Keep your food fresher, reduce waste, and make your veggie box go the distance!
🌽 Why Storage Matters
We all know that sinking feeling when you find a soggy lettuce or a sad carrot at the bottom of the fridge drawer. With food prices so high, it pays to make every bit of kai last as long as possible. Luckily, with a few easy tweaks, you can keep your fruit and vegetables fresher for longer, saving money and reducing waste.
🍎 Separate What Doesn’t Play Nicely Together
Some fruit and veggies give off ethylene gas (like apples, bananas, and tomatoes), which makes others ripen too fast. Store apples and bananas in different bowls — and keep your greens well away from them!
🥔 Fridge vs. Bench
Not everything likes the cold!
Keep in the fridge: apples, berries, grapes, carrots, broccoli, leafy greens, cauliflower, cucumber, and capsicum.
Keep at room temperature: bananas, tomatoes, onions, garlic, kūmara, and pumpkins. (Tomatoes taste best stored at room temperature until they’re fully ripe. Once ripe, you can pop them in the fridge for a few extra days.)
Store in a cool, dark cupboard: potatoes and onions (but not together they’ll spoil faster).
🥬 Give Leafy Greens a Little TLC
Leafy greens need some love to stay crisp:
- Remove any damaged leaves.
- Rinse gently and pat dry.
- Wrap in a slightly damp paper towel or clean cloth.
- Store in a sealed container or reusable bag in the fridge.
This simple trick can help spinach, lettuce, and silverbeet last up to a week longer.
🎁 Wrap It Up - The Right Way!
wrapping cut fruit and veges (think avo, onions, capsicum - and even bigger things like cabbage or half a watermelon), will extend its life. Besides being they are reusable and compostable, beeswax wraps are also breathable, and have natural antimicrobial properties that keep food fresh longer! (Unlike plastic wrap which can make your produce sweat).
💚 Small Changes, Big Savings
A few simple storage tweaks can make a big difference! Less waste, more savings, and fresher meals for your whānau.
If you want to make the most of your fresh produce, grab one of our affordable fruit and vege bags and put these tips to use this week.