Did you know that Australians throw away approximately 20% of the food we purchase?! That’s 1 in 5 grocery bags that end up in the bin. A large amount of this waste is made up of fruits and vegetables, which have gone bad. So, how do we keep our produce fresher for longer and reduce the amount of food we are throwing away.
Here are some helpful tips and hints on how to correctly store your fruits and veggies and the top five that you may be storing wrong.
Don’t store fruits and vegetables next to each other! Whether in the fridge or on the counter, these two don’t play nice together. This is because many fruits produce hormones that can lead to the spoilage of vegetables….so keep these guys separated if you want them to last.
Also, were you aware that your vegetables need to breathe? So don’t put them in an air tight plastic bag…or if you do, poke some holes in so they don’t suffocate. A better choice would be to keep them in reusable mesh bags, this enables air circulation and keeps them fresher for longer.
Here are some specific tips for how to store tricky items –
- Berries – Are best stored in a container with holes to let moisture escape, their freshness will be extended if they are dry, so only wash them just before eating. Berries will only stay fresh for a couple of days in the fridge but they do freeze really well. Once frozen they are best used in smoothies or cooking as they will loose their shape and juice when defrosting.
- Garlic- These should be stored at room temperature, in an opened container, however don’t peel away the protective papery husk until you are ready to use it.
- Onions- Can be stored like garlic keep them at room tempreature and away from potatoes…those guys don’t get along
- Potatoes- Keep all varieties of potatoes in a cool, dry and dark place, away from other fruits, garlic and onions.
- Asparagus- The best way to store asparagus is to trim a few centimeters from the end of the stalks and stand them up in a small amount of water, in the fridge. They then stay fresh for about 4 days.
- Carrots- If your carrots are unpeeled they will last for about 2 weeks in an unsealed bag in the fridge. However, if they are peeled they will last longer if you place them in a small amount of water in the fridge, just make sure you change the water regularly.
- Lettuce – Keep it as dry as possible in a sealed plastic bag or container in the fridge.
- Tomatoes – If your tomatoes are not quite ripe you can leave them to ripen at room temperature, once they are ready to eat you can extend their freshness by putting them in the fridge either loose or in a container with breathing holes
A few little tip and hints on how to keep your fruits and veggies fresh and delicious…but most importantly, out of the bin!.