I'm Obsessed With These Simple Tricks To Keeping Foods Fresher For Longer
Eating fresh fruit and veg is all well and good but when it seems to go off within seconds of going into the fridge, it can be difficult to convince yourself to splash out on them.
No judgement here but how many times have you thrown out half a bag of salad because it went off so quickly? Same.
Well, for those of us who are both forgetful and desperate to cut down on food waste, there is actually a secret to keeping this fresh produce, well, fresh and it probably won’t cost you much, if anything.
How to keep fruit and veg fresher for longer
Keep berries fresh using white vinegar
According to allrecipes, to keep berries fresh, simply mix one cup of white vinegar with three cups of water and swish the berries in the mix for around a minute. Then, rinse them with clean, cold water until any vinegar smell and taste is gone. After that, you can simply store them in the fridge and enjoy the lasting freshness!
Store lettuce and salad greens with paper towels
StopFoodWaste advised: “To keep your salad greens fresh, don’t leave them packed up tight. Move half of the greens into a large, clean airtight container layered with paper towels.
“Lay one paper towel on the bottom and one the top, then flip the container over for storage. Now your greens have room to breathe and the paper towels will absorb excess moisture, ensuring you have fresh salad that doesn’t get slimy so quickly!”
Don’t store tomatoes in the fridge
I will be honest, when I learned this, my jaw genuinely dropped. You’re not supposed to store tomatoes in the fridge!? WHO KNEW?!
Anyway, according to culinary queen and Snoop Dogg’s bestie Martha Stewart: “Tomatoes contain an enzyme that reacts to cold temperatures, causing the cell membranes to break down and leaving you with a piece of fruit that’s mushy and mealy.”
Instead, they should be stored at room temperature.
Store potatoes with apples
It turns out that the best cupboard partner for spuds is actually apples. This is because apples produce a natural gas known as ethylene, and according to a study, exposure to ethylene can slow down or halt potatoes’ sprouting process. The ethylene produced by apples can also generally keep potatoes fresh for longer.
Don’t cut lemons in half
I know, I know, lemons sliced in half is extremely normal but actually, if you only need a little lemon juice for a recipe or cocktail, simply pierce the skin and squeeze. This saves the lemons from drying out faster, according to Food Republic.
... Brb, I really need to re-organise my kitchen.
