Make Fruits & Veggies Last Longer

[bèlla]

Excellent article with tips on extending the shelf life for fruits and vegetables and reducing food waste. The author’s book is on sale at Amazon for $3.99.

Do you ever load up on fresh fruits and veggies from the store only to find they’ve gone bad before you can even use them? I’ve fallen into this rut many times, and excitement around cooking evaporates as instant guilt for all of the wasted food (and funds) starts to set in.

So, we asked Julia Watkins, author of Simply Living Well to share her tips on how to make produce last longer and extend the lifespan of our groceries. I found her advice to be both surprising at times and extremely helpful, and I quickly realized I had been doing it all wrong.

 

[Occams Barber]

Excellent article with tips on extending the shelf life for fruits and vegetables and reducing food waste. The author’s book is on sale at Amazon for $3.99.

View attachment 296317

Do you ever load up on fresh fruits and veggies from the store only to find they’ve gone bad before you can even use them? I’ve fallen into this rut many times, and excitement around cooking evaporates as instant guilt for all of the wasted food (and funds) starts to set in.

So, we asked Julia Watkins, author of Simply Living Well to share her tips on how to make produce last longer and extend the lifespan of our groceries. I found her advice to be both surprising at times and extremely helpful, and I quickly realized I had been doing it all wrong.

You may have accidentally used the wrong link for the article. This seems to be the right one
Want to Know How to Make Produce Last Longer? Try These Hacks (camillestyles.com)

OB

 

[bèlla]

You may have accidentally used the wrong link for the article. This seems to be the right one
Want to Know How to Make Produce Last Longer? Try These Hacks (camillestyles.com)

OB

Thanks OB! Too many tabs open. I hope you’re well.

 

[Occams Barber]

Thanks OB! Too many tabs open. I hope you’re well.

I'm well thank you.

After scanning the article I suspected that Julia Watkins lives in a (from my point of view) relatively cold climate. When I looked her up, I found that her home is Chicago.

Where I live* the climate is generally warm and fairly humid. We're rated as semi-tropical. As a result I have a different set of problems when storing food out of a refrigerator. Bread, for instance, quickly goes mouldy if left out of the fridge. I have a similar problem with fruit, particularly citrus, although I don't normally put fruit in the fridge.

* Next to the Pacific Ocean, a little under half way up the east coast of Australia.

OB

 

[Michie]

Excellent article with tips on extending the shelf life for fruits and vegetables and reducing food waste. The author’s book is on sale at Amazon for $3.99.

View attachment 296317

Do you ever load up on fresh fruits and veggies from the store only to find they’ve gone bad before you can even use them? I’ve fallen into this rut many times, and excitement around cooking evaporates as instant guilt for all of the wasted food (and funds) starts to set in.

So, we asked Julia Watkins, author of Simply Living Well to share her tips on how to make produce last longer and extend the lifespan of our groceries. I found her advice to be both surprising at times and extremely helpful, and I quickly realized I had been doing it all wrong.

I tend to put my parsley, cilantro in water. That helps tremendously when you do not use it all. Interesting article. Thanks!

 

[bèlla]

Where I live* the climate is generally warm and fairly humid. We're rated as semi-tropical. As a result I have a different set of problems when storing food out of a refrigerator. Bread, for instance, quickly goes mouldy if left out of the fridge. I have a similar problem with fruit, particularly citrus, although I don't normally put fruit in the fridge.

I’m sure you’re not alone. What have you done to keep things fresh?

 

[bèlla]

I tend to put my parsley, cilantro in water. That helps tremendously when you do not use it all. Interesting article. Thanks!

I’ve tried that in the past. I don’t have room for everything! Especially in the summer. We’re getting a mini fridge. My daughter is learning herbalism and storing them elsewhere will help.

 

[Michie]

I’ve tried that in the past. I don’t have room for everything! Especially in the summer. We’re getting a mini fridge. My daughter is learning herbalism and storing them elsewhere will help.

I have these little clear glass and Fire King vases and do it in a decorative way when I do it. I just make sure I clip and change the water daily. I usually line them up on a shelf or countertop. I understand not having enough space though. It makes it difficult to do those sort of things. But it’s amazing how pretty those simple greens can be like that and the smell is a bonus. I had a bottom piece of a bunch of celery and I stuck the bottom at the surface of a clear vase with water. It turned out so pretty with the roots showing and those fresh green leaves sprouting at the top. Spring bulbs are fun too but we are talking food here. Lol

 

[Occams Barber]

I’m sure you’re not alone. What have you done to keep things fresh?

I'd like to claim I've solved the problem but... I also have the additional complication of cooking for one.

As a general rule I'm a salad eater. Almost all my fruit and veg is raw so I need to be a bit disciplined to avoid losing food. I have a few rules which I regularly break;

• I shop weekly so I'm buying in small quantities
• Given a choice I'll choose less perishable fruit/veg. For instance; I like lettuce but it usually dies somewhere between the supermarket and home. Baby spinach leaves are a longer lasting substitute.
• I try to use the more perishable stuff first. This also includes protein where I have a strictish fish-chicken-lamb/pork - beef order of eating through the week
• Bananas will magically ripen anything so they should be stored at least 2 kilometres away from your fruit bowl .
• When all else fails, make soup

OB

 

[bèlla]

I'd like to claim I've solved the problem but... I also have the additional complication of cooking for one.

Excellent advice! You’re very disciplined.

I second the recommendation on soup.

 

[public hermit]

Excellent article with tips on extending the shelf life for fruits and vegetables and reducing food waste. The author’s book is on sale at Amazon for $3.99.

View attachment 296317

Do you ever load up on fresh fruits and veggies from the store only to find they’ve gone bad before you can even use them? I’ve fallen into this rut many times, and excitement around cooking evaporates as instant guilt for all of the wasted food (and funds) starts to set in.

So, we asked Julia Watkins, author of Simply Living Well to share her tips on how to make produce last longer and extend the lifespan of our groceries. I found her advice to be both surprising at times and extremely helpful, and I quickly realized I had been doing it all wrong.

I noticed a number of them suggest not washing until ready to eat. I do that anyway, but I wonder about the specific reason. Does water speed up the spoilage? I assume that must be, but why?

 

[mama2one]

my suggestion is:






get a preteen or teen
whenever I go to eat a kiwi or orange or make a salad, everything is already gone!

glad kid likes frt/veggies but save something for me, lol

 

[bèlla]

I noticed a number of them suggest not washing until ready to eat. I do that anyway, but I wonder about the specific reason. Does water speed up the spoilage? I assume that must be, but why?

If you keep them in packages or bags it will. The moisture makes it rot. And some herbs shouldn’t be placed together. They’ll wilt.

 

[DaisyDay]

I noticed a number of them suggest not washing until ready to eat. I do that anyway, but I wonder about the specific reason. Does water speed up the spoilage? I assume that must be, but why?

No, it's not the water, it is washing off any protective coating (natural or applied) they might have.