4 Steps to Keep Vegetables Fresh Longer in Fridge

It’s such a disappointment when you reach for your fruits or vegetables and they have gone bad in the fridge. Use these tips to keep vegetables fresh longer in the fridge which in turn saves money.

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We have all been there at some point in time, we buy all the fresh vegetables and fruit for the week to only notice a few days later that it’s starting to go bad or even worse we shove it in the refrigerator and forget all about it. During the weekdays, we are usually pretty busy and prepping fruits and vegetables for the week helps in a BIG way!

I love having healthy options in the house and giving the boys the option for fresh fruit with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We are still working on getting more vegetables in them. One of the best ways to meal prep for success is prepping your veggies ahead of time, and storing them properly ensures they’ll last you through the week.

I’m going to share with you all the top tips that I use weekly after grocery shopping to keep vegetables fresh longer in the fridge. One storage solution, the “jar method,” is quickly becoming more popular as a new way to decrease the fridge clutter and store all of your favorite foods while keeping them fresh longer.

Best Storage Containers for the Refrigerator

These are the storage containers I use in my fridge. I love the acrylic shelf bins. In one bin, I keep all of the yogurts which are easily accessible for the boys to grab. In another bin, I keep fresh fruit such as apples and oranges and I have a bin for eggs. I also use these containers for things like my chopped up cheese, deli meats, and leftovers. I will go into detail below how I use the mason jars for produce storage.

Keep Vegetables Fresh Longer in the Fridge

1. Wash. The first thing I do is wash all of my produce really well. I soak some of the fruits in a bowl of water with 3-4TBSP of white vinegar which helps keep fruit longer. Usually, I soak my grapes, strawberries, and blackberries. Then, I rinse really, really well.
2. Cut. Now I cut my vegetables, cut my fruit, and remove grapes from stems. This is a chance to prep the fruits and vegetables so they are bite-size, easy to grab and eat. This makes it so much easier to toss the produce in lunch containers or make a plate at lunch. I’ll toss any mushy, bruised produce.
3. Dry. I usually let my produce sit out a couple of hours on the counter to dry really well. This is a very important step to keep vegetables fresh longer in the fridge. I use drying mats and a cooling rack but paper towels would also work.
4. Store It. I have been using the wide-mouth mason jars and these plastic lids to keep my vegetables fresh longer in the fridge. The jars help preserve the fruit and vegetables longer than leaving them in the plastic bags from the store. I prefer these plastic lids over the metal rings since they are super easy to open. Put the jars into the fridge.

Tips to Keep Vegetables Fresh Longer in the Fridge

• Storing fruit in mason jars, or the like, since they are expensive, will extend the life of your fruit
• When it’s easier and more convenient you are more likely to grab it. Because the vegetables are already washed and cut, all you have to do is eat it – such a timesaver!
• I keep some water in the mason jar when I store celery. I just feel like it helps the celery keep it’s moisture better.
• Kids are more likely to reach for a jar and help themselves to fruit for a snack when it’s readily available and easy to see in the fridge – total win!

I’ve found that it does take a little bit of planning and time to get the produce prepped for the week but it’s so worth it! I would sometimes let our pineapple sit on the counter until too late because I wouldn’t have the time to cut it up before a meal. This way I can make the boys a bowl of fruit so easily or toss the fruit into their lunch containers every day with ease.

It also makes it way more likely that I will reach for the healthy options before the convenient (maybe unhealthy) options when I have fruit and vegetables ready to eat. I will make a plate of veggies and dip for lunch or grab celery and peanut butter for a snack.