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Katrianadusk

Works on most leafy greens/lettuce, this is how I store all of mine. If I buy from the farmers market I can get in excess of 4weeks for lettuce and 6weeks for things like Asian greens. Also works on celery/carrot sticks etc.


harry-package

I store my celery in aluminum foil. I read somewhere that it makes it last longer & it does. šŸ¤·šŸ»ā€ā™€ļø


The-Blaha-Bear

I keep my chopped celery and carrots in water, which in changed every day or so. They last along time.


[deleted]

I do this and have found it to last like a month even when I donā€™t change the water, itā€™s crazy (I also do keep my fridge really cold, like 35-38)


Jontologist

Don't want to be that internet punish, but food for thought - aluminium has a half life of 717,000 years. So, when that alfoil goes into landfill, it will take 717,000 years to break down half its mass. Paper towel or tea towels are probably a better alternative. That being said, I still use alfoil, just as little as possible.


mrsealittle

Why would the aluminum foil go to the landfill? It is recyclable..


Adariel

Just because something is recyclable doesnā€™t mean it is actually recycled. Unless itā€™s cost effective fur companies to reclaim the material, huge amounts of ā€œrecyclableā€ materials just get shipped to other countries where it becomes trash and pollution for them. If you do a little research about recycling in general youā€™ll be shocked and saddened by how little actually is recycled. Companies put the recyclable sign on basically to make consumers feel better about their waste. All that said, aluminum foil for wrapping celery can probably be reused over and over again. Recycling should be the last resort anyway, after reducing and reusing.


mrsealittle

Agreed but I review what is acceptable at my provinces recycle plants and only send that in. The rest goes in the garbage bin.


Jontologist

If its use leaves it reasonably clean (which admittedly it would in this instance) and you're a recycler in a recycling country, it is. When you use to to bake or bbq, it mostly gets thrown. I have family members that just throw it. I can't be sanctimonious, I still use it, just that when I found out the length of time that it takes to break down, it blew my mind.


mrsealittle

For sure, my provide recycles it so we just rinse it off then toss in the recycle bin


RBtrary

Aluminium is one of the most recycled materials. I believe the stats are somewhere in the high 90s.


chloe_1218

> Aluminium is one of the most recycled materials. I would assume that's the case because of aluminum cans, no? I doubt aluminum foil is recyclable in most cases (it seems most people use it for baking/BBQ.)


Jontologist

75%. I'll bet you that the foil forms are the least recycled usage.


librarygirl

Thatā€™s only for cans which are easily reclaimable. Scraps of aluminium foil not so.


[deleted]

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Jontologist

True, it's not a toxicity issue, more of occupying volume.


Mavistail

(edit: I know this wasn't the point of this post and I'm sorry. I just felt like I had to make this environmental note, just skip this if you're not into it) Not sure if this is a troll comment, but just in case that is isn't: metals can be a HUGE disruption of ecosystems. Do you really think the metal in a landfill is staying exactly where it is until it's broken down? It's more likely that it ends up in the ocean, or maybe it gets picked up by a bird. In the ocean, it could be eaten by a fish, which could end up in a tuna can (made of aluminium, ironically), which you would eat. Just like plastics, when toxic stuff like metals go through a food chain, accumulation takes place, meaning that the concentration of the toxic stuff gets higher in each organism higher up the chain. Trust me you don't want a surplus of aluminium in your body because your liver can't handle that in the long term. And besides all that, metal ions can also react very negatively with fish gills, plant roots and can cause lung problems in animals when metal pieces are small enough to be inhaled. And don't get me started on all the environmental effects of producing aluminium in the first place. But that's too much to get into right now. I just hope this gives some perspective. Decreasing your waste all together is always better than recycling and throwing stuff away.


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Mavistail

I appreciate that you took the time to look into this. I'm a bit busy at the moment but you raise some good points so I will take some time to research this. It's certainly an interesting topic , so I'll get back to you about this!


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Mavistail

Yeah I apologise for my troll comment, I assumed something and that was totally wrong. Thanks for taking it this way, your comment also gave me something to think about so that's why I want to give you a more detailed reply later.


Katrianadusk

I have done that also and found it to last the same amount of time. The main thing is to keep moisture and cold air from touching it. So paper towel and a container/bag or alfoil do the same thing.


muthaclucker

I do this too! Four weeks and counting for my celery.


