Did you know that 40 percent of all food is WASTED every year in the US? FORTY PERCENT! That’s almost half, people! Some of this is no doubt due to overly generous portions and picky eaters not speaking their truth before a meal is served, but I can guarantee that a large portion of this percentage is due to improper storage. I’m not pointing fingers, we’re all guilty of over buying food and/or allowing it to spoil because we aren’t storing it correctly but today, I make an oath and take a stand to STOP wasting perfectly beautiful food by utilizing the tips I am going to share with you below.
I don’t want to waste your time. Any packaged food will tell you on the label how to store it. It’s either refrigerated when you buy it, in which case you need to continue to refrigerate it OR the label will state “refrigerate after opening.” But when it comes to natural, unpackaged goodies – like fruits and vegetables – there’s some debate and confusion so let’s focus on the produce.
First things first, fruits and vegetables should not be stored together. Fruit emits a gas called ethylene that can hasten ripening and then rotting of their vegetable counterparts. So before we get into anything else, repeat after me, “Fruits and vegetables should not be stored together.”
Second point: Vegetables need air. You need to store your veggies in a manner that allows air circulation. That doesn’t mean you need to avoid the crisper drawer in your refrigerator, but it does mean that you should avoid over packing it. Speaking of the crisper drawer – you ahve two for a reason. Use one for fruit and one for veggies. Anyway, jam packed vegetable drawers and sealed airtight containers will lead to speedy spoilage.
It’s natural to want to wash your produce before you eat it – and you should. But I advise you to skip the pre-storage wash. Think about it like this, would you pack away your clean clothes before they were dry? No. Gross. It’s the same with produce. Storing your food while it’s damp is just an open invitation for bacteria to move in and destroy it.
A few other storage tips:
Don’t store onions and potatoes next to each other. Like fruit, onions give off ethylene and that’s what causes your potatoes to sprout.
You know how annoying it is when your bananas turn before the week has even ended? Pull them apart and wrap each stem in plastic rather than keeping them bunched together. The plastic wrap will reduce the amount of that pesky ethylene emitted which will slow down the ripening process.
This one really got me – cucumbers don’t like the cold (WHAT?!) and actually do best in temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep them longer but leaving them out of that crisper drawer.
Okay, finally, this list we’ve all been waiting for. What to refrigerate and what to keep out:
Refrigerate These:
Fruits:
- Apricots
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Cherries
- Cut fruits
- Figs
- Grapes
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
Veggies:
- Asparagus (ends cut & placed in water)
- Green beans
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery (wrapped in foil)
- Cut veggies
- Green onions
- Herbs (cut and placed in water)
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Peas
- Radishes
- Spinach
- Summer squash
- Sweet corn
Do Not Refrigerate:
Fruits:
- Apples
- Avocado
- Bananas
- Centeloupe
- Grapefruit
- Kiwi
- Lemons
- Limes
- Mangoes
- Nectarines
- Oranges
- Papayas
- Peaches
- Pears
- Persimmons
- Plums
- Pineapple
- Pomegranates
- Watermelon
Veggies:
- Cucumbers
- Dry onions
- Eggplant
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Jicama
- Peppers
- Potatoes
- Pumpkins
- Sweet potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Winter squashes
So, there ya have it! Were you surprised by anything on either list?
Rebecca McKinney
I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.
So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!
Eat well & travel often,
Becky McKinney
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