It’s an all-too-common scenario: You come home from the store, bags laden with fresh produce. Sunday morning rolls around and you’ve finally got time to make that delicious avocado toast that’s been plastered all over your social media feed. You reach for the $4 organic “treat yo-self” avocado and discover the firm green gem you splurged on has deteriorated into a squishy brown blob.
We’ve all been there. Up to 50% of produce goes bad and gets tossed each year. Fortunately, how to store fruits and vegetables and keep produce fresh comes down to the right products. Products that help prevent waste, save you money and help you eat healthier. And we have them.
A helpful carbon sponge
Your produce has a gas problem: It emits ethylene gas, which speeds up the decomposition process. How rude. But the BluApple Produce Preservers harness carbon’s natural ability to absorb that gas. It’s the same non-toxic tech employed by warehouses, trucks, and other industrial environments. Simply toss a preserver into your produce bin and enjoy fresh produce up to three times longer. Each BluApple clears the air for up to three months with refills available.
A veggie-saving centerpiece
The VeggiDome Glass Tabletop Produce Saver is basically Thunderdome for nasty produce. It fights harmful ethylene gas that causes premature decomposition while trapping beneficial moisture inside. And the clear glass dome allows colorful produce to be the center of attention, where you’re more likely to see it and remember to actually, you know, eat it. VeggiDome keeps produce in plain sight for up to six days, all while sitting on a stainless steel colander that promotes the just-right amount of humidity. If you’ve ever wondered how to keep produce fresh while creating an attractive edible centerpiece, VeggiDome slays it.
Better-working, better-looking storage
If you’ve ever experienced the horror show that is finding long-forgotten potatoes in the dankest corner of your pantry, you’ll appreciate the innovative design of the Mastrad Root Vegetable Keep Sack. These reusable canvas bags protect potatoes, onions, garlic, and other root vegetables from harmful light and delay the sprouting process, all while freeing up space on your pantry shelves. Simply hang on the back of a pantry door to free up space; veggies go in the top and come out the bottom. When you’re done with those “what is that horrible SMELL” moments, Mastrad offers the solution.
A pretty & practical food wrap
Ever wondered how to keep fruits and vegetables fresher, longer without using wasteful plastic wrap? Z Wraps founder Michelle Zimora did, so she designed food wraps that can be used and washed up to 100 times. Crafted from organic cotton, beeswax, jojoba oil, and tree resin, Z Wraps Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps are sustainable, compostable and come in a range of pretty prints so you can save the Earth in style.
Bring home the bread & keep it fresh
We’ve talked about how to store vegetables, but what about the bread you use for sammies with that fresh, crisp lettuce and ripe, juicy tomato? Bee’s Wrap Bread Wraps lets your bread feel appreciated too. This reusable wrap molds neatly around baguettes, brioches, and batards. Bee’s Wrap is handcrafted in the U.S. from organic muslin and infused with jojoba oil and beeswax, which lend antibacterial properties to keep bread fresh.
Ditch the plastic baggies
Do you get sick of those flimsy plastic produce bags from the supermarket? stasher founder Kat Nouri did, so she developed airtight, reusable bags that prolonged the freshness of her produce. The stasher Silicone Storage Bags are, you guessed it, made from pure silicone (which means zero harmful BPA, phthalates and other nasties) so you can boil ’em, freeze ’em, microwave ’em and stick ’em in the dishwasher. Plus silicone is non-porous, so bacteria won’t grow on the inside, keeping your produce fresher.
Food storage ready for anything
Freezer to oven? Check. Built-in oven mitt? It’s in there. Dry-erase marker ready? Oh yeah. Harmful chemicals? Heck no. Frego Food Storage Containers simply offer a superior way to store, heat, and transfer food. Shatter-resistant glass encased in heat-resistant, shock-absorbing silicone turns the versatility dial up to 11, so you can rethink how you store, freeze, cook, reheat, label, and transport fruits, veggies, and other foods.
Airtight food storage for airtight spaces
When space is at a premium, as it always is, the last thing you need is an airtight container that’s just sitting there mostly storing air. Botto Adjustable Storage Containers put an end to the travesty of wasted pantry space, with containers that shrink to just the size you need. They’re airtight, so your food stays fresh longer. Warning: pushing out the air is incredibly satisfying and you may just find yourself pressing the lids down over and over, just to hear that swooshing sound.
Give your avocado a hug
Wondering how to store avocados? We get it. Those things ain’t cheap and they go bad quickly once cut. Luckily, Food Huggers Avocado Huggers keep those beauties fresh and do it with love. These food-grade silicone molds “hug” your leftover avocado, protecting it from the air like a second skin. Free from harmful BPA and phthalates, you can even pop Food Huggers in the freezer, dishwasher, or microwave once it’s done having its way with your leftover avocado.
A practical embrace for your produce
Got half an apple left? Don’t toss it. Wrap it in a second skin that’ll slow browning and keep it fresh. Food Huggers Silicone Food Savers embrace your leftover and unused fruits and veggies, replacing the need for wasteful plastic bags and wraps. You can even fit Food Huggers over the tops of containers. Made from dishwasher, freezer and microwave safe silicone, these durable, reusable containers add a bit of love to your veggies’ lives.
How to Store Fruits and Vegetables
Let’s face it: slimy produce is not only gross, it’s a drain on your wallet. When it comes to saving money, eating healthy and doing what’s best for the environment, learning how to store fruits and vegetables is key. Lucky for you, finding the best way to store produce is easy, thanks to these innovative, creative produce storage solutions.
Now when you reach for that avocado on Sunday morning, it’ll be firm, creamy and perfect for that Instagram-ready toast you’ve been dreaming of all week.
Would like to find a celery keeper that stores the whole stalk, No need to clean and cut up the celery first. Had an older tupper, but my husband threw it out when he “cleaned” out the fridge. I’m still dealing with that! Suggestions welcome… Thanks, XtexGal
Wrap the entire thing in aluminum foil!!!
Try wrapping entire stalk in foil. I do this and it keeps in refrigerator for weeks.
Is this for all vegetables, MaryLou?
I want one or two of each of them. Of course, I can’t afford to do that now so will have to save and buy items when I can. Nice selection, thank you.
Diann – wrap the entire bunch of celery in a damp paper towel – then wrap that loosely w/aluminum foil. keeps celery wonderfully fresh for a month or longer!
These products look great but still no protection from dratted fruit flies. We get them under control at home only to bring produce laden with a new crop home from farmers market or store.
I know! The VeggieDome should help, but nothing targeted at just them. I’ve had success keeping vinegar in a small dish near the fruits and veggies, too.
We use that method also, and I am investing in cheese cloth to see if it is fine enough to keep them out.
Keep us posted!
Where may I buy the glass container ❓
Hi Cynthia! You can buy it right here: https://www.thegrommet.com/products/veggidome-glass-tabletop-produce-saver!
I agree with Vicky Kennedy. Wrap the celery in paper towels and then foil. Keeps the stalks crisp.
To keep fruit flys away, keep an small container of basil in the kitchen.
Great tip, Janice!
How do you keep fruits and vegetables fresh when the supermarkets store them in the refrigerated sections? Once refrigerated, storing them in countertop containers does not work to keep them fresh…why do they refrigerate them?
We wish we knew, Deborah! Do you have any farmer’s markets or produce stands in your area?
[…] No matter how handy your meal prep tools are, half the battle is keeping your produce fresh. See how to keep your fruits & veggies fresh, longer. […]