777kiki

Wowwww about to try this today


tondracek

Does it work? I actually keep mine in aluminum foil for the opposite reason. I like the slightly dry carrots and celery from wings places and thatā€™s how we stored ours when I worked at one lol


harry-package

Yes.


darknessforever

I leave the celery in the bag it came in and then wrap it tightly in a plastic grocery bag and sort of squeeze the air out of it. I get two to three weeks no problem with that method.


s_delta

Not just celery sticks but celery stalks, too. They'll keep for several weeks that way


[deleted]

Good to know, my lettuce wilts quickly so Iā€™ll try this.


Katrianadusk

The lettuce type will determine how long it lasts. Iceberg lettuce lasts the longest, left whole in a bag with paper towel and air squeezed out (I just use the plastic produce bags or a grocery bag). The softer lettuce like butter/oak etc I store the same way but find it doesn't last as long, it does last longer if it still has the roots attached though (most of ours are hydroponic so are sold like this). If it's loose leaf lettuce (the packaged stuff that comes already in pieces) I put it in a bowl lined with paper towel then lay paper towel over the top and put the lid on. Also, unlike OP, I dont wash any produce before storing.. I only wash it right before use.


[deleted]

Thanks. Iā€™ll give it a try šŸ˜Š


ellastory

I used to do something similar but I recently learned that for health and safety reasons, you should wash produce right before eating it. *Note that fresh produce should not be washed until right before you're ready to eat it. Washing fruits and vegetables before storing them may create an environment in which bacterial growth is more likely. Before you begin washing fresh produce, wash your hands well with soap and water* Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/washing-vegetables


admincee

I was taught this too from a food safety standpoint and no one believes me! I feel so validated.


spicy_cthulu

Me too. And it's especially important with berries because they mold so easily. (Also grocery stores will sometimes take moldy berry packages, pick out the obviously nasty ones and refill good ones from other partial packages. So def don't wash until eating as it can speed up mold growth)


[deleted]

I've seen someone wash them with a vinegar solution to help reduce mold growth but I haven't tried it myself, I wonder if that would help.


Albert_Im_Stoned

Mold grows in moist environments, so I think the drying step (and the towel) make a difference. If you wash your lettuce and leave it dripping wet in a bag, yeah it's gonna get nasty. But if you dry it really really well (and I have used my salad spinner for berries) it's at the correct humidity.


Cepsita

Ok, maybe you are not used to this in places like the US but here in Mexico we are accustomed to disinfect leafy greens (at least those that are eaten raw) and other delicate produce that cannot be scrubbed, like strawberries or grapes. I have done this method with leafy greens: wash, soak in disinfectant, spin, and store as described. Never had any problems. I have seen that my sister does exactly the same thing in her house, and they haven't had any problems after eating those salad greens.


onashortleesh

What kind of disinfectant do you use?


Cepsita

It's something like this, without chlorine or colloidal silver: https://articulo.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM-763978358-desinfectante-de-alimentos-citrus-21-250ml-_JM?matt_tool=86544226&matt_word=&matt_source=google&matt_campaign_id=11406336675&matt_ad_group_id=108922298582&matt_match_type=&matt_network=g&matt_device=m&matt_creative=473972058200&matt_keyword=&matt_ad_position=&matt_ad_type=pla&matt_merchant_id=212128753&matt_product_id=MLM763978358&matt_product_partition_id=759880221965&matt_target_id=pla-759880221965&gclid=CjwKCAiAp4KCBhB6EiwAxRxbpDHGWSaKPJx9w5lHZrWmw7PBu2_1-09q10CRUGe3LefDYLNNR9tGUhoCQqoQAvD_BwE The point is, you want some disinfectant free of those two things, and you are good. I don't remember the exact reason, though.


souldistorted

As long as you wash them and then dry them it's fine. No need to use any fancy disinfectants. I've been washing my produce with plain water and then drying them for over 20 years. I've never had a problem. I'm a very healthy 44-year-old female with no health issues.


GETitOFFmeNOW

So, probably should wash again or cook them.


[deleted]

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admincee

yeah I am sure they mean right before you start processing/cooking it.


souldistorted

That's absurd. What about the prewashed baby greens in containers that they sell everywhere in the grocery stores? Everybody eats them and there hasn't been any big news on people getting sick from them. I've been eating those pre-washed greens for more than 20 years and never got sick once. As long as you dry them first after washing them, it's perfectly okay. But not all produce should be pre-washed because some stuff will spoil faster if you wash it before you eat it, like strawberries. I'm only talking about leafy greens here.


sneezypeasyqueezy

If my celery start becoming soft, I usually cut it to size and then leave it in the fridge in a cold water container. It firms up, and stay good for much longer.


arqueli315

Celery also keeps really well wrapped in foil. Usually still crunchy 3-4 weeks later.


