Photo copyright AnjelaGr via canva.com.
Millions of tonnes of household food waste go to landfill every year. The majority of this is fruit and veggies. This is an expensive waste of food and produces methane, which is a more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Choosing organic produce is a great step towards a healthier lifestyle and supporting sustainable farming practices. To fully enjoy the benefits of organic fruits and vegetables, it's important to store them properly. Here are some tips to help you keep your organic produce fresh and nutritious for longer.
Temperature and humidity are very important when storing your produce. Please read on for WHERE to store your produce.
Fruit and vegetables that require cold moist conditions. These items will store best in your fridge at around 1-2 degrees with 95 % humidity.
Asparagus: 1 week
Ripe Apples: 1 month
Beets: 3-5 weeks
Broccoli: 10 days
Brussels Sprouts: 1 weeks
Cabbage: 2 weeks
Cabbage, Chinese: 3 weeks
Carrots: 1-2 weeks
Cauliflower: 1 week
Celeriac: 3 weeks
Celery: 2 weeks
Collards: 2 weeks
Corn, Sweet: 2 weeks
Grapes: 4-8 days
Kale: 2 weeks
Leeks: 2 weeks
Lettuce: 10-14 days
Parsley: 1-3 weeks
Parsnips: 2-3 weeks
Ripe Pears: 1-2 weeks
Peas, Green: 2 weeks
Potatoes: 2-7 weeks
Radishes, Spring: 1-3 weeks
Radishes, Winter: 1-3 weeks
Rhubarb: 2 weeks
Spinach: 2 weeks
Vegetables that require cool moist conditions. These items will store best in a cool pantry or your fridge at around 4 – 10 degrees with 90 % humidity.
Beans, Snap: 7-10 days
Cucumbers: 10-14 days
Eggplant: 1 week
Cantaloupe: 15 days
Watermelon: 2-3 weeks
Peppers, Sweet: 2-3 weeks
Potatoes: 1-3 weeks
Tomatoes, Ripe: 4-7 days
Vegetables that require cold, dry conditions. These items will store best in your fridge at around 0 degrees with 65 % (low) humidity, or alternatively in a loose open container in a cool, dry place such as the pantry.
Garlic: 1 month +
Onions: 1 month +
Vegetables that require warm dry conditions. These items will store best in a cupboard at around 13 - 25 degrees.
Peppers, hot: 2 weeks
Pumpkins: 2-3 weeks
Squash, winter: 2-6 weeks
Sweet Potato: 2 weeks
Banana: 1 week
Produce Storage Tips to Keep Your OrganicBox Produce Fresh, Healthy and Delicious!
- How to Store Your Herbs
Our herbs store well in the fridge, but if you find that you have leftovers at the end of the week you can slice them and either put them in a freezer bag or put them in an ice cube tray with olive oil and store them in the freezer for up to six months.
Keeping your basil, cilantro, and parsley in a small mason jar with a small amount of water at the base is great. However, this method doesn’t work for all herbs.
Rosemary, thyme, and chives prefer to be put in an airtight (preferably glass) container with a sheet of paper towel to absorb moisture and placed in the warmest part of the refrigerator.
Ginger and Turmeric can be stored in a dry mason jar in the fridge.
Oregano, mint and thyme can be hung out to dry and then stored in a jar in the cupboard. Otherwise, they can be placed out in an air-tight glass storage container and stored in the fridge.
- Storing Salad and Leafy Greens
Most vegetables will spoil faster if stored unwashed due to the formation of bacteria. However leftover moisture will encourage leafy greens and herbs to go slimy. The solution is to wash them with a 10% vinegar bath and dry them well with a good quality salad spinner to ensure you can store your produce dry. If you don’t have a salad spinner, a clean tea towel is another (more time consuming) option. Then you can store them in the fridge in the spinner or place them in an airtight (preferably glass instead of plastic) container with a piece of paper towel lining the base.
- Separate to Avoid Ethylene Gas
Some fruits such as apples and bananas release a gas that hastens the ripening of certain types of produce that are ethylene-sensitive (cabbage, leafy greens, lettuce, and broccoli, just to name a few). Whether you refrigerate or not, you should keep ethylene-sensitive fruits and veggies separate from the gas-emitting ones.
