We all love to enjoy fresh fruit, it is particularly refreshing in the warmer months. Many of us have fallen victim to buying fresh produce only for it to go bad before we’re ready to enjoy it. Tossing out food that has gone bad is not only frustrating, but it is also terrible for the environment. Did you know that 94% of the food we throw away ends up in landfills and is later responsible for methane gas emissions that pollute the air?
Getting creative with your food storage will not only help you save on groceries but also reduce food waste. Here are a few food storage tips to make your food last a little longer after your next grocery run:
- Place plastic wrap around the stems of your bananas. The plastic wrap restricts the emission of ethylene gas that ripens them.
- Soak fresh fruits and vegetables in a vinegar-water solution, drain, rinse, and refrigerate.
- Add a Fruit Fresh refrigerator liner to the produce drawer. These liners help keep produce fresher longer by absorbing moisture and ethylene gas.
- Store your lettuce with a paper towel to absorb the moisture. The lack of moisture will keep your lettuce crisp and fresh for a few days longer!
- If you like to cut your produce ahead of time, make sure you invest in quality storage containers. Here are a few great ones to consider.
- Invest in an herb savor; Be honest, when is the last time you used the whole bunch of parsley or cilantro before it soils?
- Use your freezer. If you catch something at peak ripeness and you aren’t quite ready to use it, there’s a high likelihood that it can be frozen and used whenever you’re ready.
These are just a handful of ways to help you keep your fresh produce, fresh. We hope this saves you a few trips to the store and helps reduce your food waste.