5 Simple Storage Tips to keep Produce Fresh
Food waste is a massive problem. America wastes around 40% of its food. Around half of this food waste happens at level of the consumer. About 94 percent of the food we throw away ends up in landfills or combustion facilities. Reducing food waste at home saves consumers money, reduced food insecurity and conserves resources for future generations. Below are some easy storage tips to keep produce fresher for longer.
Vegetables need to breathe. An airtight plastic bag is the worst choice for storing vegetables. And don't pack veggies tightly together either as they need space for air circulation. Many fruits also produce ethylene gas, which acts like a ripening hormone and hastens spoilage. Our mesh produce bags are breathable, absorb moisture and allow ethylene gases to escape, thereby keep fruits and veggies fresh for longer!
- Leave some produce out of the fridge.
Potatoes, onions, and garlic are cold-sensitive items and don’t do well in the fridge. Storing them in cool, dark spots elongates life for up to a month. Ethylene emitters such as avocados, bananas, peaches, nectarines, tomatoes, pears, and plumbs, are best kept on the counter and can be tossed in the fridge once ripe to lengthen shelf life.
- Keep produce separately
Keep ethylene emitters away from the greens to prevent wilting. Store potatoes and onions separately as both release moisture, so mixing them together can cause them to go bad faster. Keep an apple in the bag of potatoes as apples produce ethylene gas, which keeps potatoes fresher and firmer. However, keep apples away from other fruits and veggies for the same reason.
Citrus fruits can be stored at room temperature. However, instead of displaying in a bowl, simply let the fruit hang out to resist mold growth and improve air circulation. The same can do be done for onions, potatoes etc. Also, hang bananas to prevent bruising and reduce exposure of the banana flesh to oxygen that fastens ripening.
- Store herbs in water
When you bring home a bag of fresh tender herbs, use what you need on the day, and then store the rest of the bunch in a glass of water. First, clip off the bottom of their stems, remove any wilted or brown leaves, and put them in a quart container like a mason jar or water glass with about an inch of water at the bottom. Keep them in the fridge and change the water every couple of days.
