Storing Vegetables
5th November 2006
Wonder how long fresh vegetables will keep? Use the following guidelines for storage length and location. Place unwashed vegetables in perforated or regular vegetable bags before storing. Vegetables keep as follows:
- Refrigerate 2 to 4 days: Asparagus, beet greens, chard, collard greens, green peas, green onions, fresh lima beans, mushrooms, mustard greens, spinach and turnip greens. Leave sweet corn in husks and refrigerate uncovered.
- Refrigerate 3 to 5 days: Bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, green beans, lettuce, okra and summer squash.
- Refrigerate 1 to 2 weeks: Beets, cabbage, carrots, parsnips, radishes and turnips.
- Store in a dark, dry, well-ventilated place between 45ºF and 60ºF for 2 weeks: Garlic, onions, potatoes, uncut winter squash with hard rinds. Store onions and potatoes separately to reduce spoiling.
- Store at room temperature: Tomatoes (they’ll ripen). Keep tomatoes away from direct sunlight, which can make them mushy and pulpy.
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