DIY: How To Store Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs So They'll Keep Longer and Stay Fresher

DIY

Food Storage

Homesteading

DIY: How To Store Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs To Keep Longer and Stay Fresher

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12 Practical Food Storage Tips for Better Eating and Lower Food Costs!

How many times have you stuck fresh produce in the refrigerator only to find it weeks, sometimes days, later gone bad, looking all shriveled or rotten? Yeah, we know that feeling too! That’s a big problem for a lot of us. In fact, the Natural Resources Defense Council says that the average American family of four throws away about one-fourth of all the food and beverages they buy.

So no more excuses. Follow these tips for longer, fresher tasting fruits, vegetables and herbs!

1. Apples

apples Never leave apples in a bowl on the counter if you want them to keep. Apples keep well for about 6 months at temperatures between freezing and 45°F. If you don’t have a root cellar, a double cardboard box in a cool mudroom or cellar can approximate the conditions.

You can also store apples in the fruit drawer of your fridge. It helps to have a damp paper towel nearby to increase humidity.

Remember to give apples an occasional change of air. Apple cider may be frozen after first pouring off a small amount for expansion.

2. Beans, Dry

Store in a moisture–proof, air–tight container. Beans will stale and toughen over time even when stored properly.

3. Berries

How to Store Berries Never rinse before storage. It washes off the thin, protective epidermal layer. Berries are highly perishable so they don’t store for long. If you must store them, place on a paper towel in a tightly-covered container and store in a cool, dry place (or the refrigerator) for 2 to 3 days.

4. Herbs

Dill and parsley will keep for about two weeks with stems immersed in a glass of water tented with a plastic bag. Most other herbs (and greens) will keep for short periods unwashed and refrigerated in tightly–sealed plastic bags with just enough moisture to prevent wilting. For longer storage, use moisture– and gas–permeable paper and cellophane. Plastic cuts off oxygen to the plants and promotes spoilage.

5. Mushrooms

Keep them in the refrigerator in a paper bag. The bag absorbs some of the moisture and keeps the mushrooms from spoiling.

6. Onions and Garlic

How to Store Onions and Garlic Mature, dry–skinned bulbs like it cool and dry—so don’t store them with apples or potatoes. French–braided onions and garlic are handy and free to get some ventilation as well.