A bag of wilted greens is a familiar sight in my fridge. While it does provide a biological excuse not to eat my greens and chow down on some fried chicken or pizza instead, it’s ultimately a waste of money and does nothing for my overall health goals. But what if you could keep those expensive salad greens from going bad in what feels like hours?
To learn more about food freshness, I tapped the expertise of Manzü Executive Chef Pedro Cajas for the best salad greens and produce storage tips to take back to the US. Here are Cajas’ expert tips for keeping greens, yellows and reds from turning brown.
1. Store greens at the right temp
Food storage containers add an extra layer of protection for certain produce.
“Ideally, the temperature to store greens is between 36 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit” to prolong freshness,” recommends Cajas. Anything cooler or warmer and you’ll run the risk of greens wilting or freezing.
2. Dry greens completely before storing
Make sure greens and herbs are washed and completely dry if you plan to store them in the fridge.
If you wash your greens or they have residual moisture, be sure to thoroughly dry your produce before they are stored. “Proper drying prevents excess moisture, which can cause wilting, and helps keep your ingredients crisp for longer,” said Cajas.
3. Separate fruits from veggies
Fruits such as apples and peaches emit ethylene gas, which can cause the greens that surround them to break down more quickly. Keep fruits and veggies separate either in different drawers or produce bags within the drawers.
4. Minimize knife contact
Don’t prechop produce before storing it in the fridge.
If you can, don’t prechop your salads or buy oversized bags of lettuce. “Cutting can accelerate their decomposition,” reveals Cajas, who also advises home cooks to handle greens with care during meal preparation. Once something is sliced, diced, chopped or even massaged, it releases its moisture and immediately speeds up the process of wilting.
Read more: You Have Too Many Kitchen Knives. Here Are the 4 You Need.
5. Utilize the crisper
This drawer retains the most humidity in your fridge, which maintains moisture while preventing salad leaves and other vegetables from completely drying out.
Climate is everything
Tomatoes don’t always need to be stored in a refrigerator but a warmer local climate may cause them to spoil faster.
Many fruits and vegetables can survive outside of a refrigerator, local climate should ultimately dictate the decision to forego modern technology. “In our restaurant, all the ingredients we use for salads require refrigeration due to the high temperatures in the area.
“This is especially true in Santa Teresa, where the intense heat affects the freshness of the vegetables,” explains Cajas. “In other areas, such as San José, some items, like cherry tomatoes, could be kept without refrigeration, but in our case, all our ingredients are refrigerated.”
Curious to know which foods can stand up to their natural environments? Check out our complete guide on foods that don’t need to be kept in the refrigerator.
Fresh is best
The less time your produce spent traveling from farm to fridge, the longer it should stay edible after purchase.
The less time traveling from farm to plate, the longer the lifespan. Consider shopping for produce at farmer’s markets where notoriously fragile and flimsy ingredients such as herbs and salad greens may have been harvested as early as that morning.
“Costa Rica, with its tropical climate and variety of microclimates, allows for the availability of fresh produce nearly year-round,” shares Cajas. “We respect closed seasons to ensure the growth and reproduction of species, which our customers greatly appreciate. Although some products have a specific season, such as Costa Rican guava and pitaya, we generally have access to a wide range of fresh ingredients thanks to the country’s natural conditions. This abundance enriches our menu offerings and allows our guests to always enjoy fresh, authentic flavors,” he adds.
Greens that don’t turn to mush… now that’s pura vida.
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