Shelf-stable groceries (such as canned goods) are designed to last for a long time, but fresh items like fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy products tend to spoil before they are consumed. Because of their health benefits and superior taste, it can be difficult to justify spending money on these ingredients.
Whenever possible, buy local produce
Locally grown produce stays fresher longer than imported produce, even though farmer’s markets, CSAs, and small grocery stores with direct connections to local farms tend to charge higher prices. Freshness can be prolonged by shopping locally.
Check The Refrigerator Temperature
A safe temperature for food is between 35°F and 40°F. You can test your refrigerator with an inexpensive thermometer if it does not have a built-in digital readout. Foods kept on door shelves often stay warmer than those on other shelves in the refrigerator.
Image Credit: Shutterstock/New Africa
Store some produce at room temperature
Fruits and vegetables with a slightly warmer storage temperature tend to be tastier and more flavorful. It is helpful to consider that fruits and vegetables break down on a cellular level faster than others because refrigeration slows down the decay process.
Dry Leafy Greens Before Refrigerating
Store leafy greens in a higher-humidity environment to prevent wilting. Maintain crispness by setting a crisper drawer’s humidity higher on the fridge. Buying bagged salads is not a good idea if you want the produce to have longer-term freshness.
Image Credit: Shutterstock/Evgeny Atamanenko
Fresh Herbs
You can store fresh herbs just as you would fresh flowers. Put the herbs in a glass jar half-filled with fresh water after snipping their ends with kitchen scissors. Keep the fresh herbs in the refrigerator covered with a plastic grocery store bag.
Other tips include keeping ethylene-producing items isolated from ethylene-sensitive produce and storing dairy and meat products in the coldest part of the fridge.