Food Storage Tips – Make Your Groceries Last

How to store vegetables, produce and dairy:

• Asparagus – Place asparagus in a glass jar and fill with a quarter cup of water (I like to use my measuring cup because it’s the perfect shape, a small flower vase works great too) refrigerate and store for a week or more
• Fresh herbs: place leafy herbs like parsley, dill and cilantro in a small glass mason jar and fill half way with water, then place the stems of a bunch of the herbs in the bottom. Rinse and refresh water every day
• Eggs: I transfer my eggs from the cardboard container into a plastic one with a secured lid. Don’t mind the expiration date on eggs, they stay fresh long beyond the date on the carton
• Citrus: I place all my lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits in the bottom produce drawer of my refrigerator, it keeps them from molding for weeks, if not months
• I also refrigerate apples and avocados, which go dormant in the refrigerator and prevent over ripening
• Tomatoes: I do not refrigerate tomatoes as they also go dormant when in the fridge, which makes the taste flavorless and mealy
• Radishes, beets and carrots: I remove the stems off, give them a good wash, leave them on a tea towel to dry and store them in glass containers with rubber sealed lids. The stems not only take up valuable refrigerator space, they also rot in the plastic produce bags, which makes the root vegetables spoil quickly
• Chicken broth: After I open a box of chicken broth or stock, I need to use it up within 10 days. When I’m not using the entire box or can I pour the remainder in a large ice cube tray, freeze and then transfer the cubes to large freezer ziplock bags. Then anytime I need some broth I can use a cube or two without having to defrost the entire bag
• Cheese: When I have nice blocks of cheese that come wrapped in plastic wrap, I like to store them in wax or parchment paper and place them in glass tupperware to maintain freshness