what's the best way to clean fruits and vegetables?

Question

I live in a cold weather country so in winter, local produce is non-existent and we have no choice but to purchase imported fruits and vegetables.

I'm no sure what the best way to clean them is. I've always washed them with soap and dried with paper towels but I'm not sure that's the best way.

I've seen some gizmos that you can buy and put the stuff in and it supposedly uses some chemical reaction to clean of pesticides but that seems a tad too gimicky for my liking.

Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance and happy new year,
DT

Answer 1

you wash the veggies in water and i use a vegetable brush, but let them completely dry before putting them in the fridge because they will get slimy and go bad if they arent thoroughly dried.

Answer 2

If these vegetables arrived package frozen you really don't have to do anything as the packaging plant will have already done that and they are ready to cook.
Fresh vegetables are another story. I follow the great grandmother's routine who always said nothing ever comes out of the pot better than what you put in. I fill the sink with cold water, in go the vegetables. I let them soak for a few minutes stirring about, and I do this 3 times with fresh water each time. Let them drain in a colander to drip most of the water and if they are to be cooked I prepare them for the pot and if it's for salad I dry them off with either paper towels or fresh clean teatowel. We are all very healthy and we live in a very cold winter climate as well.
P.S. I don't use soap or other additives to the water.

Answer 3

that's not many times needed, even although that's not extraordinary. mushy skinned produce like peaches, spinach or strawberries can now and back take up cleansing soap into the flesh, although. Use an unfragranced castile cleansing soap. people in my area are primary to that. some issues I continually wash with cleansing soap are cantaloupes, oranges and apples in the event that they have been waxed. Cantaloupes are infamous for an infection after reducing via a grimy outdoors, moving pollution to the interior. you need to continually a minimum of rinse all produce, whether you do no longer consume the peel. The vinegar technique suggested via others is classic and effective, too. that's actual that working water and rubbing via hand can eliminate very almost all soil and airborne dirt and dirt, the small volume of micro organism it fairly is adhered directly to the outdoors of the fruit or veg wont come off that way. many times those remaining do no longer reason ailment with the aid of fact people's immune systems are in good shape to stand up to an infection. regarding insecticides, many pesticide residues have a low solubility in water and require some style of surfactant or scrubbing to correctly eliminate them, if in any respect, from peel you would be eating. warding off the peel is an selection. Systemic insecticides cant be bumped off.

Answer 4

Cool running water and a brush. Clean everything and let it dry before you store it and as you use it rinse again under cool running water for good measure.
I live in Northern VT so almost all of our produce is import year round and it's what I do.
There are some rinse aids in the healthfood store that are all natural that can help take off pesticide residues waxes and other mater.
Frozen is a way to go too.

Answer 5

I'd suggest saving yourself some effort and going w/ frozen fruits/veggies. They are picked at the peak of freshness and blast-frozen to preserve nutrients. If you buy organic, you don't have to worry about pesticides.

Answer 6

Just cold running water and a little vegetable brush. You don't need anything else.

Answer 7

Water with pinch of salt. Cheap & effective.