up bringing home more fresh herbs than you can realistically handle, don’t shy away from this helpful ice-cube trap hack. 

10. Keep Mushy’s in Paper

There’s a reason you’ll find paper bags near the bulk mushrooms, these fungi like to breathe, and storing them in plastic will just make them sweat. If you leave them too long and they get dry, you can rinse them with water and they’ll plump back up rather quickly. 

Proper food storage is an essential part of a sustainable lifestyle. Are you a sustainable shopper?

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