How to Save Money Keep Fruits and Vegetables Fresh Longer
You can save money and keep fruits and vegetables fresh longer without having to buy those expensive green bags. With costs for fresh fruits and vegetables on the rise, it is important to first buy in quantities that you will use within a two week period of time. And, you do not have to buy those expensive "green" bags advertised on television. I go grocery shopping every two weeks and buy mostly fresh, not canned, fruits and vegetables. And, I keep them fresh for at least two weeks. How? Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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To keep fresh fruits and vegetables fresh longer, my first stop at the store is the produce department where I collect 8 to 10 bags from the store bag dispenser, then choose the fruits and vegetables from the back of the bins, never the front. I make sure that there are no bruises or wilted leaves on lettuce or cabbage and that there are no dents or bruises on the fruits.
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When I get home, I take all of the produce out of the bags, turn the bags inside out and dry off any moisture. Then I wipe off each piece of fruit and the vegetables with clean paper towels. Then I let the produce sit out on your counter top until they are dry. The next step is the crucial one. When the produce is completely dry and room temperature, use a length of paper towels (unseparated) to wrap around the produce. For baking potatoes I use one paper towel per potato. Place the fruit or vegetable back in the plastic grocery produce bag which should now be dry inside and out. Then store in the refrigerator in your produce drawers, or lower half of your refrigerator.
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Each time you need one of your tomatoes, or a single banana be sure to wrap the same paper towels around them again and store as before. Or, if the towel somehow gets damp, re-wrap with a new clean and dry paper towel before returning to the refrigerator. I have been able to keep all of my produce from spoiling for up to two weeks this way. The secret is in keeping the produce dry and cold. Enjoy saving more of your money and your vegetables!
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Tips & Warnings
The key to keeping fruits and vegetables from spoiling is to keep them cool and dry in a dark place much like our ancestors did in their root cellars under their homes.
IMPORTANT! Save the paper towels for other uses when you have used your vegetables and fruits. I reuse them for a variety of things.
