Proper storing of vegetables...help?

Question

I have many fresh vegetables from my hubby's farm garden (it's not our farm). Green beans--some I cut, blanched, and froze, but how should the fresh ones be handled. I will use them tomorrow night for supper. Do I leave them out or put them in the fridge?

Also, I have a lovely large cabbage head (no..not me! It's a vegetable). I know this will keep well in my veg crisper, but do I wrap in plastic, or just as it is?

Mushrooms...they get slimy no matter what I try. Help!

And also green onions. They just get wilty when I put them in the crisper without any covering. Again, help?

I would like to make my vegetable last a bit longer. I hate throwing out good food, but there are only the two of us to eat it. Thank you for your help in advance :-)

Answer 1

Since you are using the green beans so soon, you could probably get away with leaving them out. I would just put them into a ziptop storage bag and leave them in the crisper.

I would also put the whole cabbage head into a ziptop bag. Cabbage is very hearty though, so if you wanted to cut it up or shred it before you stored it, it should be fine.

Mushrooms are a pain in my ***. If you keep them covered, they get slimy. If you leave them uncovered, they will absorb all the refridgerator funky smells. I would saute them, cool, and freeze them. If you want them fresh... well... I don't buy them unless I'm going to use them that day or the next. Make salads, add them to whatever you're making for dinner, and have omelets with sliced mushrooms for breakfast. :)

On second thought, since you've already got them, you could try wrapping them with a dry paper towel, maybe that will help absorb some of the moisture.

You can rinse them (gasp!) as well. They will absorb SOME water, but as long as you don't leave them soaking they will be fine. You can also remove the gills too before rinsing, as they tend to absorb the most water.

Green onion: yep... ziptop baggie.

I always take all of my veggies out and put them in ziptop bags as soon as I get home. If I don't, I'll never do it. :)

I wrap my herbs in damp paper towels and put those into ziptop bags as well, because I have a teeny apartment refridgerator. If you have the space, the best way to store leafy herbs is to stick them in a glass of water (like flowers in a vase) and keep them in the fridge.

Most fruit I'll just leave in the store bags... citrus and apples don't need a whole lot of prepping.

The only thing I don't prep before is berries. If you wash those things then store them in the fridge, they will mold SO fast, sometimes even as soon as the next morning. Some restauraunts wash, core, and slice their berries beforehand, but they also tend to add sugar, which is a preservative.

Good luck with your veggies!

Answer 2

I would put the beans in the fridge or crisper portion and then enjoy them tomorrow night. The cabbage doesn't need any plastic wrap until you cut into it...then wrap the cut edges. When you go to use it again, you might need to cut a thin slice off the cut edges to remove slight browning. Cabbage can last almost a month if kept in the crisper.

Mushrooms can be a problem! Wrap in a container and cover with plastic wrap - or try the others' idea of a paper bag. (I hadn't heard that one before.) I'd saute them with a little butter and red wine by next weekend. If they don't fit into your dinner plans by then, cook them anyway and then freeze.

Regular onions shouldn't be refrigerated, but green onions/scallions keep much better in the frig/crisper in plastic wrap.

Enjoy your farm fresh veggies before the frost/snow comes!

Answer 3

Store green beans for tomorrow in fridge; I'd put them in a zipper bag w/ a damp paper towel.

Cabbage: no need to wrap if in crisper drawer.

Mushrooms: buy the day you intend to use them, MAYBE the day before.... no longer than that. Or if they come in from the garden, use them that day or maybe tomorrow. They just dont' last long.

Green Onions: store in a tall cup of water in the fridge, so the roots can get a drink. No more than 2" of water.

Answer 4

You can leave your fresh vegies out of the fridge, but I suggest a paper bag for your mushies. Don't put the green onions in the crisper leave them out!

If you are able to buy a device that wraps your food and takes the air out this would be the best was to store all your vegies.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

any fresh vegetables u can clean and if it is wet, put it in cotton cloth to get dry. dont wash it with water. cut and keep in fridge in plastic containers. u should not allow any water to remain on vegetables if u want to store in fridge. when u want it remove from fridge and wash and use. i think all green vegetables can be stored for 4/5 days like this. u need not keep all this in deep fridge but only in fridge.

Answer 6

Great question!

You might consider freezer cooking. There are a few good cook books out there on how to prepare a meal for a freezer and most can be put in individual serving sizes for re-heating. That way one night you feel like chicken and he feels like pot roast--you've got both in the freezer.

Here's another tip--never store your potatoes near your onions. The onions release a gas that rots your potatoes.

Answer 7

you can leave your beans at you veg crisper also your cabbage.the mushrooms try to wrap it in a styro with cling wrap..the way they do it in the grocery..i think it will last longer...the green onions wrap them in old newspapers ...yup! wrap your veggies in the old newpapers before you put them in your crisper and you will enjoy your veggies much longer..!

Answer 8

I' ve read that green and leafy vegetables must be wrapped in paper bags or waxed paper to absorb its moisture and onions are best left outside the ref. Onions must be stored on nets or baskets.

Answer 9

try some good storage bags be sure all the air is out of them or either some airtight containers

Answer 10

plastic bags will solve all your worrys