One of the worst feelings is spending your hard earned money on groceries, only to have them go bad before you can use them. Here are a few tricks that you can use to extend the life of your groceries, and keep them fresh longer. These tips will save you time and money, so you can enjoy your food instead of tossing it in the trash.
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How to Keep Asparagus Fresh Longer
Take the asparagus out of the plastic bag. If left in the bag, the stems of the asparagus will continue to harden, making it inedible after a few days. Instead, take the asparagus out of the bag and cut the bottoms of the stems off. Then place them upright in a glass with two inches of water. The water will help keep the asparagus fresh and it will last up to a week longer.
How to Keep Berries Fresh Longer
Berries are notorious for rotting and molding quickly. Berries should not be soaked in water and stored in airtight containers because they tend to mold faster. They also shouldn't be stored in your refrigerator crispers because of the humidity levels. Instead, rinse berries in a mixture of 4 cups of water and 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar. Drain them in a colander and allow them to dry a bit. Then store them in a colander in your refrigerator so air can circulate around them. This will keep your berries from molding quickly and ensure they last up to a week.
Note: The berries will not retain the taste or smell of the vinegar.
Warning
Cutting strawberry stems off of the strawberries will cause them to rot faster.
How to Keep Celery Fresh Longer
Celery stored in plastic bags can wilt quickly because the ethylene gas that the celery gives off becomes trapped, and causes the celery to wilt and deteriorate. Instead of leaving it in the bag, store your celery in aluminum foil. It will keep your celery fresh and crisp for up to a week and a half.
Note: If you'd like to pre-cut your celery, store it in a container for up to 2 days before use. Storing in water is not necessary.
How to Keep Bananas Fresh Longer
Bananas become ripe and can rot at a very fast rate. Typically, bananas are stored in a bowl on your countertop. Once you remove one of the bananas from the bunch, ethylene gas starts to release, causing the rest of the bananas to start ripening quickly. To keep the remainder of your bananas from rotting, wrap a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap around the banana stem and secure it with an elastic band. This will keep the ethylene gas from spreading to the other bananas and prolong the life of your bananas fro up to a week.
These easy tips will help keep your groceries fresh and save you money in the process.