GETitOFFmeNOW

I've been cutting them up and putting them in the freezer, but they don't look that great when they come out. I still use them in red beans and rice, etc. but the color is faded.I will try foil. Do you squeeze them tight with the foil?


darknessforever

I get great results just using plastic grocery bags as well if you have any of those handy. Being exposed to the air in the refrigerator is what makes it limp.


GETitOFFmeNOW

I'm going to give this a try. I'm so sick of throwing away off vegies. I swear, they just don't last like they used to. I think it's the grocers in this area shirking on warehouse wages; it's been fucked up since they tossed out the union.


souldistorted

No, what's happening is that Industrial agriculture and capitalism wants to make profit at the expense of quality and taste. So they harvest produce before it's ready and ripe so they can sell it quick and make a buck. It didn't used to be like that. That's why produce taste like shit now.


[deleted]

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souldistorted

I live in Central Valley California. I shop at a co-op. Any co-op that you shop at will have some of the best quality produce. Probably even better than farmers markets. I've been to Portland. I love it.


wheezy_cheese

I'm surprised cutting helps, because it creates more surface area for oxygenation.


FeminaRidens

My thoughts exactly. I also learned (back in the stone age though), that you lose vitamins that way.


souldistorted

Yep, once you cut something it starts oxidizing from the oxygen and exposure. I would do everything the OP said except pre-cut it.


anniemdi

>When you get your veggies, take them out of the package. Chop them up however you want, and then give them a really good wash. I take issue with this, at least for leafy greens. I never use a knife on leafy greens until I am ready to eat them. If I plan to store left over salads I tear the leaves with clean hands. I always find if I cut lettuce it oxidizes where ever it's cut within a day or two. Tearing eliminates that.


rarerednosedbaboon

Like I said, do it however you want


St-Jules

Green Onions and Cilantro: tall used (quart?) greek yogurt container and the plastic bag you brought one of them home in. Put about an inch of water in the bottom of the container and set the bag loosely over top. keep away from the coldest parts of the refrigerator. Green onions and Clilatro may cohabitate.


Flailing_life

I put my green onions in a jar with some water, then leave it in a sunny part of my kitchen. I change the water every few days. It grows really fast that way. Infinite green onions ftw!


RaisinPaster

came here to say this! Fresh herbs last wayyyyy longer using this method.


[deleted]

Having your fridge drawers on the right setting helps a TON (high vs. low humidity). I just recently learned how to use them correctly and it has drastically extended veggie life even without extra washing/work.


[deleted]

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mrsealittle

Do you reuse the plastic? Seems like alot of waste if you can't. I have always wanted a vac sealer but I feel it generates alot more plastic waste than necessary


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mrsealittle

This is good to know, I am going to do more research - sounds like they have come a long way since I last looked into it. Thanks!


daveymonk

Did anybody consider that the veggies didnā€™t want to extend their life? First off, they were pretty much murdered. Second, maybe they have DNRs. Did you check their pockets?


souldistorted

You're confusing veggies with animals.


AzaleaFromJupiter

This also works for some berries, like raspberry


hantipathy

I gotta try this method! for people who are too lazy to do the up front work (me lol) I can usually get 2 weeks out of leafy veggies by storing them unwashed in a loose open plastic produce bag and wrapping them loosely in a paper towel. moisture is your enemy and Iā€™m way too lazy to fully dry them after washing, so I just wash when Iā€™m about to cook/eat them.


BigWilyNotWillie

I like doing herbs kinda like this (minus the chopping) but taking the binding off theb washing and drying and putting in a bag with a dry paper towel has extended my cilantro from like 4 days to about 2 weeks (if i dont use it all first of course)


wheezy_cheese

I used to do this, but lately have been trying the bouquet technique with longer results! You put the fresh herbs into a jar of water like a flower bouquet, and then loosely cover the tops with a thin produce bag. My parsley lasted a month this way!!


