You’ve seen me say it before: the average person throws away 25 to 30 percent of all of the food they buy. Most of the tossed food consists of fresh produce. Often we buy produce, stick it in the refrigerator and forget it until it turns into a science experiment. I’m sure everyone can relate to the wilted, slimy lettuce in the crisper drawer, the tomato rotting away on the counter or the bag of potatoes with so many eyes it could qualify for a vision plan.
Over the course of the summer and the fall, we shared in a produce co-op. Each week, we would pick up our share of food and then scramble to make sure that we used it all up (or froze what we could) before the next batch came in. Sometimes there would be a small amount of something, such as one turnip, which made for some creative meal planning.
During that time, though, I did happen to learn a few things, such as how to store much of the produce to extend its shelf life and which items lasted longer than others. By the end of the season, I pretty much knew what had to be used up in a day or two and what could hold over for a week or more.
Obviously, produce with a longer shelf life gives you a little more flexibility with how and when you can use it. If you find yourself throwing out a lot of produce in general, make the bulk of your purchases to be long shelf life produce.
What types of produce have a longer shelf life? Well it can depend on variety, but here is a general guideline:
- Apple–choose tart or crisp versions, such as gala or granny smith. The sweeter types, such as red delicious tend to get a bit mealy over time.
- Potatoes–keep them away from onions.
- Onions–see above.
- Carrots
- Squash–winter squash seems to last the longest, although all squash tends to do well. You can also shred it and bake it or freeze it.
- Cabbage