1. Give them space
If you’re trying to extend the lifespan of your produce, keep them separated! Certain fruits and vegetables – such as apples, bananas and avocados, produce ethylene gas which accelerates the ripening process of other fruits and vegetables. However, if you want to ripen something quickly, store it with one of these fruits in a paper bag!
2. Berry fresh
Giving your strawberries a quick vinegar bath (with a diluted vinegar solution, 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water) will kill any existing mould spores and extend your fresh strawberries shelf life. Gently pat dry or allow to dry on a tea towel, and then store in an airtight jar. Our lifetime jars work a treat!
Did you know you can get up to 10 days out of your leafy greens if stored correctly? Firstly, wash your greens and allow them to dry completely (pat dry or use a salad spinner). Then wrap them up with a cloth or kitchen towel to absorb excess moisture, and place in a sealed jar or reusable bag.
Another option which our founder, Steph, swears by is to place greens in a jar, fill to the top with water and store in the fridge. When you’re ready to put your greens to use, drain them and pat dry for crispy leaves!
4. Bouquet of herbs
Think of fresh herbs like a bunch of flowers… After you have washed the herbs and patted them dry, place them in a jar or glass filled up to 1/3 with water. Keep in the fridge and change the water every few days.
Hardy herbs such as rosemary and thyme (woody stems), can also be stored in the fridge. Wash and dry like you would soft herbs, then wrap them up in damp kitchen cloth and transfer to a resealable bag.
5. Ripe time…
There are some fruits you will want to keep out on the bench so that they can ripen, such as avocados, tomatoes and stone fruit. But make sure you keep an eye on these because once they are ripe, you can then move them to the fridge to hit pause on the ripening process for a few days!
6. Remove the tops
Trim off the tops of root vegetables such as carrots, beets, and turnips as they only draw out moisture and cause them to go limp quickly. Carrots will last up to a month when kept in a sealed glass container filled with water in the fridge. We love storing ours in the large rectangle lifetime jar!
7. Keeping it cool
Citrus fruit – to fridge, or not to fridge? While lemons, oranges and other citrus may look beautiful in your fruit bowl, they will only keep for around 4 days compared to up to 4 weeks in the fridge! Keeping the moisture locked in is the key, so either keep them in a bowl of water in the fridge or in an airtight reusable bag or jar.
Enjoy Legends xx