6 Tips for Better Produce Storage in the Fridge

Hey everyone! Vanessa here. This week, we're talking about one of my favorite topics: vegetables. Specifically, ways to introduce vegetables into your regular food rotation in fun and inspiring ways.

A really important subtopic to this week's discussion is correctly storing veggies in your refrigerator. So many times I've talked to clients who tell me that they have

difficulty keeping fresh produce, well, fresh. So here's some tips for you (and no, that is NOT my refrigerator in the picture. I wish).

1. Buy in realistic quantities and look when you buy. Aspirational produce buying is a thing. We all do it! Keep an idea, whether in your head or in a list, of what you can reasonably consume in a week, and buy that much. You'll save money and heartache. And when you are choosing what you'll be taking home, check the bottom of the package over to look at the produce on the bottom. Does it look brown or slimy at all? Those are not the ones for you. Select a package that gives you a fighting chance to consume it all before it goes off.

2. Make sure your refrigerator is keeping temperature. Most fridges have an internal thermostat, but many don't have a temperature gauge. A cheap grocery store thermometer can tell you if your fridge is running at the recommended 40 degrees.

3. Know what's in your produce drawers. How many times have you unearthed a bag of...something? Greenish? A salad that could have been? Me: too many times, and I'm supposed to be good at this! Periodically check and make sure that you know what's in there - a good time to do this is before you go shopping. Side note: if the unidentifiable bag of sludge happens to you a lot, you might consider keeping a produce list either on a little post it on the drawer itself or on a magnetic white board on the fridge. OR: keep your veggies out of the drawers and on the shelves where you can see them.

4. Related to the above: do your produce drawers have humidity settings? Did you know that different fruits and veggies store best at different levels of humidity? This includes fruits and veggies that emit an ethylene gas, like apples and pears, because leaving the window open on the drawer gives those gases a chance to escape. When the gases are released, it helps keep the fruits and vegetables from rotting prematurely. Conversely, keeping fruits and vegetables that are sensitive to ethylene gas, like broccoli, in a separate drawer will keep them fresher longer. Here's a quick rundown:

5. High-humidity: broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cukes, eggplant, green beans, leafy greens, peppers, summer squash

6. Low-humidity: apples, avocadoes, melon, kiwi, mango, pears, stone fruits

7. Give your leaves some love (herbs too) -When you get home, open any clamshell containers and give them a shake. This will fluff up any pressure spots that can cause rot. Another tip I like is to stick a paper towel into a clamshell or bag of herbs or greens - this will help regulate moisture in the container and help avoid the dreaded brown sludge that we've all encountered before. Lastly, if there is any rubber band or twisty-tie constricting your leaves, remove it when you get home.

8. Make an action plan. An easy rule of thumb is the softer it is, the sooner you should use it. Prioritize more delicate produce like soft lettuces and spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, and peppers. Carrots, cabbage, and hardier greens like kale with last a little longer. Related to this: if you get hardy veggies like beets and carrots with the tops still attached, remove the greens and either toss them or store them separately. The bottom veggies will last a lot longer from the tops, and if you leave the tops on they will actually suck moisture from away the vegetable.

I hope these tips help!