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7 Ways to Keep Fruits and Veggies Fresher, Longer

Have you stocked up on fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, but they’re wilting faster than you can use them? Here are a few tips to keep certain produce fresher for longer.

1. Lettuce

Once washed, put lettuce in the refrigerator in an airtight container, covered with a cloth or paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Replace the cloth when it gets wet.

 2. Carrots

Carrots live best in the vegetable drawer. If the carrots have tops, cut them off to prevent the vegetable from drying out. Store them in a permeable bag next to the carrots, left in their original packaging, for future cooking in a carrot green and lentil soup.

3. Tomatoes

The best place to store tomatoes is on the counter in a paper bag, protected from the light. The refrigerator is to be avoided, because tomatoes will lose their flavour and will be left with a mealy texture if stored there.

4. Asparagus

For asparagus to be at its best, it will keep for 7 to 10 days in a plastic bag placed in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer.

5. Fennel

This anise-flavoured vegetable will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap with the stems cut off. The older it gets, the more fibrous it will become and the more flavour it will lose. Freezing is not recommended. Both the bulb and the stems can be cooked, such as in this salad.

6. Mushrooms

Store them in a paper bag or punch a few holes in the plastic wrap covering the tray to let the air in. It’s better for mushrooms to dry out slightly rather than become sticky, which is a sign of spoilage.

7. Strawberries

Strawberries will keep for two or three days in the refrigerator if they are unwashed, unhulled and well spaced. To prepare them ahead of time, sprinkle on some citrus juice or dust with sugar to maintain their colour. You can even make use of the strawberry tops so as not to waste a thing!

To make the most of the beautiful fruits and vegetables that are sitting on the counter or in the fridge, proper storage techniques are essential. And above all, prepare them in abundance year-round in various colourful recipes.