Produce is not the cheapest thing to buy. However, it seems to be one of the things people end up throwing away the most of, due to spoilage. Fresh vegetables are one of the healthiest things you can eat and are great to cook with. They contain more nutrients and flavor than their commercially canned or frozen varieties. Here are a few money saving tips to help you get the most out of your vegetables.
- Buy as fresh as possible. Something that is already starting to look bad is not going to magically improve in your refrigerator or on your counter. Only purchase what you know for sure you are going to use in a reasonable amount of time. Once one veg molds it will spread to the rest, so be careful.
- Store onions and potatoes in dry, dark areas. This can be a pantry, under a counter, or in a cupboard. This helps to prevent early rotting, mold, and inhibits them from growing more. You can always cut off the growing parts, which are not unsafe. But if you do have a lot of little green stems sprouting out it is probably a sign that you are not using your veggies fast enough and should buy less next time.
- Do not cut, portion, trim, or peel until you are ready to use it. This will minimize shelf life and will just make your produce go bad even faster.
- Tomatoes, eggplant, squash, peppers, beans, and avocados are best left at room temperature. The cool climate of the fridge can actually cause browning and texture loss.
- Leafy greens and celery benefit from being stored in plastic produce bags, and sometimes wrapped very loosely in a slightly damp paper towel. This prevents the dry air of the refrigerator from wilting these items.
- Lettuce and greens will last longer, even weeks, if washed in cold water and dried using a salad spinner. Make sure all dirt and water are spun from the leaves and then store a plastic bag.
- Fresh herbs are one of my favorite things to cook with. They blow away the flavor of the dried tasteless flakes you get in jars. However many people buy them and leave them in the bag or container they come in which leads to a very short shelf life. Leafy herbs like basil, parsley, cilantro, and dill are stored best by placing them in a container with a little water. Similar to putting flowers in a vase. This will help to keep the stems and leaves hydrated and last longer. Parsley can last for a week or more, while more delicate herbs such as basil will turn brown after 4-5 days. Heartier herbs such as rosemary and thyme are best store wrapped loosely in a damp paper towel for a few days.
- If you are thinking the fresh herbs you bought are not going to make it then you can salvage them in other ways. Before they are too far gone you can either chop and freeze them in little bags to later add to soups or other dishes, however the longer they are frozen they will lose their flavor. You can also pour olive oil into an ice cube tray and place a small amount of chopped herbs into each cup. Then simply freeze and take a cube as needed to melt into a saute pan and voila you have oil and herbs ready to go!
- Bananas are a fruit that gives off ethylene gas. This can cause other produce around it to ripen quickly. So unless you are trying to ripen a tomato or avocado quickly it is best to store all things separate from bananas.
- Tomatoes should never be stored in the fridge. It causes them to become mealy and flavorless.
And finally here is a great trick that I learned to lengthen the life of scallions. I was skeptical but happily surprised when it worked! When you are using scallions cut away the green portions and leave the white bottom part whole. It works best to have a good 2-3 inches left. Then simply place the stalk root end in a little bit of water and in just a few days you will have a re-grown scallion. Talk about getting the most bang for your buck! The picture below is how much growth after one week. The green part is what was grown from the original stump. It has been about two weeks now and is pretty much as long as a scallion you would purchase in the store now. I can't wait to do this with the rest that I have left now that I know it works!
Enjoy these tips and please leave comments and share any you may have as well!
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