Easy ways to make your fresh fruit and veg last for longer saving you money
Most of us have resolutions to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, but sometimes it can be difficult to know the best way to store food to keep it as fresh as possible.
But now a user on TikTok has revealed their simple tricks and hacks to make your fresh produce last much, much longer.
In a video shared by @user8100293452186believed to be from the US, they revealed their simple steps to keep your bananas firm and yellow, prevent your potatoes from sprouting, and your onions free from mold.
When sharing the clip, they posted that they would share “food storage tips your grocer would never tell you.”
In the short video, the voiceover explains that simply rinsing your bananas can help remove some of the ripening agent ethylene from the fruit, which they produce themselves.
The TikTok video recommends rinsing the bananas in cold water and patting them dry to remove any ripening agent from the fruit
Then wrap a little wet paper towel around the stem to prevent them from producing so much ethylene
After drying, the video says, a wet paper towel should be placed around the stem of the bananas to prevent them from producing too much ethylene and causing the bananas to ripen too quickly.
Although, if this trick has come too late for your spoiled fruit, check out this dietitian-approved banana bread recipe.
Elsewhere, they recommend putting onions in pantyhose and distributing them individually, with a knot between each pantyhose.
By hanging them in a dark closet, they can last up to 12 months.
Another top tip the video suggests is to keep your potatoes away from onions, as the gases they release will cause the others to spoil more quickly.
Instead, store the potatoes in an airtight bag with an apple and store them in a dark place.
According to the TikToker, this should prevent them from sprouting and keep them nice and firm for longer.
Another tip they recommend to keep scallions or scallions fresh for longer is to wet a paper towel and wrap the white bulb part of the vegetable in it. This will keep them firm for up to two weeks.
Tomatoes can also get battered and soft pretty quickly, so the video recommends placing a piece of tape over the stem end to hold in the moisture. Once this is done, they can be stored for up to three weeks after purchase.
If you have time to make a small drink, the clip also claims that cabbage can be easily treated to last longer.
Mix a teaspoon of sugar and salt with a splash of clear liquor (vodka or gin would work) and stir together. Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage and cut off the end of the stem.
Once the end has been patted dry with a paper towel, apply some of the liquid to the stump and wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. This should ensure it lasts up to three weeks.
And finally, keep the vampires at bay by keeping your garlic fresh and edible. Take the bulbs and put them in an airtight bag along with some salt and tea leaves. Voila!
It’s not the first time a social media user has stunned the internet with his food preservation techniques.
A woman previously revealed the “groundbreaking” way she keeps fruit in her fridge for weeks, saving her a fortune on groceries.
Sandra, 26, from Australia, keeps fruit in preserving jars instead of storing them in supermarket plastic containers.
Due to less oxygen, the fruit stays fresh, juicier and crisper for two weeks longer than if it were stored in plastic containers.
“I tried it and will never go back, it keeps the fruit fresh forever,” she wrote.
Sandra, 26, from Australia, keeps fruit in preserving jars instead of keeping them in supermarket plastic containers
Sandra shared the hack with thousands on Facebook and many revealed that they too follow the same storage method.
‘This really works! Also works well for sliced fruits and vegetables,” one Facebook user wrote.
“Having been doing this for years, fruit stays as fresh as the day you buy it because no moisture gets into the jar,” another wrote.
“I also store all my fresh herbs from my garden in mason jars and a large mason jar full of water will keep your avocados fresh for weeks,” a third wrote.
Others shared how they store their fruit in mason jars and revealed that the secret is not to wash them or add water.