We all know the frustration of reaching into the fridge for fruit or vegetables, only to find they’ve withered before we had a chance to eat them.
By using a few handy hacks however, you can make sure your fresh produce lasts longer, so you can save money and prevent unnecessary waste.
From washing berries with a mixture of white wine vinegar and water, to blowing air into a plastic bag to keep your salad leaves from wilting, these are the ingenious tips that will keep your fruit and veg in tip-top condition that little bit longer.
The seven tips are all from North Virginia food blogger Lisa, who writes under the name Of Life and Lisa.
1. STORE BERRIES ON PAPER TOWELS
Removing as much moisture as possible from berries, such as raspberries, after washing them with paper towels will help them last longer
When you wash a punnet of berries, many of us put the ones we’re not using back in the fridge ready for another day.
But leaving them in a container full of moisture will lead to mould growing much more quickly.
Lisa recommends patting them dry after washing them with a paper towel, before storing the ones you’re not eating in a dry plastic container on a few more paper towels.
2. CLEAN FRUIT WITH WHITE WINE VINEGAR AND WATER
It’s best to wash your fruit not just with water but with a little vinegar too, according to Lisa.
She recommends using a ratio of one cup of water to one tablespoon of vinegar.
She claims the vinegar helps to prevent mould, remove any pesticide residue and make your fruit last longer.
3. BLOW AIR INTO SALAD BAG
Salad – preferably dry leaves – should be kept in a bag full of air to make them last longer
Usually, it’s best to keep containers with food inside airtight, but Lisa says the best way to keep salad leaves fresh is to store them in a bag containing plenty of air.
However the greens will need to be completely dry for the hack to work.
They could last up to a week longer.
4. KEEP PEPPERS IN A PAPER BAG
The best place to store peppers to stop them going wrinkly like in the picture above is in a paper bag
A paper bag is the best environment for bell peppers, as it will reduce the build-up of moisture and prevent them from wrinkling too quickly.
It’s also wise to store apples, potatoes and onions in paper bags too for the same reason.
5. DON’T STORE POTATOES, TOMATOES OR GARLIC IN THE FRIDGE
Potatoes, onions, garlic and even tomatoes all belong in a cupboard rather than the fridge
Keep your potatoes, onions and garlic at room temperature or a cool cupboard, says Lisa.
Tomatoes should also be kept out of the fridge, as they emit a lot of the gas ethylene which can ripen other fruits very quickly.
They will last much longer if kept separately in paper bags in a cupboard.
6. SEPARATE BANANAS
Keeping bananas off the stem will help them last much longer
Bananas will last much longer if you separate each fruit from the stem, instead of keeping them in a cluster, according to Lisa.
Keeping them off the stem slows down the ripening process and will prevent them going brown too quickly.
7. KEEP CITRUS FRUITS ON THE COUNTER
Citrus fruits also keep better when stored at room temperature rather than in the fridge
Citrus fruits, including oranges, lemons and limes, should be stored away from direct sunlight but will last much longer at room temperature rather than in the fridge.
Keeping it on the counter will actually prevent mould from growing too quickly.