Keeping Veggies Fresh

Hello All!

Does anyone have some handy helpful hints for keeping veggies fresh for a while? I heard cutting them up and keeping them immersed in water helps. Is that true? Also I throw more salad away then I eat, any hints there as well?

Well, I could tell you my secret... grow your own and only pick what you need when you need it!

Though I understand most people can't do that. Second option is to eat it all before it starts to go! Also, be sure to pick out slightly under ripe fruit and veggies in the store while you are picking veggies and fruits at the peak of ripeness.

Third is a little more complicated. Things like green onions, broccoli, carrots, spinach, celery (which you can slice up)... are best kept in an airtight container if you add a little cold non tap water. So a bottle spring water would work best. Be sure to add water daily, just a splash. I have keep store bought sprouts alive like this for 2 months, they just keep sprouting and I had an enless supply of sprouts until I forgot about them and they shriveled up.

Things such as apples or pears, if you cut then in half and only eat half, you can dip the other half in a type of sugar, such as brown sugar, white sugar or maple syrup, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fruit. Since these fruits are sugars, the refined sugars keep them fresh. Lemon juice also works, but not as long. You can also do the same thing with berries.

Thanks ix!

unfortunatley, I rent a room in a house and can't grow my own, not that I would know how to anyways! :)

I will try your other suggestions, that is interesting about the fruit!

So no suggestion on the salad part?

Is it one of those prepared bagged varieties? You should eat those within 3 days, then throw them out.

I found what helps is that if you take out all the welted leaves each time you get into the bag, it will keep the other leaves from going bad. Bad leaves make more bad leaves.

We buy glad vegie bags, they have small perforations for air and moisture to escape.

CC

i think clairelaine posted a list of tips on how to keep things fresh.
Unfortunately I did not tag the thread.

Will look

can't find, sorry

I bumped it up for you

http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/communi ty/forums.php?topic=8708&count=136

Good tips ix!   Another tag worthy post!
Thanks!

i also find it really helpful to put one or two paper towels around my leafy lettuce, parsley, cilantro, herbs, greens, etc.  It helps absorb the excess moisture in the fridge and things don't get as wilty.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions, I used them this weekend when I went to the grocery store!

Here's another suggestion (I always seem to get mine in late, sorry...):

I use Ever-Fresh Green bags. They really work! I'm noticing an increase in how long things stay fresh.

You can find them here:
http://www.reusablebags.com/store/evertfresh- green-bags-pack-medium-p-27.html

I buy lots of organic baby greens at the farmer's market every weekend. Lettuce is hard to keep fresh. What works for me is to divide my large bag of lettuce into two smaller, green bags. Squeeze the air out and fasten tightly. As you're eating out of the first bag, the second bag stays fresh because no air is getting in. Air is the enemy of freshness; it oxidizes the food.