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This post is sponsored by Walmart – thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog! If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that I’m not great at meal prep or planning but I *am* pretty great at fruit & veggie prep ;). Really excited to get this post up to help you keep your fruits and veggies fresher for MUCH longer than usual! Today, I’m breaking down how to prep your fruits & veggies + how to store them so they actually stay fresher for longer. It’s a win/win because you’re saving money on wasted food + you’re able to eat more healthy foods when they’re fresh, portable + ready for you to eat any time! If one of your goals for the new year is to eat more fruits & veggies, Walmart has you covered. I found everything you need to fruit & veggie prep at Walmart at a great price. If you haven’t hit Walmart’s home section lately, it’s a must! So many cute, practical items for organization, decor and storage at an awesome price – check it out here. shop home storage under $30 // shop kitchen gadgets under $20 // meal prep + on-the-go eating must-haves How to Keep Berries Fresh LongerEver wonder how to keep berries fresh longer? This hack came from my friend Mika Perry and I saw her sharing it for months on Instagram and I was SO skeptical… but she was right! It’s so simple to make your berries last longer! How? Basically, you wash your berries (and veggies) really well, then let them DRY entirely, then store them in glass jars in the fridge, versus keeping them in the plastic and prepping them whenever you’re ready to eat them. Supplies to Make Your Produce Last Longer
How to Keep Berries Fresh Longer: Fruit & Veggie Prep 101Step One: Washthe produce really well. I buy organic when possible and rinse mine with water in a colander in the sink. Step Two: Cut & Choosewhat you’re keeping. This is the time to slice peppers, remove stems from berries, take grapes off their stems, and remove any mushy, moldy or bruised berries from the bunch. Be picky – if they aren’t fresh right out of the package, they won’t get better in a glass jar ;). Step Three: Dryeverything really well. This means I let my berries and veggies sit out for HOURS on the counter to dry. You can use a paper towel on the counter OR to keep it a little more environmentally friendly, use a cooling grid with a drying mat underneath. I use this one exclusively for food prep. Step Four: Can ItJust add all the berries, fruits & veggies to appropriate sized mason jars. Totally depends on the quantity and size of your produce to determine which size – 16 oz or 32 oz – jars to use. I LOVE using plastic lids (regular mouth here, wide mouth here) because they’re easy to clean (no rust) and easy on and off (for my kids). If it still looks like there’s some condensation in the jar, you can add a paper towel to absorb some of the moisture. Step Five: Store ItBy putting the fruits & veggies in sealed jars straight into the fridge. They last about twice as long as they would in the plastic, BUT they won’t last that long… because you’ll eat them before they have a chance to spoil. I’ve been berry prepping for about 5 months now and I can honestly say that IT DOES WORK, although I have no idea how or why. A few reasons I love prepping my berries, fruits and veggies at the beginning of the week:
What kinds of berries, fruits, and veggies can you store in mason jars?I’ve had success with:
For a lot of these veggies and fruits, it’s impossible to get them completely dry. You just want them as dry as possible before putting them into jars. How to Keep Berries Fresh Longer + General Tips
see more food & easy recipes Have you tried prepping your fruits & veggies in glass mason jars?! Any questions? Leave them in the comments!Share on Pinterest!
Where do you store apples? How about tomatoes? While there may be differing opinions, the decision on whether to store fruit and vegetables with or without a refrigerator simply comes down to temperature and humidity. Here is a list of where to store your produce so that it keeps longer without losing taste and texture. Most produce keeps best in cold, moist conditions (#1).
Most Vegetables: Store in Refrigerator
*In a Refrigerator: Small quantities of root crops are stored in a perforated plastic bag, where they will keep 2 to 3 weeks. If you have an overabundance of beets, make homemade borscht, the classic beet soup, and freeze. To grate the beets more easily, cook them first! Vegetables: Better Out of the FridgeSome vegetables are better left in a cool spot in the kitchen and out of the refrigerator though they won’t be ruined.
Vegetables: NOT to Store in Fridge
If you have an abundance of tomatoes: FRUIT: To Keep in the RefrigeratorLet’s make this simple. Most fruit goes in the fridge. Sure, it can last on the counter for a few days, but it will last in the fridge for weeks without losing its texture and taste. 1. Apples For long-term storage (up to 6 months), the traditional way to store apples is in a cool, dark place such as a root cellar at a temperature between freezing and 45°F. If you don’t have a root cellar, a double cardboard box in a cool mudroom or cellar can approximate the conditions. Remember to give apples an occasional change of air. 2. Berries (Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries) If you must store them, place on a paper towel in a tightly-covered container and store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Wash right before eating. If you’d like to store them for longer, learn how to make berry jam or how to freeze berries. 3. Citrus (Oranges, Grapefruit, Lemons) 4. Grapes 5. Pears 6. Melons
7. Stone Fruit (Peaches, Cherries, Nectarines, Apricots, Plums) FRUIT: To Keep Out of the Refrigerator: The Short List
There are really just a handful of fruit that don’t go in the fridge. Bananas and most tropical fruit do not keep their true flavor nor texture when chilled. If possible, store bananas, avocados, and pineapples outside the fridge at room temperature. Notes:
HERBS: How to Store Fresh HerbsMost fresh herbs go bad in the refrigerator quickly. Ever noticed how the leaves of basil or parsley turn brown? Leafy herbs (including cilantro, mint, parsley and dill) are best kept their stems immersed in a glass of cool water, like a bouquet of fresh flowers, then tented with a plastic bag. . They’ll keep for about 2 weeks. Trim the ends and change the water every couple of days. Just harvest (pinch) leaves as you need them! This encourages more growth. Woody herbs (rosemary, thyme, chives, sage, oregano) can be stored in a fridge, loosely wrapped in a damp paper town. Most other herbs (and greens) will keep for short periods unwashed and refrigerated in tightly–sealed plastic bags with just enough moisture to prevent wilting. For longer storage, use moisture– and gas–permeable paper and cellophane. Plastic cuts off oxygen to the plants and promotes spoilage. Herbs can also be dried, frozen, preserved in vinegar, oils and pesto (which should be kept refrigerated or frozen). Learn more about preserving herbs. Or, make yourself this herb butter, which stores and freezes well. To use up your leftovers, try out our favorite recipes using herbs. Dried herbs and spices should be stored in a cool, dry place, not above the stove or right next to the burners where heat and steam will cause them to lose flavor. Other Tips for Storing Fruit and Vegetables
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