How to Store Vegetables So They Last Longer
Half of all food waste happens at home, and most of it is vegetables that went bad before you cooked them.
A few storage tricks double the life of your produce, which saves money and keeps perfectly good food out of the landfill.
Storage rules by type
- Leafy greens: wash, dry, and store in a damp cloth
- Root veg: keep in a cool, dark, dry place
- Herbs: stand upright in a jar of water
- Tomatoes: leave on the counter, never the fridge
Habits that help
- Separate ethylene producers like apples from greens
- Check the drawer every few days for spoilage
- Store mushrooms in paper, not plastic
- Freeze anything you will not use in time
Line your crisper drawer with a clean cloth and you will be surprised how much longer everything keeps.
The fridge map
Where you place things in the fridge matters as much as how you wrap them, since temperature varies by shelf.
- Keep greens in the crisper drawer
- Store leftovers on the top shelf
- Keep the door for condiments only
Store smarter and your produce will last days longer, which means fewer trips to the store and less in the bin.