The key to not wasting fresh produce is to learn how to store it properly and know how long it will last in the refrigerator or out of the refrigerator. Plan your meals around the shelf life of fresh produce and its ripeness. For instance, use fresh greens first and cabbage later in the week. Enjoy blueberries first and let the peaches ripen if need be.
First, let us learn which forms of vegetables spoil the fastest and last the longest.
Leafy greens such as lettuce and spinach have a shorter shelf life than the firmer leafy greens, kale, collard and Swiss chard.
Do store in plastic bag and wash just before eating. If you wash extra, then wrap in a paper towel and place in a sealed plastic bag
Don’t store with fruit. Eat within 2 to 5 days.
Kale, collard and Swiss chard are the next vegetables to eat in the week as they last up to five days.
Do store in plastic bag and wash just before eating.
Don’t throw extra away, rinse, chop and freeze to add to soup later. Eat within five days.
Peppers, whether green, red or yellow all are handled the same.
Do store whole and wash just before eating.
Don’t throw extra away. Wash and slice. Store in the freezer. Eat within five days.
Green, red and savory cabbage all are handled the same.
Do store in a plastic bag unwashed. Wash just before using.
Don’t store with apples. Apples give off ethylene gas and will soften vegetables. Eat within two weeks- lasts a long time.
Tomatoes, if unripe.
Do store in a warm place, for five to seven days.
Don’t store in direct sunlight. Unless fully ripe, do not store tomatoes in a refrigerator. Once cut, store in refrigerator for two to three days.
Potatoes
Do store in a cool, dry, place away from light. They will keep for one to three weeks.
Don’t store potatoes with onions.
Onions
Do store like potatoes.
Don’t store near potatoes. Potatoes give off a gas, which would cause them to spoil. Once cut, onions should be sealed tightly in a plastic bag and placed in the refrigerator for one week.
All forms of produce do count nutritionally. Fresh, frozen or canned are nutritionally equal. At times, frozen and canned are better options because they have a long shelf life. Simply rinse canned vegetables and fruit to reduce the sugar and one third of the sodium content.
When shopping for fresh produce, have a meal plan. What are you going to eat first? Learn how to utilize extra produce like green peppers and kale to reduce your food waste. Freeze produce just before its quality declines if you are unable to use it.
Here is a recipe, which uses tomatoes. Enjoy!
Broiled Tomatoes and Cheese
3 tomatoes (large, firm)
8 ounces cottage cheese, low-fat
1/2 teaspoon basil (dried)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (plain)
Cooking spray (or vegetable oil)
Wash tomatoes and cut in half. Mix cottage cheese, basil and pepper. Spread cheese on tomato halves. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and spray with cooking spray. Spray broiler pan with cooking spray. Place prepared tomatoes on a pan and broil about 10 minutes. Enjoy!
