How to Store Your Produce
Our thanks to Faye Wohlrabe for helping to compile this information.
Greens
Greens store preferably unwashed, wrapped in a damp towel or plastic bag in the hydrator drawer of the refrigerator. Best used very fresh, but may last for up to 1 week if properly stored. Keep Moist
Kale
Chard
Spinach
Lettuce
Squash
Dehydrates quickly. Store in plastic bag or hydrator drawer for up to 1 week. Damaged or bruised squash will deteriorate quickly. Cooked or pureed may be frozen.
Winter squash will store at room temperature for at least a month. Store for several months in a dry and cool location. (50 -55 degrees)
Patty Pan
Yellow Squash
Zuchinni
Summer Squash
Butternut
Acorn
Buttercup
Winter Squash
Carrots
Remove tops, leave about an inch of stems. Refrigerate dry, unwashed carrots in a plastic bag for two weeks or more.
Broccoli
Wrap broccoli loosely in a plastic bag and keep in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator. Don't use an airtight bag because broccoli needs some room to breathe. It keeps for over a week but is firmest and tastiest if used within a few days.
Green Beans
Refrigerate fresh in a plastic bag and use beans as soon as possible. Green beans will keep quite well for up to abour a week.
Potatoes
Cabbage
Celery*
Kohlrabi
*Photos marked with an asterisk were provided by FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Eggplant
Eggplant prefers to be kept at about 50 degrees which is warmer than most refrigerators and cooler than most kitchen counters. Wrap unwashed eggplant in a towel (not plastic) to absorb any moisture, and keep it in the hydrator drawer of your refrigerator. used within a week, it should still be fresh.
Onions*
Bulb onions will store for several months in a cool dry ventilated place. Warmth and moisture willl cause sprouting. Store cut onions the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Leeks
Loosely wrap unwashed leeks in a plastic bag and store them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator where they will keep for a week.
Peppers
Refrigerate peppers unwashed in hydrateor drawer for 1 -2 weeks. To freeze, cut into bite size pieces, and place in an airtight container. Peppers also dry well.
Sweet Corn
Refrigerate immediately with husks on and use as soon as possible to retain sweetness and flavor. - Freezes well. Blanch on or off the cob for 3-5 minutes rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process, and drain. Dry corn well, then pack it on or off the cob into airtight containers.
Pears
Beets
If your beets still have greens attached, cut them off leaving an inch of stem. Put them in a plastic bag unwashed and store in the cripser drawer of your refrigerator. They will keep for seveal weeks but the sweetness will diminish over time. The greens should be kept unwashed and refrigerated in a closed plastic bag.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower does not keep well. Stored cauliflower may take on an odor & flavor over time. Refrigerate fresh cauliflower in a plastic bag.
Tomatoes
Hold tomatoes at room temperature for up to one week, longer if still ripening. Do not refrigerate.
Peas
Use as soon as possible to retain crispness and flavor. Refrigerate in a plastic bag for 4-5 days. Peas freeze well. Blanch for 3 minutes then submerge in ice water, drain, pat dry and pack into airtight container.
Cucumber*
Pumpkin
Apples
