Storing story

Day 06.

 Get the most from your fresh produce.

Before the official lockdown on Thursday, Kiwi got 2 days to get ready after the official announcement on Monday afternoon. People rushed to the supermarket to stock up their pantry and fridge. I did shop too, I don’t think I panic buy though, just like Bilbo Baggins, I love my well-stocked pantry. Even though I only have half a cupboard worth of pantry space, I feel very satisfied when I open the cupboard door and found my white Sistema containers all filled with legumes, grains, flours all to the top. Don’t you?

So, the pantry is all sorted, but what about fresh produce?

Below is some hack on how to store your fresh produce properly so they can stay fresh longer.

Any fruits or vegetables that spoil quickly or wilt such as leafy greens, cucumber, broccoli, berries or grapes, should be kept in the fridge.

If you have greens like celery and broccoli that you don’t plan on eating for a while, wrap them in foil to keep them crisp. To prevent leafy greens from wilting too fast, wrap them in paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.

Store asparagus like you would do with flowers; bases trimmed and standing upright in a jar with a little bit of water.

Citrus fruits, tomatoes, and bananas should be kept on the bench (unless you prefer to eat your citrus cold!) and all your starchy vegetables like pumpkins and potatoes are best in the pantry or a cool, dry spot.

For any fruit that you prefer to keep in the fridge – perhaps apples, pears or oranges – make sure to keep them away from your veggies, as they can speed up their ripening process.

Avocados and pears can be kept on the bench. To speed up ripening, store in a brown paper bag with a banana. To slow down ripening, transfer them to the fridge.

In your pantry, keep potatoes and onions away from each other as the ethylene gas emitted by the onions will cause your potatoes to sprout rapidly. Apples and potatoes, however, are great friends – storing them together will prevent the potatoes from sprouting.

For long-lasting carrots, store them in the fridge, submerged in water in a closed jar or container.

Any time you have half an avocado, drizzle it with lemon juice, store in a container next to a chunk of onion, or refrigerate on a plate flesh-side down. Lemon juice can also be added to guacamole.

Cut the green tops off vegetables like carrots, beets, and parsnips before you put them in the fridge. These tops absorb moisture and are what causes carrots to go limp and bendy!

Source Now To Love