How to Keep Cucumbers Crisp

Store cucumbers in the refrigerator to keep them crisp.

Naturally crisp cucumbers make a healthy snack, or a crunchy addition to salads, vegetable platters and other cold appetizers. Cucumbers require cold storage to maintain their crisp texture and taste best when eaten within a few days of the purchase date. If you purchase cucumbers from a store, they will have an edible wax coating that aids crispness. Cucumbers from local farmers or your own vegetable garden will not have this protective coating. Both kinds should be stored in the same way.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic bag
• Plastic wrap (optional)

Instructions

1. Select healthy-looking cucumbers. These will be dark green with no yellow spots. Avoid cucumbers that have wrinkles, and those that feel soft when you press them lightly.

2. Place cucumbers in a plastic bag and knot or seal the bag. You may use perforated plastic bags, which allow air to circulate, or standard plastic bags.

3. Place the bag of cucumbers in the produce bin in your refrigerator. Store them there for up to five days, the optimal storage window for fresh cucumbers.

4. Use cucumbers as needed. If you use part of the cucumber and want to store the rest, wrap the leftover portion of the cucumber using plastic wrap and return it to the refrigerator.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Cucumber
• Iowa State University Extension; Buy Fresh Buy Local - Cucumber; September 2003