Storage Tips...

[Davylp25]

Argh ya think after 3 years 100% I would have this down, But alas I dont.

SO I call in the troops...

I saw tips on the Organizing thread, but no one responded to my questions...

I keep having to go to the store every other day, because my food just doesn't last so I eat it all up...

So anyone with tips to extend the life of my produce...

My top picks I buy that I need advice in storing...

Cucumbers
Carrots with tops- They always get bendy on me...
Celery
Spinach
Kale
Beets with tops
Ginger, I just bought some and it already has mold after a few days.. argh!
Cabbage
Burdock

Thats the kick Im on now, so any advice? I need to get this down...

Thanks all!

[RawDrop]

Peachpearplum suggested to keep most items stored in cool storage (I think she uses shelfs in her garage, double bagged in PAPER bags. And she says her stuff lasts a while.

I keep most of my veg in the fridge (Cucus, cog/zuch, carrots, greens, pars, peppers, etc). I keep coco, bananas, apples, oranges, etc on the kitchen table. Melons seem to last a long time on the table.

Anything that I have mixed up I store in glass containers in the fridge, and it usually keeps a couple of weeks.

[saxmaam]

From my local CSA:

http://lospoblanosorganics.com/storage-tips.htm

[Eva]

Please don't throw any rotten tomatoes at me......

But is it just too hard to get to the place where you buy fresh produce? I LOVE buying my food every couple days and always eating it fresh. Mmmmm. What you're doing now sounds wonderful to me.

Anyways, this is all I could think of, so I hope it's helpful.
-Airtight containers are key.
-Keep it cold if you're planning to wait (all the stuff you described), except basil and tomatoes. You've just got to eat those quickly!

Your ginger has mold that quickly?? Did you have it in the fridge?? THAT I have found can keep for weeks. Hmmmm... :confused: Where are you getting the produce? Is your fridge on a cold enough setting?

[Eva]

Oooh, I just read through the info on saxmaam's link. Seems pretty helpful re: removing carrot tops but keeping others on, in bags... Citrus not in bags, etc. :)

[Emma-Liza]

I only shop once a week. I don't have evert fresh bags or anything special like that. I think it's important not to overbuy, so you actually eat what you do buy!

The key to most of your list is to keep everything cool and dry. Wrap in toweling (paper or otherwise) and change it if it gets damp/wet. You can keep berries a long time by keeping the surface they are on dry and allowing air to circulate around them. You can recycle vented plastic berry boxes for berries you get at the farmer's market. My faves are the huge strawberry boxes. Don't put berries in fridge drawers long-term.

Ginger

Buy the hardest, tightest-skinned pieces you can find. If it's good, buy extra; if it's not perfect, leave it! Get it home, cut it into 1-2 inch chunks, put it in the freezer. Do not peel. When you want to use it, set a piece out or in some warm water for a few minutes and peel it. It can be grated frozen on any kind of grater, or you can thaw it completely to use in a juicer.

Beets, carrots, and celery

Use or remove beet and carrot tops immediately. They continue to draw nutrients from the vegetable as long as they are attached. And they mold quickly.

Exception to the dry rule are carrots and celery, which keep better cold and wet. Cut them into halves or thirds and store them in water in a big tupperware. Drain and rinse every other day.

Beets without tops keep a long time in a bag that is open at the top, but not ventilated so any juice seepage from cutting the tops off stays contained.


Spinach, herbs, leafy things

Store them washed or unwashed but as dry as possible (spin dry in the salad spinner or let air dry under a ceiling fan). After most of the moisture is gone, lay them out onto dishtowels. Roll the dishtowel up jelly-roll style, with the greens or herbs inside, and put them in the crisper. (This will also save room in the crisper. Change the dishtowel if it gets damp/wet.

There are bad food storage combinations and I can never remember any of them except don't put apples and potatoes together. Bananas give off esters as they ripen that help things around them to ripen, so I have a large basket on my counter with bananas, green avocados, hard tomatoes, less ripe fruits of all kinds. Another basket has veggies like onions, squash, ripe tomatoes and avocadoes and other things that are ready to eat.

