How to Store Produce and Waste Less Food
Fridge Organization Inspiration
Does this look familiar? That’s probably because it is. In October we released a Produce Storage Tip Guide in our Monthly Newsletter. We had such incredible responses to our guide, we wanted to create it into a blog post for everyone to see! If you want early access to any of our guides or activities sign up for our Newsletter, we release new ideas and creations monthly. Now let's get started…
We’ve all experienced the disappointment of reaching for some delicious fruits or vegetables only to find that they have spoiled past the point of enjoying them. Well, don’t worry, we may have found a solution. We met with Brandy’s sister, Tanya Kuzyk, and she was kind enough to share with us all the incredible tips that she uses to help her produce last longer, and frankly, make a fridge that is seriously Pinterest-worthy!
You'll want to start by getting your space ready. You can set your space by turning on some good tunes and having a clean kitchen to work in. Make yourself a nice cup of tea or have a glass of water to sip on. Using essential oils in a diffuser is another great way to set your mind at ease to tackle this task. Make this process your own and have fun with it!
Have your glass containers ready and close by! Mason jars with lids are great for produce storage.
Begin by washing all of your fruit and vegetables by soaking them in water and vinegar to remove any bits of dirt. You'll want to make sure to remove all packaging, stickers, twist ties, and elastics. Start with your fruit, moving from most delicate to least, and the same goes for vegetables. Soak your fruits and vegetables in the water and vinegar mixture for 15 minutes. Change out the mixture as needed. You'll then want to rinse your produce and let them dry on a towel or mat.
Next, you can begin cutting up all the fruit, ensuring to cut off the ends and store it in an airtight jar. Cut and peel your carrots into sticks or dice them to make them easy for dinner meals such as soups and stir-fry. Place your carrots in water in an airtight jar. Celery can simply be cut at the ends and placed in a jar with a bit of water covering the ends of the stalks. Herbs are quick and easy just like the celery. Cut off a small bit the ends of the herbs and place them in a jar with water just covering the ends. Lettuce is another great simple vegetable to store. Once the lettuce is washed, gently wrap it in a clean towel or paper towel. If you pre-plan your meals for the week, you can pre-cut what you need for your meals while prepping your produce storage. This is also a great time to do a variety of chopping for easy snacks or dicing for quick and easy dinner vegetables.
Now on to the organizing. Tanya uses the top right corner of her fridge to store any leftovers that need to be eaten first. This keeps them from getting lost at the back of the fridge. Using a clear tray you can store your jars of food in one place for easy access. Tanya suggests keeping items in your fridge that your kids like at their eye level for them to see. Organize your fruits and vegetables in a flow that works best for your cooking style to make meal preparation easy. Your fridge should be looking vibrant at this point with your delicious fruit and vegetables on display. If you're more of a visual person, you could organize your prep jars by colour to give your fridge a colourful pop.
All this prep could seem like a lot of work, but we assure you it will save you time when you go to cook dinner, make lunches, or reach for a snack. Something about seeing the bright, clean food out of its packages can be inspiring to eat a colourful snack or meal. Having gorgeous fruits and vegetables on display in your fridge keeps them handy for when you are looking for a healthy snack idea. Prepping your fruits and vegetables not only looks beautiful in your fridge but will also help lengthen the shelf life of your produce. You'll find less and less spoiled produce when you go to cook. Organizing your fridge makes it easy to find what you need and you can organize any way you feel works for your family best.
-J
Photography: Tanya Kuzyk (@tanyakuzykphotography)