Storing Fruits & Veggies for Optimal Flavor and Freshness

Storing Fruits & Veggies for Optimal Flavor and Freshness

First of all let me tell you that it's important to use the crisper drawers in your refrigerator to keep your produce away from meats (raw meats should be stored on the bottom shelf to eliminate cross contamination of other foods if they happen to drip). Many crisper drawers have high and low humidity settings to help ensure that your produce will stay fresher longer. 

Let's begin with fruits. Berries should almost always be stored in the fridge as they tend to 'go bad' quickly. Simply clean the berries and store in the original package. If you are worried that the berries will spoil before you are able to consume them, simply place washed berries onto a cookie sheet and freeze. You can then transfer the frozen berries into freezer safe containers to be used at a later time! Melons are another fruit that tend to go from unripe to over-ripe very quickly. For the most part, melons should be stored in a cool, dry place (like a counter top). Placing melons such as cantaloupes into the fridge actually kill some of the sweet flavor and make the fruit more rubbery. 

Citrus fruits such as limes and lemons can last quite a while on the counter. By placing citrus in the fridge you risk them absorbing some of the smells of your other foods/leftovers. Apples can go either way; in the fridge or on the counter and last quite a while regardless. As for tropical fruits like banana and pineapple, I say just leave them to ripen on the counter. Make sure to leave the tape on the banana as it is actually used to keep the bananas from over-ripening too quickly. You can refrigerate pineapple, but I notice that it has such a sweeter taste when consumed at room temperature. Pears, plums, peaches and even mangoes can be stored at room temperature until they become fully ripened...then you should transfer them to the fridge. *a quick tip on getting fruit to ripen faster-place it in a brown bag over night and leave at room temperature!

When it comes to veggies you should know that many shouldn't be washed until you are ready to use them. Tomatoes for instance should be stored unwashed at room temperature. The same goes for potatoes. Carrots and other root veggies should be stored in a plastic bag in the fridge to help them maintain moisture. Most onions can be stored at room temperature, however vidalia onions should be stored in the fridge individually wrapped in paper towels due to their high moisture content. Asparagus should also be stored in the fridge wrapped in a moist paper towel to help keep them crisp or cut off the ends and place in a glass of water.  When storing herbs, cut the stems off and place the herbs in a glass/bowl of water and place in the fridge. Always refrigerate lettuce and a quick tip for getting most lettuce to crisp back up is to place in a bowl of ice cold water for at least an hour. Eggplant should be stored in the fridge as it to spoils very quickly. Mushrooms are fine stored in a cool dry place.

To ensure that your fresh produce will keep in the fridge, make sure to separate any fruits and veggies. Another good tip is to buy only what you need or you know you will use. Buying organic produce can in fact be a bit more pricey than that of conventionally grown so buying only what you know your family will consume saves you from throwing away spoiled food. Don't let the price of organic produce scare you...remember, it's a lot CHEAPER  than a doctor's visit!