Many of us will make periodic trips to the grocery store to buy our food. When we do, we may pick up plenty of vegetables for salads, and we have every intention on finishing them. More than likely, however, we overshoot the mark and a few days later, those vegetables need to be thrown in the trash.
This problem occurs because of a number of issues, including natural gases that build up and speed the process of decomposition. If you only knew a few simple tricks, you would be able to get your money’s worth because those veggies will last much longer.
Cucumbers:
Cucumbers are delicious when they are crispy but when they are mushy, they are better thrown out. If you want to keep your cucumbers fresh for a longer amount of time, try this trick:
Cut the cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices. Stack the slices in a sealable container. Place a folded paper towel on top of the cucumbers and put a lid on the container. Store the cucumbers upside down so the towel soaks up extra moisture.
Peppers:
Keeping your chopped bell peppers fresh for a few days longer may be as simple as using a sharper knife. When you use a dull knife to cut the peppers, you are actually damaging the exterior of the vegetable.
Be sure that you remove the seeds and stems and cut them into slices or chunks. Lay the pepper slices on a paper towel and wrap the towel around the peppers. Place the paper towel covered peppers in a bowl in about 1/2 inch of cold water and keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Carrots:
Many people buy baby carrots to avoid the hassle of slicing and dicing larger carrots. Using this trick can help to save you money by buying the full-size carrots.
Trim off all of the green tops from the carrots and store the tops in a separate container if you plan on using them for soup. Store the trimmed carrots in a bowl of water for a few weeks in the refrigerator. This also works for baby carrots.
Lettuce:
There are a few different ways to keep lettuce greens fresh in the refrigerator.
Method 1: store the leaves rolled up in a paper towel and placed in a plastic bag
Method 2: store the leaves in a resealable plastic container with a paper towel
Method 3: store the greens in a plastic produce bag with a puff of air and sealed as tight as possible.
Any one of these method should keep the vegetables fresh for up to seven days in the refrigerator. If you plan on keeping them longer, make sure you use the second method because it lasts for 10 days or longer.
Via: Cook top Cove
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