keeping groceries fresh longer

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone-

I found this in my files from when ADA had the listserve. I thought

it would be of interest to the group, especially with the recent

increases in costs. If anyone has other tips, it would be great to

share!

1- To keep fresh herbs, trim bottoms and place about 2 inches worth

of stems in a glass of water (I use leftover pickle relish jars).

Cover loosely with a plastic bag or more tightly with a " green bag "

(see #2) and keep in the refrigerator. Change water often and your

herbs can stay fresh for weeks!

2- If you can afford them, use bags specially made for produce to

store them in. I use what I call green bags. I think they are

actually called " Evert-Fresh Green Bags " and are often found tucked

away somewhere in a grocery store produce section. They really make a

huge difference. I belong to a CSA program so I get lots of yummy

organic produce at once, and live alone, so these bags are real gems

in my eyes. They are reusable and last quite a long time as long as

you rinse them well between uses.

Did you know that cottage cheese stays fresher if, once opened, you

store it upside down?

" Cutting fruits and veggies essentially wounds them. Affected tissues

respond with a cascade of physical and chemical changes that can

ultimately diminish their flavor, texture, and shelf life. However,

slicing and dicing them while they're submerged in water can trick

fruits and veggies into thinking they haven't been wounded, says

Lamikanra, a chemist at the Agriculture Department's Food Processing

and Sensory Quality Research Unit in New Orleans. "

Store bananas in a clear plastic bag on the counter and they will

last about a week before softening.

Wrap celery in foil before placing in crisper and it will keep for

several weeks.

[Guest guest]

We have found that wrapping a head of unwashed leaf lettuce in paper

towel before placing in a plastic bag keeps it fresh until we are ready

to wash and spin the leaves. Pat

leaf Renata Oliveira Mangrum wrote:

>

> I'm not sure how slicing and dicing submerged in water works, but celery

> will stay crisp and be ready if you cut them into snack size pieces

> and then

> submerge in water. I also dice and freeze them.

>

> I remember seeing on Good Eats that lettuce will keep well if washed, then

> wrapped in paper towels, then put in a zip lock bag. The paper towels will

> first absorb the extra moisture, then give it back to the greens and keep

> them from wilting.

>

> Renata

>

> On Wed, Apr 23, 2008 at 2:01 PM, <Dineright4@...

> <mailto:Dineright4%40aol.com>> wrote:

>

> >

> >

> > In a message dated 4/23/2008 10:31:11 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time,

> > healthful4ever@... <mailto:healthful4ever%40optonline.net>

> <healthful4ever%40optonline.net> writes:

> >

> > Store bananas in a clear plastic bag on the counter and they will

> > last about a week before softening.

> >

> > Also, store in fridge to slow down ripening. Skin will turn dark, but

> > banana

> > will be perfectly good inside for days longer. (or freeze them for

> > smoothies)

> >

> > Jan Patenaude, RD, CLT

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