How to store fresh produce and reduce waste | Food storage tips

Today we'll talk about how to properly store fresh produce to reduce food waste. Each week we spend hundreds of dollars on groceries, and sometimes, when we’re not careful, the food becomes spoiled sitting at the bottom of the fridge. Not only it is a waste on our hard earned money, it is also a waste of food. I have a few tips on how we store our fresh produce so that they last longer!

To begin, you need to have airtight containers. Any type of air tight container would work. If it is plastic, you need to check the plastic recycling symbols under the plastic tupper wear to make sure they are suitable for re-use. I’ll add a link to the description box below where you can check if you can re-use that plastic container that came with your take-out order.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6B6_xCYOAw

We eat bread almost every morning. However, bread spoils quickly if left at room temperature, and dries out fast if left out. I pick out 2 – 4 days worth of bread we will be consuming, and leave them in the cake stand, and store the rest in the freezer.

Cucumbers-

Cucumbers store really well on their own with plastic wrap. If your cucumber does not come with a plastic wrap, you can place them directly into a paper bag, and leave it in the fridge. It’s even better if your fridge has a dedicated drawer for vegetables. Usually, vegetables should be stored in high humidity while fruits are stored in low humidity. Our family eats cucumbers like potato chips, and I also pack it in my children’s lunch, it’s more convenient for me to have them readily available in slices.

Carrots –

Carrots love humidity. Always leave your carrots in a slightly moist container if you plan on storing them for longer periods of time. Here I will show you 3 ways that I prepare and store carrots.

Pickled carrots

Wash, skin, and cut carrots into small slices. In a glass container, add 1 part vinegar, 2 parts water, some 2 tsp salt, and 2 tsp sugar.

This recipe goes very well with any type of grilled/barbecued meat. The vinegar and sweet taste from the sugar will freshen up the grease from heavy meat.

Cut carrots into cubes and leave in a freezer friendly air-tight container.

The last type is cut into large chunks that I plan to use to stir fry within a week.

Ginger –

Gingers do not store well inside the fridge. The moisture is what causes mold to grow on ginger. The best way to store it is out on the countertop. However, ginger left on the countertop, the ginger loses its water very quickly. The way I like to store ginger while maintaining its moisture is to slice it and keep it in the freezer.

Garlic –

Garlic can be stored in many different ways too. For the most flavorful storage, leave it in the bulb it came from and store at an airy but dark and dry place. This way garlic can be preserved for up to a month. If you purchased pre-peeled garlic, you can store the full bulb in olive oil, and left on the counter. To do this, garlic needs to be washed and patted dry with a paper towel thoroughly. Remove the tip. Store garlic in a glass container with a lid, and add olive oil.

The rest of the garlic will be minced, put into ice cube tray and stored in freezer.

Fruits – Grapes

Our family consumes fruits rather quickly. I usually replenish our fruit stock weekly. When washing grapes, you want to make sure that you leave the tip of the stem on the fruit. This will keep the fruit from spoiling sooner.

Strawberry –

Sweet strawberries have arrived in the groceries stores as warmer weather approaches. Strawberry is one of fruits that have most pesticides if you don’t buy organic. I make sure to wash it thoroughly before cutting them. They are cut into bitable sizes for small children.

Lemons –

Lemon is another fruit that does not store well in cold refrigerator. For longer storage, place them in an airy place without sunlight. I am slicing these lemons that I plan to use with water this week.

Onion –

Onions are stored outside in an airy basket. They do not need to be refrigerated. Place them in a shady but airy place.

Pineapple –

Pineapple can be bought green, and left on countertop until it turns yellow. Once it starts to turn yellow, you need to cut it and store it soon. As mold will quickly grow on the surface of the fruit. You can use small knife to remove the eye of the pineapple. To remove the core, cut it into quarters and slice out the core. I am saving the core to make it into a smoothie.

Potato –

Similar to Onions, potatoes should be stored in airy shady area. Sunlight will cause it to sprout. A spouted potato is not recommended for eating. Here I am placing a sheet of paper in between the potatoes to prevent them from moisture.

Peppers –

Like cucumbers, our family eats peppers quite often. The beautiful colour on peppers is what makes it a great veggie both visually and nutrition-wise. Uncut, unwashed peppers can stay in the fridge for 1 – 2 weeks. I slice them so it is ready to be added to a dish or eaten as is.

Basil –

Basil’s distinct aroma makes it a special culinary herb. It goes very well with poultry, eggs, and many other dishes. Basil is best stored beside a sunny window sill in a container with water. You can also grow your own basil from store bought variety. To do this, take a stem about 1 inch long, remove the lower bottom leaves, and plop it in a small container with water. Leave the container at a warm, sunny window sill, and change the water about every week. Once the roots start to grow, you can place them directly into a small potting soil, or a larger vase. For the rest of the leaves I pulled off, place them in an airtight container and store in the fridge and use within 2 – 3 days.

Cilantro –

Similar to basil, cilantro can be stored in a container filled with water. However, cilantro can be stored in the fridge. Add water to the glass container just enough to cover the bottom stem. I will use the leafs pulled to make guacamole.

Green onion and Asparagus can also be stored the same way. The top layer of my fridge is too short for them, so I am storing them on the side.

Avocado –

Avocado can be placed on the countertop until they start to turn colour. It needs to be consumed rather quickly once it starts to turn. I usually select a few greener ones, and store them into the fridge which will extend their shelf life. The rest we will leave it outside and be consumed soon.

Mushrooms -

Mushrooms spoils fast once washed. For longer storage, place in a paper bag or leave it in the Ceram wrap it came with until you want to use it.

Next week, I'll be sharing how I store and use meat for meal prep. I’ll link it in the description box below once it is uploaded.