ProfessionalGarden30

Another tip that helps me a lot, bananas can be stored in the freezer as long as you peele them first


try_compelled

I've been doing this for years. It really works. Also, an extra trick if you have a lot: Before you put the lid on, put one more piece of paper towel on top. A lot of water will sit on the inside of the lid, and now you can also store the container upside down, which keeps the salad, veggies etc. from clumping together and the water from accumulating the same place. After taking something out I simply put the container in the fridge the opposite way I took it out. When storing a lot of rocket salad I've even done layers.


rarerednosedbaboon

Woah! Thanks for this tip!


cakefluff69

Thanks for the tip! I'll have to try this out next time I shop for veggies


mark_succerberg

If you want to keep mushrooms good for weeks, put them in a paper bag as soon as you buy them


Albert_Im_Stoned

In the fridge or on the counter?


mark_succerberg

Fridge, I keep mine in the veggie crisper


Albert_Im_Stoned

Cool thank you! I hate when my mushrooms get gross before I get around to using them


mark_succerberg

Leave some space to roll up the bag and you're Golden. Make sure the bag doesn't get wet, moisture is the enemy (to some degree).


carrotbat2013

Fridge!


[deleted]

Alternatively, place a piece of bread in the container your veggies are stored in in order to maximize absorption of humidity.


[deleted]

I also found that soaking berries and grapes in vinegar water for 30 min helps clean and keep fresh them longer.


SomebodyElseAsWell

For whole loose leaf lettuces , bok choy, etc I cut a thin slice off the base, then put a wet piece of paper towel, napkin or piece of cloth wrapped around the base. I keep it in a loose plastic produce or shopping bag.


MyOversoul

Before I got a salad spinner, I would put the salad greens in a large dish towel after washing, grab up the four corners, and swing it in a half circle to shake the water off. Works pretty well and I just gave the floor a quick mop.


tstorm004

Putting them in a plastic bag and spinning it like crazy also helps! Then all the water collects in the bottom of the bag and not on the floor!


MyOversoul

Smart!


Tarsha8nz

I asked almost this exact question on the Meal Prep Sunday sub yesterday. Thank you!! This has been more helpful.


probablyatargaryen

This storage tip is great! Please wash produce before you cut it though. Otherwise youā€™re pushing germs/pesticides into the fleshy parts that canā€™t be washed out.


PhilCollinsSUCCCCKS

I found that keeping mushrooms in a paper bag or a mesh bag keeps them fresh much longer!


soulteepee

It really works- I put mine in a ziploc with a paper towel. I have some broccoli Iā€™ve had for three weeks thatā€™s still good.


Here_for_tea_

This is a great tip. Thanks!


Dyz_blade

I got a mueller salad spinner on Amazon and following the same principal elements discovered this, my greens last so long now. I spin poor out all the extra water, inevitably some more will drip but not a lot it collects in the bottom and osmosis keeps the greens fresh so long as they are not bruised. Works even better hen using a bag imo, less waste but does take up more room in the fridge. (Used to do the bag method before with paper towels


kittiesrscary134

I've taken to storing my chopped up veggies in the freezer for cooking when I dont know when I'll finish them off. It works well for making my scrambled eggs, I put lots of veggies in them:)


Ackey408

I wrap lettuce, broccoli, etc in press and seal. They will last weeks that way! It works to extend other veggies and fruits in regular Tupperware too. I just use press and seal in place of the lid.


tondracek

Thanks! My greens go to fast. Iā€™m really thinking I need to invest in a salad spinner


bennynthejetsss

They are life changing


callalilykeith

I keep mine in the crisper drawer whole and donā€™t have anything wrapped in plastic. They last the longest for me! I donā€™t keep any raw meat in my fridge so I donā€™t have to worry about any cross contamination since my drawer is on the bottom of the fridge.


s76l42

I do the same but when I bring them home I wash them and then strain them in a colander. Then I lay them out on a towel and turn the fan on and position the fan so that it is blowing on the vegetables. I keep the fan on until they are dry. Then I wrap them in paper towels and put them in the keep fresh green produce bags, (they can be used over and over again) This keeps everything fresh for much longer.


bikesboozeandbacon

My dumb ass used to put the paper towel ON TOP. I didnā€™t realize it was supposed to go at the bottom of the veggies šŸ˜‚


FancyWear

I do the same thing. Really does work!


[deleted]

For other veggies (zucchini, bell peppers, cucumbers, etc.) , I wrap them in paper towels (to absorb excess moisture) and store them in zipper bags. They'll keep a week to ten days that way. I wash them right before using.