Fresh Produce Storage and Preservation

Staying healthy right now is even more important right now

These uncertain times make it even more important that we become more sustainable and environmentally conscious. Fresh produce storage is one way we can really lessen the impact on our wallets and eat healthily! We also know how expensive groceries can become especially when you move between seasons or making a huge shift in how you feed yourself and your family. So what about finding creative and sustainable ways to lower our grocery bills while at the same time, living a healthy lifestyle?

As I’ve stated in earlier posts, don’t be deceived by marketing gimmicks and misinformation campaigns promoted by both big agribusiness and the processed food industry. You can do a lot better for yourself and your family, by buying fresh and locally sourced meats and produce. Given the state of things globally, it’s safer to stay local and buy from trusted local farms!

A few observations about food and eating well during difficult times

If the pandemic has shown us nothing else, our food systems and supply chain are both vulnerable and sustainable! Plus, remember, labels, and where your food comes from, matters!

Labels on the matter of our food and so do the methods of food production. Foods that have been cultivated using conventional means (i.e. large-scale pesticide and herbicide use, etc) are much more likely to contain damaging levels of these residues. We as consumers can not rely on these industries to “self-regulate” as their track records have shown them to be less than honest when it comes to putting consumer safety and health above their stock portfolios.

Also, while the FDA and USDA have traditionally been the only real advocate for consumers, both agencies have been severely hindered and compromised by lobbying interests as well as well-crafted efforts to defund these agencies in an effort to misinform the public regarding our food sources, what’s in our foods, labeling practices by the processed food industry and big agribusiness.

The reality is this: what food you put in your mouth will either poison or nourish your body, depending on where it comes from. If it comes from a country with no or poorly standardized food safety requirements (i.e. mercury levels in fish, pesticide use in produce, additives in frozen, processed and or packaged foods, etc), YOU need to SERIOUSLY rethink your food choices!!

Part of being able to feed your family with safe nutritious foods means you must adopt a sustainable way of accessing the right foods for your table. In practical terms, that means finding ways to minimize waste and unnecessary costs due to spoilage and improper food storage.

With that in mind here are a few quick tips:

1. Your fresh herbs will last longer and be less likely to spoil when you store them properly. Fresh herbs, like basil, asparagus, and green onions will last a good while if you store them upright in a jar of freshwater. Simply trim the stems, cover them with a piece of plastic wrap, and place them in the refrigerator for storage and use as needed.

2. Be aware of where to store fruits and vegetables. Not all fruits and veggies require refrigeration and in some instances, refrigeration affects the taste quality of some fruits and vegetables. For instance, avocados (yes, technically it’s a fruit because it has a seed y’all), citrus, bananas, nectarines, pears, peaches, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes do best outside of your fridge at room temperature or in your pantry. A quick warning though; don’t store onions and potatoes together due to the ethylene gas which can cause them to spoil each other faster.

Some more quick and easy tips

1. I’ve been doing this for years ( thanks, momma), but did you know it really helps when you wrap your greens in paper towels. They’re great at preventing slimy residue from accumulating and making a science experiment in your bag of lettuce, spinach, or other leafy greens. Simply use paper towels to soak up excess moisture and lightly wrap your green in a few paper towels. This also works for leftover salad greens in food storage containers (minus the salad dressing of course).

Keep your bananas from getting ripe too fast!

2. Cover the crown of your bananas bunches with plastic wrap. It helps slow the release of that ethylene gas which is the meany responsible for breaking (the natural process that causes your produce to spoil) down one of my go-to mid-morning snacks. Doing this is a good way to preserve your bananas if you’re not going to eat them right away.

3. Did you know wrapping your bunches of celery in foil helps it stay fresh and crunchy for up to as much as four weeks?  Yep, wrapping it up in foil and then placing it in your fridge’s crisper drawer will help extend the life of your celery. The foil does this by allowing just the right amount of moisture in, and the ethylene gas out.

4. Stop! Don’t wash all your produce at once. I know it’s counter-intuitive but it’s much better to wash your produce as you go if you want to maximize its shelf life. Unless you plan on freezing your food, you should only be washing things you’re ready to eat right away or soon after. This will reduce the chances of mold growing on damp produce.

Preventing moldy berries!

1.  Another “who’d a thunk it?” If you want to keep those berries mold-free, soak them in vinegar. If you’re not going to consume them all at once, simply soak your berries in a solution of three parts water, one part vinegar in order to kill bacteria and prevent molding. Once you’ve done that, give the berries a thorough pat dry and store in the fridge.

A tried and true preservation technique

2. Another great time saver and a great way to preserve your veggies to simply roast them prior to storage. By roasting vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower,  you can extend their shelf life. Not only that, but it’s also a great meal prep tip to have cooked veggies on hand that you can quickly incorporate into any meal.

Storing dairy products

1. Store dairy products at the back of the fridge. While it may make for easy access, keeping your milk at the front of the fridge makes it more prone to spoilage due to temperature differences. This is because the back of the fridge is colder and will, therefore, give your dairy products are longer shelf life.

Storing meat products

2. Place your meats on the bottom shelf so that their juices do not drip on other food items (i.e. produce, etc) and contaminate them. If space is an issue, place your meat products on a tray or inside a leak-proof container in order to catch any drippings. Better yet, prep and package your meats into manageable portions (i.e. serving sizes for soups, meals, etc) and then store them in the freezer until you’re ready to cook your meals. Also, separate lunch meats from raw meats in order to prevent illness associated with cross-contamination.

Grain storage

1. I can say this enough! Store grains in air-tight containers!! While buying in bulk is a great way to save money when grocery shopping, you want to make sure that you store it correctly so the extra food doesn’t go to waste. Be sure to transfer your grains into an airtight container to maintain freshness, as well as keep those pesky bugs away. Do yourself a favor by labeling your containers with the purchase dates so you’re able to keep track of expiration dates and avoid wasting stored foods.

Just a reminder about fresh produce storage and preservation

Always Double-check your fridge’s temperature especially as the seasons’ change (i.e. summer vs. winter months). You want to make sure that your fridge is set at the correct temperature and that your thermostat is in proper working order to prevent spoilage and reduce the risk of food born illnesses. The recommended temperature is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or 5 degrees Celsius for those of you who are using the mks measurement system.

Final thoughts on fresh produce storage and food preservation ideas

I get it. We now live in scary and difficult times. You might even question whether fresh produce storage, etc is even a priority. But it is. We have to have consistent, sustainable access to fresh foods if we want to keep ourselves healthy and less susceptible to illness (i.e. COVID 19)! You can save a lot of money and still maintain a healthy lifestyle (critical for these times) by using simple and creative ways your perishables. In short, fresh produce storage hacks can literally save your life!

And one more thing!

Want to really 10X a healthy lifestyle? Incorporate radical self-care into your daily routines starting today. You can get some ideas from my article on “14 ways to love your self…” right here!

Before you go

If you’re still not sure where to begin, grab my FREE Pantry Detox Gude GUIDE HERE

For the complete Introductory Produce, Shopping Guide grab a copy HERE!!

About the author

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog. She helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her belief is that “the cookie-cutter method only works for cookies”. This means that she helps each woman in a way that is unique to each woman. By doing this, she’s better able to help them transform their lives from the inside out. Her ultimate goal is to help women become healthy and empowered through the transformative self-care journey!