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Shrink your grocery bill by helping your produce stay fresh longer!

I don’t know about your household, but in my home one of the biggest places we lose money is spoiled produce.  Wouldn’t it be great to keep your tomatoes, lettuce and potatoes as fresh as possible? 

Here is a list of common produce items and the best way to keep them their freshest, and most important keep their flavor!

One thing that I have learned is that the plastic supermarket bag you bring your produce home in, is the biggest enemy to keeping produce fresh.  As soon as you have unpacked your grocery bags, the next step is to get those fruits and veggies out of the plastic bags and store them properly.  Keeping fruits in one crisper and vegetables can also help extend their life. Remember too, that fruits and vegetables stored with apples will not last as long.  This is because apples emit a larger amount of ethylene gas, which causes other produce to ripen faster.

 
 Apples:

Store at room temperature up to three weeks.  If you have leftover sliced apple, sprinkle the slices lemon juice and store sightly wrapped in the refrigerator up to two days.

 Apricots:Store uncovered in the refrigerator.
 Artichokes: Store uncovered in the refrigerator.
 Asparagus:

Trim the bottoms and set in a shallow dish of water.  Store lightly covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.

 Avocado:

Store uncovered in the refrigerator. To ripen, store in a paper bag at room temperature.

 Bananas:Store at room temperature in a paper bag, and keep them away from apples. If they get over ripe during storage, freeze them for future use in cakes and breads.   
 Beets:

After removing the tops, store at room temperature.

 Berries:

Store unwashed, moisture will speed the molding process. Spread berries on a covered tray in the refrigerator.  Even this storage method won't keep them fresh for long so be prepared to used them within two to three days.

 Broccoli: Store covered in the refrigerator.
 Brussels Sprouts:Store covered in the refrigerator.
 Cabbage:Store covered in the refrigerator.
 Cantaloupe:

Store at room temperature to ripen and in the refrigerator after ripe. Once it is cut, store in the refrigerator tightly covered.

 Carrots: Remove tops before storing in the refrigerator lightly covered.
 Cauliflower: Store lightly covered in the refrigerator.
 Celery:

Store in the refrigerator in a paper bag.  If necessary remove any leaves from the stalks as they will be the first to turn.  An alternate method of storage is to clean the stalks in cool water then float them in a bowl of water in the refrigerator.

 Coconut: 

Store at room temperature until cut. Then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

 Corn:

Corn will stay the fresh the longest in its husk.  Store in the refrigerator uncovered.

 Cucumbers:Store loosely covered in the refrigerator.
 Eggplant:   
Store loosely covered in the refrigerator.
 Grapefruit:

Store in the refrigerator.  Once cut, wrap tightly in plastic wrap before storing.

 Grapes: Store loosely covered in the refrigerator.
 Green Beans:Store loosely covered in the refrigerator.
 Green Pepper:Store loosely covered in the refrigerator.

 Honeydew Melon:

Ripen at room temperature, then store in the refrigerator.
 Lemons:

Store at room temperature to yield the most juice.  However they will keep the longest stored in the refrigerator uncovered.

 Lettuce: Store in a paper bag in the refrigerator.  Do not store in plastic bag.
 Lima Beans: 
Store shelled lima beans covered in the refrigerator.
 Limes:

Store at room temperature.  When cut, store in the refrigerator tightly wrapped.

 Mushrooms:  
Store loosely covered in the refrigerator.
 Nectarines:Store uncovered in the refrigerator.
 Okra:  
Store covered in the refrigerator.
 Onions:Store uncovered at room temperature.
 Oranges:
Store in the refrigerator.  When cut wrap tightly before storing.
 Parsnips:
Store in the refrigerator.
 Peaches:
Store uncovered in the refrigerator.
 Pears:

Store at room temperature wrapped in newspaper until ripe.  Store in the refrigerator if cut.

 Peas:Store hulled peas lightly covered in the refrigerator.
 Plums:

Store at room temperature until ripe, then store uncovered in the refrigerator.

 Pineapple:

Store at room temperature.  When cut store wrap tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator.

 Potatoes:

Store in a dark cool place that is well ventilated.  Do not store in the refrigerator unless cut.  Store cut potatoes covered with water and a few drops of vinegar in the refrigerator for up to three days.

 Pomegranates: 

Store at room temperature.  When cut store tightly covered in the refrigerator.

 Rhubarb: 
Store in a paper bag in the refrigerator.
 Squash:  

Store at room temperature.  When cut store tightly covered in the refrigerator.           

 Sweet Potatoes:
Store at room temperature.
 Tomatoes:

Store at room temperature to ripen.  To accelerate ripening, store at room temperature in a paper bag with an apple.  When ripe or cut store covered inthe refrigerator.

 Watermelon: 
Store in the refrigerator.  Wrap tightly before storing if cut.