How often do you stock up on produce only for it to spoil before you can eat it? Throwing away uneaten fruits or veggies never fun. If you want to extend the life of your groceries, this post is for you. Here are some practical tips for keeping produce fresh at home in your apartment.
“Edit” Your Apartment’s Fridge
To keep produce fresh, you need to know what stuff to store in your fridge. It’s best to leave onions, tomatoes, avocados, and potatoes outside of the refrigerator. Opt for a fruit and produce basket instead, and keep it away from sunlight.
Line Crispers with Paper Towels
Veggies in your crisper release condensation, a major culprit to limp, wilting produce. Line your crisper with a few layers of paper towels to soak up the excess moisture and extend the life of your vegetables. This trick also makes cleaning out your crisper a breeze! Alternatively, you can simply wrap the produce in paper towels before placing it in the crisper.
For Potatoes: Add an Apple
You may have heard this tip from your mom. To keep potatoes from sprouting, add an apple to the bag. Apples contain ethylene gas, which you can thank for keeping potatoes fresher, longer.
For Everything Else: Keep the Apples Away
Speaking of ethylene gas—it’s good for potatoes, but bad news for your other fresh groceries. Instead of adding apples to your fruit bowl, keep them separate to extend the life of your produce.
Wash Berries with Vinegar
Washing berries with vinegar is another tried-and-true method for keeping produce fresh, because vinegar kills bacteria and mold spores. Try soaking your berries in a mixture of one cup vinegar and three cups water before straining and placing them in the fridge.
Bag Your Mushrooms
For mushrooms, your best move is to store them in a paper bag. Keep them in the fridge, but not in the crisper. The extra moisture isn’t good for ‘shrooms, so they won’t last as long in the crisper drawer.
Revitalize Your Lettuce
If you weren’t able to keep your lettuce from wilting a bit, try separating and soaking your lettuce leaves in ice water for around 15-20 minutes. The ice bath can help *freeze* new life into your sad salad leaves.
