Money-Saving Tip! Make your fruits and vegetables last longer

I hate buying fresh foods and having to throw them out because they’ve gone bad before I can use them up.  I’ve compiled a list of tips that I’ve found to help maximize what you can get from your fresh produce:

• Fruits and Green and Red Bell Peppers keep best if you remove them from the plastic bag you brought them home in before placing them in the crisper drawer
• Tomatoes need to be taken out of the plastic bag once you get home with them.  Leave them out on the counter.  Cold is not good for tomatoes
• For zucchini, cucumbers, green beans and grapes, place a paper towel in the plastic bag you brought them home in but leave the bag open. The paper towel will soak up extra moisture and prevent rot. The paper-towel treatment also works for lettuce, but close the bag.
• Onions, Garlic and Potatoes can be stored in the pantry.  (I personally keep mine in the basket drawers on my kitchen cart.)  Store onions separate from other vegetables.  The onion fumes make other vegetables rot faster.

Hope these tips help!  Feel free to leave your own tips in the comments below!