Summer is in full swing and with the warm weather comes a bounty of delicious seasonal fruit and vegetables, but keeping them fresh can be a challenge. Most of us don’t have the time to visit our grocers daily to get fresh produce, and instead buy everything at once. Read on for 6 of our tips on how to keep your fruits and vegetables fresher, longer!
1. Give Your Berries A Hot Bath
Once the weather gets hot we often find ourselves eating berries by the basketful. But even with a healthy appetite and refrigeration, uneaten berries can go moldy overnight. One way to stop the onset of the fuzzy fungus is not with pesticides, but by giving your berries a hot bath before storing them. After bathing the berries spread them out on a towel to allow them to breathe and then store.
2. Keep Tomatoes Out Of The Refrigerator
Tomatoes are a staple for most of us year round, but keeping them from rotting in the summer can be difficult. Putting tomatoes in the fridge may seem like a sure-fire way to keep them fresher, longer, but think again. Instead, put them in a bowl that you have lined with a paper towel with the stems at the top.
3. Wrap Your Leafy Greens
Leafy greens should be consumed within 1-2 days of purchase to ensure both freshness and that you are getting all the nutrients out of them you can. But if you are going to store these greens, the best way to extend their life is to wrap the unwashed leaves in a paper towel so that the towel can absorb any excess moisture. After wrapping in the paper towel put them in plastic bags and keep them in your fridge.
4. Refresh Lettuce And Herbs With An Ice Bath
If your greens have started to look a little wilted due to the cold temperature of your fridge, or from being left on the counter for a little too long, you can easily refresh them by giving them and ice bath. Simply place the lettuce leaves or herbs in a large bowl of ice water and shake the greens around a bit to revive them. A minute or two should awaken them and get them looking fresh and new!
5. Freeze Your Fruits And Veggies
Chop those ripened fruits and veggies up and freeze them for use on a future occasion. You can freeze items such as peppers, green beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, onions, eggplant, mushrooms, strawberries, blueberries and bananas.
6. Refrigerate Ripened Bananas
There has always been a lingering myth that says refrigerating bananas only makes them go bad faster. While a banana in the fridge may find a brown or black skin in just a few hours, what lies beyond the peel remains perfectly edible.