I check each basket every day to see if anything needs to be moved to fridge. Once it's moved, it goes "on the short list" to be eaten that day! Fruit in this state can also be pared, cut up, and frozen for smoothies.

My last tip is to buy food at different stages of readiness, I always bring home green bananas, avocados, tomatoes, mangos, etc. Remember, some fruits won't ever get "ripe" (such as pineapple) and some seem go straight from too hard to bad (peaches are notorious offenders! The eating window on some peaches is measured in minutes! :D )

[raw_danceruk]

I have recently been using Green bags as I do a bulk order, once every 2 weeks

Wash, dry the greens--into the bags, keeps them good for 2-3 weeks, although I always use mine within 2

also kept the cucumbers gorgeous, even the baby ones

Buy the best YOU can afford... ginger should last forever..so I am thinking it was very very old already!

Citrus lasts ages very well I find..

if things really wont keep then..freeze some up for smoothies, make green smoothie ice cubes, popcicles etc..enjoy!

[Gittel]

I, too, use the green bags (EverFresh, I think). I close them with bag clips, like these from IKEA: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70083252

When I remember, I wrap things like herbs, green leafys, cucumbers, etc., in paper towels to keep them dry before I store them in the bags.

Gittel

[RawDrop]

I just wish that they wouldn't always talk about PLASTIC bags. For people like me, who are trying to get their hormones under control, all the plastic is not good! I think doubled paper bags would probably work just as well.

[Aleesha Sattva]

I use these great bins from tupperware. Bought them 20 years ago and just keep using them.

First I put a tea towel on the bottom to absorb moisture, then the little racks that come with them and close em up. Foods last a loooong time in these bad boys! I have two... and honestly could use a third LOL

I just did a search and I guess tupperware doesn't carry them anymore???

Anyway if you find some in a thrift store... they are approx. 24"x24" and 5" deep.

[spicyfull]

"Lock and Lock" from qvc.com. The best thing since Flax Crackers...........

[Apasaraw]

I just wish that they wouldn't always talk about PLASTIC bags. For people like me, who are trying to get their hormones under control, all the plastic is not good! I think doubled paper bags would probably work just as well.


My grandmother used muslin bags for all her produce and it worked great. Semi porous and keeps moisure at the perfect level. Also keeping gassy veg away from non-gassy is key. Onions, peppers away from greens and carrots etc. (seperate bags or drawers)

Remember the old refrigerator containers of glass? I actually use Pyrex as much as possible, prepping veggies and keeping them ready for use in glass. Avoiding plastic as much as a person can is a good thing..we're surrounded by it so we have to make small changes where we can right? :) (Most Tupperware s BPA free btw)

Also keeping baking soda or a bowl of kitty litter type clay keeps moisture and gasses at bay in the fridge...things stay fresher longer.

My Thai mom keeps her ginger roots in the freezer and even grates them frozen with success...no mold!
Older women know everything!

[Jackson22]

Hi
Here are some storage tips for you ...
1.Store cabbage and brussel sprouts in the refrigerator (32-36°F), in a perforated plastic bag. Chop cabbage or trim brussel sprouts and blanch for 12 minutes in boiling salted water, or until they are tender.
2.Keep carrots refrigerated (32-36°F). Remove tops and store in a perforated plastic bag. Eat raw as a snack or sauté with olive oil and garlic.
Keep celery refrigerated (32-36°F), stored in a perforated plastic bag. Chop and use in salads or in a stir-fry.
3. beets refrigerated (32-36°F). The stems can be removed and they do not need to be in a plastic bag. Roasted beets are one way to prep beets for mixed salads. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Tightly wrap beets in double layers of foil and roast until tender, about 1 hour.
4.Keep spinach refrigerated (32-36°F), stored in a perforated plastic bag, away from fruits to avoid deterioration. Wash spinach and remove stems. Sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat; when browned, add the spinach. Once it is completely wilted, add salt and pepper to tasted. Toss with pasta or use as a crêpe filling with Gruyère cheese.

[CathyA.]

I hit the store almost every day. My neighbor even commented "You just must love to shop". I just don't know what I want until I want it is all. LOL