Common Sense Tips To Keep Produce Fresher, Crunchier, Longer!

More than ever before, consumers are looking for ways to stretch their budget and make the most of their resources. 'Tis the season for farmer's markets and fresh home-grown veggies, but the perennial question for many is: "How can I prevent everything from going bad before I get a chance to eat it?" There are a few common sense rules of thumb to follow, but the most paramount one is to store each item properly.  Bear in mind that what is good for an apple is not so ideal for a tomato. While the majority of produce thrives when it is chilled, specific items such as bananas, potatoes, basil, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and underripe fruit are best kept out of the refrigerator. Others, such as potatoes, onions, garlic and hard winter squash should be kept in a cool dry location away from direct light. An equally important thing to keep in mind is that produce (including herbs) should not be washed until you are ready to use it since moisture often accelerates decomposition.

Most produce varieties can be stored in reusable cloth or mesh bags in your refrigerator to maintain the proper moisture level and prolong their freshness. Items with excess moisture such as lettuce greens should be wrapped with a dry cloth dish towel first and then inserted into a cloth produce bag. Herbs (and asparagus) should should be prepped in the same manner as flowers by trimming off 1/2 inch of the stem ends, standing them up in a glass jar filled with water and then loosely covering the top with a bag before refrigerating. The average shelf life for herbs stored using this technique is approximately 10 days. Basil, on the other hand, is damaged easily when exposed to cold temperatures, so keep the stems in a glass of water on a sunny windsill or countertop instead.

Ethylene, a natural hormone generated by some fruits as they ripen, reduces the shelf life of a wide variety of produce since it stimuates the ripening process. While you can certainly put open cell foam liners in the bottom of your crisper drawers or purchase commercially available products like green produce bags or plastic, circular-shaped devices that are designed to absorb the gas, those options aren't always exactly eco or budget friendly. By simply segregating ethylene-producing fruits from other fruits and vegetables that are sensitive to the gas, you will save money, reduce waste and be well on your way to preventing loss of quality, reduced shelf life, loss of pigmentation, browning and discoloration. Additionally, produce will no longer soften, ripen excessively, sprout, get tough, become bitter or develop off-flavors.

Fruit Varieties That Produce A High Amount Of Ethylene Gas (Or Are Sensitive To Ethylene Damage) Include:

• Apples: Keep refrigerated at all times in the crisper to extend their freshness 6 weeks or more.
• Apricots: If already ripe, refrigerate to extend life for up to 1 week.
• Avocados, Kiwi: Store at room temperature for 3 - 5 days until ripe and then refrigerate for up to one week. Accelerate the ripening process by placing them in a paper bag on the counter with an apple inside.
• Bananas, Plantains: Store bananas at room temperature for 4 to 5 days, during which time they will continue to ripen. To accelerate ripening, place bananas in a brown paper bag and then refrigerate to extend freshness. Their skins will turn black from the cooler temperature but the fruit inside will be fine to eat. Store plantains at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.
• Cantaloupes and Honeydew Melons: Store at room temperature for 2 - 3 days to ripen and then refrigerate for up to 5 days.
• Mangoes: Accelerate the ripening process by placing two mangoes in a paper bag on the counter (just one fruit alone will take a lot longer). Once ripe, refrigerate for 2 - 3 days.
• Nectarines, Peaches, Plums, Prunes, Pears: Ripen at room temperature and then refrigerate for up to one week to extend life.
• Papayas: Accelerate the ripening process by placing papaya in a paper bag on the counter with a banana until it turns orange-yellow in color. Once ripe, refrigerate for up to 1 week.
• Passionfruit: Refrigerate immediately for up to 2 weeks.
• Persimmons: Ripen at room temperature for several days and then refrigerate for up to one month.
• Quinces: Will begin deteriorating after a week if kept at room temperature. Refrigerating them extends their freshness as long as apples by up to 6+ weeks.
• Tomatoes: Store at room temperature 60°F  stem side down away from direct sunlight. They lose flavor along with color and nutrient development if refrigerated.
• Watermelon: Ripen whole melons at room temperature for approximately one week -- this will double their beta carotene and lycopene levels. Store them for up to 2 weeks at room temperature or up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Vegetables Sensitive To Ethylene Damage Include:

• Arugula, Escarole, Watercress, Spinach, Lettuce, Leeks, Belgian Endive, Collard, Mustard and Turnip Greens: Will keep up to one week in the refrigerator loosely wrapped in a cloth produce bag to prevent moisture loss.
• Asparagus: Will keep 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. Trim ends off and stand upright in a jar filled with water. Loosely cover with a cloth produce bag
• Broccoflower, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts: Will keep 3 to 5 days loosely wrapped in a cloth produce bag in the refrigerator to prevent moisture loss.
• Carrots: Will keep one to two weeks in the refrigerator wrapped in a cloth produce bag to prevent moisture loss.
• Celery: Pat dry, completely enclose in aluminum foil and store in crisper drawer. Will stay fresh for at least 2 weeks.
• Eggplants: Store in a paper bag/cloth produce bag in the crisper drawer. Will stay fresh for about ten days.
• Mushrooms: Store in a paper bag/cloth produce bag in the crisper drawer for up to 3 days.
• Peas, Green Onions: Will keep 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator loosely wrapped in a cloth produce bag.
• Potatoes: Place them in a brown bag with one apple inside -- they will last for up to 8 weeks without sprouting!
• Summer Squash, Peppers, Cabbage, Green Beans, Cucumbers, Cauliflower: Will keep up to one week in the refrigerator loosely wrapped in a cloth produce bag to prevent moisture loss.