How to keep perishables from...... perishing?

TravelDog14

Take a look at this list on how to treat some commonly stored fruits and veggies:

Farmer's Guidelines for Storing Fresh Produce
Please note that these are guidelines, not rules.
Seasonal conditions may dictate different storing capacities for crops.
All fresh vegetables should be eaten as quickly as possible for best nutrition & flavor.
Artichokes Store in a loose bag in the refrigerator, one week +.
Beans Do not wash until ready to use. Store in a loose bag in the refrigerator, 3-5 days.
Soybeans Do not wash until ready to use. Store in a loose bag in the fridge, up to 1 week.
Beets Top to maintain moisture in beets. Leaves should be used within 3 days, roots will last for weeks.
Bok Choy Store in a loose plastic bag in the fridge, up to one week.
Broccoli Store in a loose plastic bag in the fridge, up to one week.
Brussels Sprouts Store in a loose bag in the fridge, one week +.
Cabbage Loose bag in the fridge, may last a few to several weeks. Peel off outer leaves for use to maintain longer storage.
Carrots Plastic bag in the fridge. Put a few holes in the bag for long term storage to increase air circulation.
Cauliflower Do not wash until ready to use, or wash and cut up head, storing as florets. Up to one week in the fridge.
Celery Loose bag in the fridge, may last a few to several weeks.
Corn Eat as soon as possible, or freeze. Sugars in corn turn to starch quickly.
Cucumber Loose in a bag or in crisper in fridge, up to one week.
Eggplant Loose in a bag or in crisper in fridge, use as soon as possible for maximum texture, but storable up to one week.
Fennel Loose bag in the fridge, may last up to a few weeks.
Fresh Herbs Store in a loose bag in the fridge, remove rubber band to increase air flow. Soft-leaved herbs (basil, cilantro) should not be washed until ready to use. Use or dry within one week.
Kale Wash, trim stems, and pat dry (leaves whole) for quick use. Store in a closed plastic bag in the fridge. One week +.
Leeks Loose bag in the fridge, may last a few to several weeks. Peel off outer leaves to maintain longer storage.
Lettuce Lettuce may be washed and gently spun dry, then kept in the fridge for quick access, but keep leaves whole until ready for use to minimize browning. Washed and spun dry, loose, 3-5 days. Whole head, unwashed, 1 week +. Softer lettuces (Brunia, Lolla Rossa especially) will not last as long as Romaine types.
Melons Leave out on counter until ready to use.
Onions & Shallots Fresh: Loose in a bag or in crisper in fridge, may last several weeks. Dry: Keep in a dry dark place to prevent molding and sprouting. May last up to several months with proper storage. Sort frequently and use those with blemishes first.
Green Onion Remove rubber band and store in the fridge, loose in bag until ready to use, up to one week.
Parsley Store loose in bag in the fridge. Gently pat dry if needed for longer storage. May also be hung out of direct light and left to dry.
Parsnip Plastic bag in the fridge. Put a few holes in the bag for long term storage to increase air circulation.
Peas Do not wash until ready to use. Store in a loose bag in the refrigerator, 3-5 days.
Peppers Do not wash until ready to use. Store in a loose bag in the fridge up to one week.
Radicchio Do not wash until ready to use. Store in a loose bag in the fridge & peel off leaves as needed. One week +.
Radishes Top to maintain moisture in radishes, loose bag in the fridge, use within a week.
Rutabaga Plastic bag in the fridge. Put a few holes in the bag for long term storage to increase air circulation.
Salad Greens See lettuces, 3-5 days.
Spinach May be washed and gently spun dry, then in a closed bag in the fridge for quick use, but I recommend leaving leaves whole until ready for use. 3-5 days.
Summer Squash Loose in a bag in fridge, one week.
Winter Squash Store in a dark dry place to prevent molding and over ripening. May store through December or longer. Sort frequently and use those with blemishes first.
Swiss Chard Store in a closed bag in fridge. Remove twist tie to increase air flow. May be washed and gently spun dry for quick use. One week.
Tomatoes Much speculation on this one. Some recommend not refrigerating, as it breaks down flavor, but they will keep longer in the fridge. The varieties we grow are frequently more tender than store types, which are selected for shipping and storage.
Flowers Trim stem ends and place in fresh water. Changing water every day or two may prolong flower life. With lilies and gladiolas, trim off dead flowers to encourage the others to open. You may also pull off the anthers of the lily blossoms when the flowers first open to avoid pollen messes.

The above is from this website: http://boistfortvalleyfarm.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=STRG

bwogilvie

Check the temperature of the refrigerator should be at 36 degrees

It should be under 40 F at its warmest spot, but above freezing in your crisper drawers and meat/cheese storage (which are usually at the bottom. Get a fridge thermometer and measure in several places by leaving the fridge closed for a while, then opening the door and *quickly* reading the thermometer. You need to read quickly because the warm air entering from the kitchen will cause the thermometer to rise, but air has a low specific heat, so there's no problem getting warm air into the fridge from time to time.

Also, don't leave things out at room temperature any longer than necessary.

hookilau

I plan meals around the perishables in my house. This means fresh produce and occasionally meats, though I usually freeze meats to allow for some flexibility.

You could purchase smaller amounts and go to the market twice weekly instead of once, or simply plan your meals around the produce. I also make sure to use a large amount for every meal. We have salads with every meal, so I'll chop & clean 2 or 3 romaine hearts & put them in the fridge, along with chopped peppers, onion, tomato & cucumber (all in separate containers).

Then when it's time to make a salad, I just grab a handful of this and handful of that.

I don't buy the bagged stuff anymore cause it goes bad too quickly. By the time I get it, it seems to only last about 3 days before some of the leaves at the bottom start to putrefy. :sick:

I only buy things like romaine, butter lettuce, etc. Whole stuff. Don't rinse until you are ready to use, and wrapping in paper towels to absorb any excess moisture will make it last longer too. That was an old trick we used to use at an Animal Hospital I used to work at, we needed fresh produce daily for the tortoises & parrots and this is what we did so it didn't rot out too soon :blushing:

Good luck...eat more veggies!!

shutyourpieholeandsquat

I buy baby spinach in the big plastic boxes and that stuff lasts for WEEEEEEKS without getting bad.

cwolfman13

eat them faster....