If you have ever run into the issue of having to toss out your produce because it went bad before you had the chance to eat it, it may be time to reevaluate how you store and maintain said produce. Implementing a few simple changes can help give your produce a longer shelf life, and keep them fresh so that you don’t waste any more of your hard earned money! As one of the leading produce companies in New York, E. Armata Inc. has plenty of tips and tricks for storing fresh produce and keeping it that way for as long as possible. Continue reading to learn more!

Best Ideas For Storing Fresh Produce 

Many of us have the habit of filling our shopping carts up with fresh fruits and vegetables with every intention of using them for a healthy meal, but we often do not get the chance to eat them before they have gone bad. To help you cut down on food waste, our produce companies in New York would like to share some tips and tricks for the best ways to store produce:

1. Keep your produce intact until you’re ready to eat them. This means, try to refrain from cutting or shaving/peeling until ready to use the whole produce in one sitting.
2. Remove your produce from the plastic grocery bags you get from the market and store them loose or keep them in produce storage bags in the crisper drawers or on the counter in a fruit bowl. 
3. Put a damp paper towel in produce bags for added humidity. This works great for leafy greens such as Arugula and Kale. 
4. Wooden storage crates are a versatile piece of home decor that is functional and looks good. Store unrefrigerated vegetables in a crate to keep them fresh and in sight. 
5. Corn – For fresh corn, it’s best to eat it as soon as possible since the longer you wait, the less enjoyable it becomes. To store corn, you can refrigerate it unshucked. 
6. Herbs – Leafy herbs like cilantro, mint, basil, and parsley should be treated like flowers. To store them, trim their roots and put them in jars of cool water. Set the herbs aside at room temperature and use them as soon as possible. 
7. Lettuce – Heads of lettuce and loose assortments should be washed and dried thoroughly before storing. You can store them in a vented paper bag with a piece of paper towel. 
8. Peaches – Ripe peaches stay fresh when you refrigerate them in an uncovered container. If they need to be ripened, you can leave them in a closed paper bag at room temperature, then refrigerate them when ripened. 
9. Apples – Apples are a fall staple. They are best stored in the crisper drawer in the refrigerator with a damp paper towel over them. 
10. Asparagus – It’s easy to keep asparagus spears crisp and fresh. Trim the ends and stand the asparagus upright in a glass or jar half-filled with water. You can loosely fit a plastic bag over the tops of the spears and refrigerate them. 
11. Blackberries – These berries are delicate and tend to grow mold quickly. Pick out any damaged berries and wash the good ones gently. Spread them out in a single layer lined with paper towels and refrigerate.  
12. Cherries – Don’t wash cherries when you bring them home. Store them in the fridge in an uncovered bowl, and wash before eating. 
13. Mushrooms – Mushrooms store best in vented paper bags in the crisper drawer. 
14. Spinach – Wrap unpackaged spinach in a damp paper towel and leave them in the crisper drawer. 
15. Strawberries – Store these berries in a vented bag in the refrigerator. Rinse thoroughly before eating. 
16. Turnips – Cut the greens off, and store the greens and turnips in separated bags in the refrigerator. 
17. Pineapple – Trim the top of the fruit off and turn it upside down in a bowl. Let the pineapple sit on the counter for a few days. Then, right side up, it will keep for a few days at room temperature. 
18. Tomatoes – Do not refrigerate tomatoes since they will lose flavor rapidly. Store them at room temperature. 
19. Pears – Like peaches, you can store them at room temperature until they ripen, then refrigerate in an uncovered container. 
20. Raspberries – Wash gently and discard any damaged ones. Spread them on a plate lined with a paper towel and refrigerate. 

Contact Our Produce Companies in New York

E. Armata Inc. is one of the leading produce companies in New York, so you can be sure that you are receiving top quality products when you work with us. To learn more about storing fresh produce, be sure to contact us today!