How to keep produce fresher for longer

There’s nothing worse than grabbing spinach you bought two days ago from the fridge to find out that it’s past its use by date and belongs in the bin. Not only that, food waste is a major problem in the world, with over 5 million tonnes of food ending up in landfill each year, to put this into perspective, it’s enough to fill 9000 Olympic sized swimming pools. Below are some tips from on how you can prolong the life of fresh fruit and vegetables for as long as possible.

Spinach

Spinach is something a lot of us have in the fridge all the time, it’s a go to for a lot of recipes, however it doesn’t last a long time. To extend the life of fresh spinach all you need to do is store it correctly. To make spinach last longer, simply line a reusable silicone ziplock bag with biodegradable paper towels. Pick out any old looking leaves of spinach, and make sure the spinach is as dry as possible then make the ziplock bag is closed completely and store in the fridge. Depending on how fresh the spinach is when you buy it, this method always keeps spinach fresh in the fridge for at least 5-7 days (sometimes longer).

Blueberries 

Blueberries are great to have in the fridge, however if not stored correctly can only last a few days. To make them last longer, give them a quick bath in a vinegar and water solution the moment you get them home, dry them, and place them in a clean container, or bamboo lunchbox lined with biodegradable paper towels. The vinegar helps to kill any mold that could cause them to spoil, and this method can make them last as long as 10 days.

Avocados 

We all know that once an avocado is cut open, brown colouring can appear soon after. However, the colouring isn’t necessarily bad - it’s not pleasant either. If you’re eating half the avocado, use the half without the pit first. While the pit doesn’t technically do anything to prevent it from aging, it can slow down the process of decolouring. To avoid this from happening you can slow down browning by coating any exposed flesh with fresh lemon juice. After applying the juice, wrap the avocado in a container and store in the fridge for two to three days.

Leafy greens (or anything with a stalk)

This food storage hack works a treat at extending the life of herbs, lettuce, carrots, and pretty much anything you can think of with a stalk.
All you need to do is place the spears in a glass jar, cut ends down. Fill the jar with about 1 inch of water. Store in the front of the fridge for up to 10 days