How do you store freshly picked veggies?

Question

When you pick zuccihini's, peppers... how do you store them so they last a long time? I don't mean freezing them. I mean so that they can be used next week or something.

Answer 1

You've GOT to get one of those vacuum storage systems. I'm a vegitarian and I got one last year for all the stuff I buy fresh at the farmers market. Seriously...This sounds like an ad, but it's a total Godsend. Lettuce, apple slices....even fresh apple SAUCE stays good for over a week! Just bite down at the bit and spend the money...I'm telling you it's da bomb!

Here's a good link to investigate....

Answer 2

Tips for Storing Your Produce:

(1) Store in the refrigerator or on the countertop
Generally we think that keeping produce in the refrigerator is going to improve storage life. For one thing, the effect of ethylene on aging is certainly slowed by the cold. But it is easy to think of exceptions to this assumption. For example, a potato tends to convert its starch to sugar if stored too cold; an eggplant develops brown spots if stored in the refrigerator. But, what about cucumbers - or bell peppers – or watermelon? Check the UC Davis reference sheet to see if you guessed right.

(2) Store in the proper poly bag or in the open (lower humidity and allow for carbon dioxide)
For those varieties that keep better in high humidity, it makes sense to store them in a produce bag after purchase. If the humidity stays too high, you can get some interesting, if not attractive, biological activity. Furthermore, produce is alive, so it must be stored to allow carbon dioxide to support its respiration. The poly bags that the grocery store supplies is not a good choice because it can keep humidity too high and excludes carbon dioxide. There are produce bags on the market that are permeable to carbon dioxide and ethylene, while maintaining proper humidity that some produce needs.

(3) Have a low ethylene atmosphere.
If the produce is ripe, keeping it away from ethylene helps maintain freshness.



Each variety of produce has its own ethylene response profile. Some are ethylene emitters, some are damaged by it, and some are both. The only way to be sure that you are not storing incompatible varieties together is to eliminate the ethylene entirely!

The refrigerator may be good at maintaining a storage temperature and humidity for produce that should be stored there. But, it creates a problem for any ethylene sensitive produce. It traps the ethylene generated by any thing in the refrigerator, allowing it to accumulate to damaging levels. Refrigerators are designed to force its cool air to all parts of the box. So, the produce drawers are not really isolated from each other. As a result storing in different drawers is only marginally effective.

If you use the produce bags, part of their function is to prevent ethylene buildup around its contents by allowing the ethylene out of the bag. But that leaves the rest of the refrigerator with the accumulating ethylene. The answer is to remove all ethylene as it is generated.

Answer 3

Put them in the vegetable crisper in the refrigerator.

The secret to keeping them longer is DON'T wash them. Rubbing them puts tiny abrasions in the surface and starts the spoiling process.

Rinse off the clumps of dirt, drain & store. When you are ready to use them you can wash them thourghly.

Answer 4

In the bottom of the refridgertor (the crisper) a trick I use is to fill a couple of bags of ice in ziplock bags and put it down there as well,

Answer 5

In the refrigerators veggie crisper

Answer 6

put in air tight contaniers