Most refrigerated produce stays fresh longer when sealed, whether in zip-top plastic bags or air-tight glass containers. These containers maintain humidity preventing produce from dehydrating, and they help protect sensitive produce from the effects of ethylene gas.
- Freeze your vegetables if you can’t eat them right away or at the end of the week. Simply blanche them (boil for 1-2 minutes and then place in ice cold water), drain and then place in freezer bags for up to a year.
- Keep Your Paper Bags Handy
Wrap avocados in a sheet of newspaper or a brown paper bag to brown them, and then move to the fridge and consume as soon as possible.
Mushrooms should only be washed immediately prior to use. Keep mushrooms in the brown paper bag you buy them in — this helps absorb excess moisture to prevent bacteria attack. You can put this paper bag in an unsealed plastic bag in the fridge to keep the mushrooms from drying out.
Store your potatoes and root veg in paper bags (never plastic) in a cool dark spot. Storing them with an apple stops them sprouting.
When storing root vegetables remove any leafy greens beforehand (you can store these with your other greens if you wish to keep them as they are actually delicious and nutrient rich).
- Stone fruit and tomatoes should be stored stem end down to prevent over ripening and mould.
- Asparagus should have its ends trimmed and then be stored in the refrigerator, wrapped with a moist paper towel or you can stand them up in a glass of cold water wrapped with a damp paper towel.
- Putting bananas next to apples will speed up the ripening process. You can separate and wrap banana tips with newspaper or a bit of paper bag to slow down the ripening process. Peel and freeze your overripe bananas in a clean plastic bag. Alternatively, you can freeze in its skin (which will blacken, but the banana inside will be fine). Use them later in baking or for delicious fruit smoothies.
- Store celery and peeled carrot sticks submerged in water in a tightly covered container in the fridge.
- Rather than throwing out veggie scraps or unused vegetables at the end of the week, why not make a vegetable broth? Simply boil it all up with some water and herbs and then strain and freeze.
- Jams, Chutneys and Canning are a great way to use produce that is soon to expire.
More Storage Tips:
- Understand Your Produce:
Different types of organic produce have varying storage requirements. Some fruits and vegetables are best kept in the refrigerator, while others should be stored at room temperature. Understanding the specific needs of each item will help maintain their freshness.
- Use Proper Containers:
Store organic produce in breathable containers or perforated plastic bags. This allows for proper airflow while preventing moisture build-up, which can lead to mould and spoilage. Avoid sealing produce tightly in plastic bags unless they are perforated.
- Refrigerate Appropriately:
Most organic fruits and vegetables benefit from refrigeration to extend their shelf life. However, some produce, like tomatoes and bananas, should be stored at room temperature to prevent loss of flavour and texture. Here are some specific tips:
Leafy greens: Store in a damp cloth or paper towel in a loosely closed bag in the crisper drawer.
Berries: Store in a single layer in a shallow container lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
Root vegetables: Store in a cool, dark place with good ventilation, such as a pantry or cellar.
- Handle with Care:
Handle organic produce gently to avoid bruising and damage, which can accelerate spoilage. Remove any damaged or spoiled pieces before storing to prevent them from affecting the rest of the batch.
- Wash Before Use:
Wash organic produce just before consuming it to remove any dirt, pesticides, or bacteria. Use cool running water and a vegetable brush for firm produce with skins, and gently rinse delicate items like berries.
- Rotate Regularly:
To ensure you use your organic produce before it spoils, practice first in, first out (FIFO) rotation. Use older produce before newer purchases to minimize waste and maintain freshness.
- Freeze Excess Produce:
If you have more organic produce than you can use before it spoils, consider freezing it. Blanch vegetables like green beans or broccoli before freezing to preserve their colour and texture.
Learning how to store fresh produce not only helps maintain its freshness and nutritional value but also minimizes food waste. By following these tips, you can enjoy delicious, healthy organic fruits and vegetables for longer periods, supporting your health and sustainable farming practices.
