“We end up wasting a lot of food not only because we don’t know how to store it correctly, but also because we don’t plan very well,” says Mark Mulcahy, produce expert and co-host of An Organic Conversation radio show. “We all get excited at the farmers’ market, especially in the summer – the peaches call your name, the honeydews smell so good, you put the blackberries in your cart – but when you’re getting excited about produce, take a second to think: Will I use this this week? Plan for your impulse.”
Once you have narrowed down your shopping list, buy produce soon after its been harvested – that’s when it’s freshest. Frequent your local farmers’ market, where fruits and veggies will have been picked only a day or so earlier. If your town doesn’t have a market, ask the produce manager at your local grocery store or food co-op what days the department receives deliveries, and plan your shopping trips accordingly. If possible, make multiple purchases throughout the week to ensure you’re getting the best of what’s available.
At home, keeping produce fresh is “all about management,” according to Mulcahy. “All fruit produces ethylene gas, which helps it to ripen faster – if you leave it all in the fruit bowl, it’s all going to ripen.” So, if your peaches, starts to ripen, for example, take them out and put them in the fridge. If you notice any rotten or moldy produce, compost it immediately. One bad apple really will spoil the whole bunch.
Keep produce whole as long as possible. Don’t remove stems or even wash it until you’re ready to eat it. If you do want to store sliced fruit or veggies, keep them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, which limits moisture loss and exposure to bacteria.
Keep cold-sensitive fruits (such as apricots, avocados, bananas, kiwis, mangos and melons) on the counter. For everything else, get familiar with your fridge, which has different temperature zones. Keep produce such as berries, citrus, corn, melon and peas in the front, where it’s warmer. Fruits such as apples, cherries and grapes can be stored anywhere because they are less susceptible to chill damage. Keep all refrigerated fruit away from leafy vegetables, which should live in the crisper drawer, along with artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cabbage, and carrots.
Apples, during the summer, should be stored in the fridge. During the fall, they can be stored on the counter because they’re fresh picked.
Store asparagus standing in the fridge; keep the tips dry but soak the ends in a container of water.
Don’t store avocados in the refrigerator unless they are cut, otherwise the cold will turn them black inside.