Tips for keeping fruits and vegetables as fresh as possible....

[MPD]

I'm going 100% raw this week, so I'm fully stocked up. I'm on a very fixed budget, and hate to waste, so I want to make sure I get the most life out of my produce. Anyone have any good tips?

[Bananna]

Well I have one...avocados ripen pretty fast. So I keep a few in the fridge and pull one out each night for the next day to ripen....unless they are totally green, then they might need two days.

Don't put tomatoes in the fridge...they get all powdery and don't taste Nearly as well.

Keep your olive oil out of direct sunlight....in fact you could keep some in direct sunlight just to see the funky stuff that happens to it.

You will get good at buying things in various degrees of ripeness so that you always have something coming up ripe....and if your bananas are on their last legs, throw them in the freezer, they are great for smoothies. Most fruit freezes well.

That's about all I can offer.

oh and good luck!

[juliebove]

Well I have one...avocados ripen pretty fast. So I keep a few in the fridge and pull one out each night for the next day to ripen....unless they are totally green, then they might need two days.

Don't put tomatoes in the fridge...they get all powdery and don't taste Nearly as well.

Keep your olive oil out of direct sunlight....in fact you could keep some in direct sunlight just to see the funky stuff that happens to it.

You will get good at buying things in various degrees of ripeness so that you always have something coming up ripe....and if your bananas are on their last legs, throw them in the freezer, they are great for smoothies. Most fruit freezes well.

That's about all I can offer.

oh and good luck!


I have never had a tomato go powdery. And I know they say to keep them out on the counter, but for some reason, here they just rot almost overnight when I do that. I started keeping them in the fridge and they are fine. I have kept containers of grape tomatoes for over a week in the fridge. I just ate some on my salad and they tasted fine!

[Bananna]

I guess chalky might be a better texture description....

[steveoregon]

I used to keep my tomatoes in the fridge until I read that was a BIG no-no.

Now they keep longer at room temp. The tomatoes that still have a little piece of the vine left seem to keep longer . . . .or is that my imagination?

NOW, if someone can tell me the secret to keeping strawberries fresh for longer that 48 hours, I'm all ears. That goes for mold on blackberries as well.

Avocados: same here, half my avocados are in the fridge at any given time.

[yogashmoga]

i use the debbie meyer green bags (as seen on tv...got mine at bed bath.) i'm the only one eating raw in my home, and these babies keep my fruits and veggies good for a much longer period of time. saves me money and keeps the greens crispy.

the box says they "are made with a natural mineral 'Oya' that extends the life of produce by absorbing and removing the ethylene gases that cause normal deterioration." not sure what the ::bleep:: an 'Oya' is, but i'm interested in finding out more info on this product. each bag is re-usable 8-10 times.

[Thick]

If you trim the ends of greens and herbs, then wrap them in a wet paper towel or actually put them in a sort of vase like flowers, they last longer. Is there something you bought that you are spefically worried about?

The easiest way to not waste anything is to not buy too much that you're not sure that you like. For example, I know that my avacadoes and watermelon will not go to waste=)> Some people enjoy making detiled lists and meal plans--im not there yet.=)

Steveoregon--I loved your signature link. Very interesting!! Thank you for spreading her insights!

[RawPaw]

i use the debbie meyer green bags (as seen on tv...got mine at bed bath.) i'm the only one eating raw in my home, and these babies keep my fruits and veggies good for a much longer period of time. saves me money and keeps the greens crispy.

the box says they "are made with a natural mineral 'Oya' that extends the life of produce by absorbing and removing the ethylene gases that cause normal deterioration." not sure what the ::bleep:: an 'Oya' is, but i'm interested in finding out more info on this product. each bag is re-usable 8-10 times.

Interesting. I'll have to give them a try. Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/As-Seen-On-10M-10L/dp/B0013WIYR0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1217912982&sr=8-2) sells them for $5.98.

[saxmaam]

I guess chalky might be a better texture description....

Not to mention BLAND and MEALY!