When do you wash your vegetables? I used to wash them right before I used them — i.e., in the cooking process. I have shifted this task into the grocery shopping process instead, initially to avoid contaminating the fridge with “germs,” but found other great benefits, such as having vegetables keep fresh longer and saving time when cooking. By keeping vegetables longer, you can reduce the number of trips to the store while reducing food loss.
I have found that there are 3 key points to consider when keeping vegetables fresh:
- Cleaning
- Delay ripening process (reduce ethylene gas & destroy growth point)
- Limit oxygen exposure
With these methods, I can keep celery stalks fresh and crispy for a month and lettuce and other greens for over a week!
Cleaning
Getting rid of bacteria and other nasties off of vegetables not only gives peace of mind before putting things into a box where all our family’s food is stored but helps extend life by removing microbes that might help speed up the aging process. I find that it is much more effective than washing by hand, especially for delicate fruit — strawberries actually shine!
I use an ozone / ultrasonic vegetable cleaner that removes germs, viruses, chemicals and dirt. They are available in different sizes and shapes — before the current tub type, I have used compact ones that you put into a bowl, and they all do the job. However, if you have space beside your sink, I recommend the tub-type as you can wash a lot of fruits and vegetables at once.
Some models are more effective than others in shaking off the dirt from hard-to-reach areas, such as the bottom areas of lettuce, spinach & other leafy greens. You can either help by stretching open these areas that collect the dirt or manually clean these areas with running water.
After washing, dry off the surface. It might be easiest to put them in a colander or sieve and leave them out for an hour or so or use a salad spinner (I use the OXO one). For herbs that come with roots, dry off the leaves and then wrap the root with a damp paper towel.
Exceptions
There are some vegetables that should not be cleaned ahead of time, such as potatoes, onions, garlic and mushrooms. For potatoes, onions & garlic, try as much as possible to keep the dirt and skin on them and store them in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
Delay Ripening Process
Reduce Ethylene Gas
Some fruits and vegetables continue the ripening process after harvest by producing ethylene gas. Other vegetables can be affected by this gas, which will deteriorate it quickly. Using containers that absorb this gas can help to delay the decay, thus increasing its life. I use a combination of disposable & reusable bags, as well as containers with ethylene gas absorbers. (I reuse the disposable ones to collect kitchen scraps, rather than put them directly in the garbage bag.) The containers that allow for airflow keep the vegetables dry, while protecting the delicate surfaces.
Destroy Growth Point of Leafy Vegetables
Lettuce and other leafy vegetables have their growth point in the bottom core area. Damaging this is said to extend its life. There are various ways to go about this, but I use these cute gadgets to plug into the bottom of the lettuce.
Limit Oxygen Exposure
Cut surfaces can deteriorate quickly. If you cannot consume a whole fruit or vegetable, try to limit the cut surface exposure to oxygen. Plastic wrap can help, but there are reusable silicone covers for carrots & daikon radishes. Using a vacuum seal (e.g. FoodSaver) is helpful as well — I use this for Yamato yams and ginger that I only need a little of at once.
… and When All Else Fails
If you just have too many fruits or vegetables before they wither away, transform them into something that will keep longer, such as jams, pickles or other preservatives!
Bonus: Saving Time
Not all time is valued equally. For me, the morning time when getting ready for work, and evening time before getting dinner ready is probably the times when I can benefit most from efficiencies. Anything to help me sit down for dinner 5 minutes earlier would be welcome! Techniques and gadgets to help achieve this are great, but also “shifting” tasks from these valuable hours to a less stressful time is also helpful.
It is so much easier to go straight into using the vegetables during the cooking process, making salads, hotpots, stir-fries, tempura and other vegetable-intensive dishes very quick to make!
