Extending Shelf Life of Fresh Produce at Home

Here are a a few helpful resources we found through the North Carolina Cooperative Extension on how to get the most life out of your fresh fruits and vegetables at home.

Food Storage 101
by Anne Marie Hampshire • Illustration by Bambi Edlund

Green Onions
Have you ever pulled out a bundle of green onions from the fridge only to discover they’ve gone slimy? Yeah, we’ve been there, too. Avoid this by removing the rubber bands and placing the root ends in a jar filled with an inch or two of water—then keep on the windowsill until ready to use.

Root Vegetables
Beets, carrots, turnips, parsnips and radishes, oh my! Enjoy the cool season’s bounty longer by cutting the tops off the roots (all but ½-inch) before storing in an open container in the fridge, covered with a damp towel. Store the edible, trimmed greens separately in an airtight container in the crisper.

Potatoes
If, like most of us, you lack a root cellar, store potatoes in a cool, dark place in a basket, bowl or paper bag. Remember to keep potatoes a healthy distance from onions, which can make those spuds sprout more quickly. Also be aware that light causes potatoes to turn green and sprout, and refrigeration causes the potatoes’ starch to convert to sugar and discolor while cooking.

Fresh Herbs
Some herbs—especially basil—are cold-sensitive, meaning they’ll turn black in the fridge before you can say pesto alla Genovese. To keep basil fresh, cut a bit off of the stems and place in a jar of water on the counter away from direct sunlight. Do the same for cilantro or parsley, but place those in the fridge.

Eggs
Dry-clean your fresh-from-the-coop eggs with an abrasive sponge to remove any dirt or debris, but don’t soak the eggs in water—cold water pulls bacteria from the surface of the egg into the interior. If you prefer rinsing the eggs, wait until you’re ready to use them. Rinsing removes the egg’s bloom, the natural antibacterial coating on the shell. If planning an omelet in the near future, no need to store fresh eggs in the fridge. But to keep eggs longer (up to a month or so), it’s best to refrigerate.

Bread
As counter intuitive as it may seem, bread actually gets stale faster when refrigerated rather than left at room temperature. Keep sliced sandwich bread in a bread box or other airtight container, but leave crusty, artisanal loaves in a paper bag.

Avocado
Unlike many other fruits, avocados don’t ripen on the tree; they naturally ripen on their own once harvested. To speed up the process, store avocados outside of the fridge in a paper bag and throw in an apple or a banana; these fruits release ethylene gas that hastens the ripening process.

Grains & Flours
Store intact whole grains, such as brown rice, barley, millet or oats, in airtight containers (mason jars are ideal) for up to six months in the pantry or up to a year in the freezer. Whole-grain flours and meals, on the other hand, don’t last as long; they lack the bran layer that protects the grain from the detrimental effects of oxygen. Store these in airtight containers, as well, for up to three months in the pantry or up to six months in the freezer. If your pantry environment is particularly humid, however, refrigerate rather than keep at room temperature.

Berries
Discard any bruised or moldy fruit, then store raspberries, strawberries or blueberries in a sealed container in the fridge, where they’ll last for a couple of days. (Note: Wait to wash berries until right before eating.) To keep longer, wash berries carefully, pat dry and freeze on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a container and freeze for up to a year.

Asparagus
Wash thoroughly, remove the rubber bands, cut 1 inch off the stems and place upright in a jar filled with about an inch of water. Refrigerate and change the water frequently until ready to use.

Citrus
To keep citrus longer than a couple of days, store loosely in fridge. If juicing, bring it back to room temp to extract the most juice.

Cheese
Place soft cheeses, such as brie, mozzarella, goat cheeses, and chèvre in an airtight container in the fridge once opened. Wrap hard and semi-hard cheeses, such as Gouda, cheddar or blue, in parchment or wax paper first, then in aluminum foil. Store all cheeses in a warmer part of the fridge—in the vegetable drawer or on the bottom shelf.

QUICK LINKS:

Temperature and humidity requirements for specific fruits and vegetables:

http://content.ces.ncsu.edu/part-4-mixed-loads-postharvest-handling-and-cooling-of-fresh-fruits-vegetables-and-flowers-for.pdf

Harvesting and storage of garden produce at home:

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/vegetables/harvesting-and-storing-home-garden-vegetables/

Practical tips for home food storage:

http://www.edibleaustin.com/index.php/food-2/techniques/1622-food-storage-101-stash-it-or-trash-it