How to make production last longer

Eating healthy is by no means easy, but it is completely possible with a little knowledge and effort. One problem that often arises for people who start eating more whole foods is that production goes bad. After a few days, or even a few hours for some grocery items, your food may spoil.

So, how do you fix this? Fruits and vegetables have been shown to be good sources of energy, nutrients, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals (1). Produce is essential to a healthy diet, and in order to eat it, you need to know what to do with it to keep it fresh. Here’s how to make products last longer.

Where should I store my products?

The main issue when it comes to keeping produce fresh is where you choose to store it: the refrigerator, the countertop, or somewhere else. Location can make a big difference when it comes to how long your food lasts.

Foods that should be stored on the countertop are those that still need to be cooked. Some produce (usually fruit) may be purchased before it’s ripe, so you’ll need to place it on the countertop until it’s ready to eat. From now on, it is good to eat them right away, or store them in the refrigerator for a few more days. Examples of some products you may want to leave out of the refrigerator include (2):

• Tomatoes
• Avocado
• Banana
• Pear

There are also some vegetables that you should store in a cool, dry place such as a pantry, and these include (2):

• Onions
• garlic
• potato
• Winter squash

These types of products cannot be stored in the refrigerator, because when exposed to moisture, their texture and flavor can change for the worse.

Any other products should be placed in your refrigerator. This especially includes fruits and vegetables that are already ripe or cut into pieces.

Do not store these foods together

Ethylene It is the gas released by most fruits and vegetables that causes produce to ripen (3).

“The more ripe an ethylene-producing fruit or vegetable is, the more gas it produces. So, if there are other production items nearby, the gas will cause them to ripen more quickly, too,” says Katherine Basbaum, a registered dietitian at MyFitnessPal.

Most tree fruits produce large amounts of ethylene, among a host of other products. Here are some fruits and vegetables that produce ethylene (3):

• Apples
• Pear
• Apricot
• Avocado
• Cantaloupe
• Nectarines
• Papaya
• Peaches
• Bananas (when fully ripe)
• Peppers (when fully cooked)
• Tomatoes (when fully ripe)

The above products should not be stored with ethylene-sensitive fruits and vegetables, which include (3):

• Carrots
• Parsnips
• broccoli
• option
• Asparagus
• Iceberg lettuce
• pumpkin
• Herbs
• Apples

Low temperatures help reduce sensitivity to ethylene (3). You will want to store these ethylene-sensitive foods in the refrigerator, in a crisper drawer. Ethylene-producing fruits and vegetables should be packaged and stored in a different drawer compartment.

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About the expert

Catherine Bassbaum, MS, RD He is the food data curator at MyFitnessPal. She earned a master’s degree in nutrition communications from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and completed her nutrition internship at UVA Health, where she also works as a nutrition counselor for heart disease patients.

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4 tips to make produce last longer

Now that we’ve covered where to place certain products and what types of products should not be stored together, let’s dive into more specific tips and tricks on how to make products last longer.

#1: Remove the tops of root vegetables

Root vegetables such as carrots, beets, and radishes all have leafy tops that tend to rot quickly, so if you don’t plan to eat the leafy tops, it’s a good idea to cut them off immediately after purchase.4). Go ahead and store the destroyed root vegetables in the refrigerator afterwards.

#2: Use your food drawer drawer

Don’t place products on refrigerator shelves, fragile drawers are there for a reason! Placing products in freezer drawers helps protect them and retain moisture for longer (5). This ultimately maintains freshness for longer periods of time. Make sure that when using fragile drawers, you separate fruits from vegetables, as well as ethylene-producing items from ethylene-sensitive items.

#3: Keep fresh herbs upright

If you purchase fresh herbs, do not leave them in the produce bag you purchased them in. Instead, treat herbs like flowers: snip off a few ends and place them in a cup, then cover with a produce bag (5). This will keep the herb stems alive, so you have fresh ingredients to use.

No. 4: Wash leafy vegetables

Bassbaum recommends rinsing leafy greens under cold water, drying them with a paper towel or plate, wrapping them in a clean towel to absorb excess water, and storing them in a sealed container.6). This results in optimal freshness for leafy greens – perfect for salads, stir-fries, and anything else.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs): How to make the product last longer

Bottom line

With so many different types of produce and storage methods, it can be difficult to eat fresh, whole foods without constantly wasting them. But learning how to properly store fruits and vegetables doesn’t have to be complicated.

Start small: Choose a few produce items that you buy frequently and apply the tips above. Over time, you’ll get more comfortable with which foods need refrigeration, which foods fare best on the counter, and how to keep ethylene-sensitive items fresher longer.

Ultimately, making products last longer isn’t just about preventing food waste, it’s about getting the most nutritional value from your food and making healthy eating more convenient and sustainable. A little planning and care can go a long way in helping you stick to your health goals while saving money and time in the kitchen

this post How to make production last longer appeared first on My Fitness Pal Blog.

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