Do you find yourself trying to force-feed yourself produce you purchase because it seems to go bad quickly? If so, there are a couple reasons why that could be. The first, and most obvious, is that you’re buying produce that’s already too ripe. Unless you plan to eat it within a day or two, you may want to try and get something that will take a little more time to ripen.
If the produce isn’t too ripe at the time of purchase, but still spoils quickly after you get it home, you could be storing it wrong. Below are a few tips on how to store your produce so it will last longer.
How Do You Store Green, Leafy Veggies?
Leafy green vegetables, such as lettuce, arugula, and spinach, will start to leak water shortly after they’re harvested. It may not be noticeable right away while in the bag, but it’s there. The presence of water makes the environment within the bag much more welcoming to bacteria and mold, both of which will hasten the decomposition of your leafy greens.
To avoid this, wash and dry your greens as soon as you get home, then store them in an airtight container (or plastic bag) with a paper towel inside to wick away moisture.
Where Do You Store Tomatoes?
Nobody likes rotten tomatoes—especially Adam Sandler. Put them in the fridge and they freeze, or leave them on the counter and they’re an overripe mess in a matter of days. The trick with tomatoes is to keep them cool, but not cold. If you have a cool basement, store them down there. About 50 degrees is the perfect temperature to store tomatoes. If you don’t have a basement, keep them in the door of your refrigerator. It’s usually a bit warmer than in the other parts, and it should keep them from freezing.
Are You Letting Your Produce Breathe?
Those handy-dandy plastic bags you get at the supermarket where you buy your produce may be doing more harm than good. The plastic bags are not only a blight on the environment, but they tend to keep the natural gasses that are produced from ripening produce inside, which can cause it to spoil quicker.
Instead of using plastic bags from your grocery store, pick up reusable produce mesh bags from purifyou®. Our reusable mesh bags are lightweight and made in a facility that is free of harmful manufacturing chemicals.
purifyou® is a family-owned business that provides you with simple solutions that are health conscious and environmentally friendly. By storing your produce in our reusable mesh bags, you will allow them to breathe and eliminate the buildup of those gasses that lead to rotting fruits and vegetables.
Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is good for you. Throwing them away because they spoil is a waste of money. If your produce spoils too quickly, try storing them in reusable mesh bags from purifyou®.
