Using and Storing Fresh Produce
Here are some tips on when to use and how to store some of the veggies in this week’s full share.
This week’s box contained ground cherries, and some of you got yours in a brown bag and some of you got them in a plastic bag. To maintain freshness, remove your ground cherries from the plastic bag and store in a perforated plastic bag or a paper bag. Also, according to
Organic Life, it is best to hull the ground cherries and store them in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. If you don’t use them within that time period, freeze them for later use. Here is
a great recipe for Ground Cherry Upside Down Cake to try.
Sweet corn is best eaten right after it is picked, so it is a good idea to eat your sweet corn right away. Otherwise it gets starchy as it sits in the refrigerator. If you can’t use the corn right away, you can slice off the kernels and freeze them for later use.
According to
this article, to store freshcarrots without them getting limp, cut the greens off of the carrots. You can save the greens for later use in making pesto. Then, store the carrots in a covered container filled with water.
Cucumbers can be stored at room temperature. Keep them away from bananas, tomatoes, and melons. If you do store them in the refrigerator, store them in the bottom drawer and only for about three days or so.
Eggplant is best eaten within two or three days of being picked, and it, like cucumbers, likes being kept at room temperature away from bananas, tomatoes, and melons. However, it can be kept in the refrigerator for three days or so in the bottom drawer.
Tomatoes should be kept on the countertop so they don’t lose their flavor. Tomatoes continue to develop their flavor up to two to three days after picking.
Peppers and green beans can be stored in a plastic bag or reusable container in the refrigerator for about a week.
Yellow squash and zucchini should be stored in a perforated plastic bag or brown bag in the veggie crisper in the refrigerator.. Yellow squash and zucchini can be stored for about a week before use.
Berries should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days, and then, freeze them for later use.
Okra can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days in a plastic bag. After that, it should be blanched and frozen.
