How to Easily Select and Store Green Vegetables

How to easily select and store green vegetables – Are you tired of your fresh green vegetables going bad after a few days? I’m going to give you the secrets of what to look for at the grocery store and how to properly store them when you get home. It will not only help you from throwing out vegetables, but it will save you hundreds of dollars a year. Vegetables may not be stored as easily as meat or bread products, but they are necessary for staying healthy. Try planning out your meals or keeping food labeled with proper expiration dates to insure a fresh meal every time.

Ã?· Okra: It’s important you look for small, bright-colored, crisp pods with no blemishes or brown spots. Avoid any pods that are shriveled, have seed bulges, or are lumpy and spineless. To keep Okra fresh refrigerate for up to 3 days in a tightly wrapped paper bag.

�· Cabbage: The leaves should not be withered or have any brown spots. Instead, they should look brightly colored. Select ones which have thick leaves and are heavy. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 5 days.

�· Tomato (Green): Pick well-shaped, plump, fairly firm tomatoes. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days; in the refrigerator they will not ripen and they become flavorless.

�· Spinach: Select based on a bendable stem, hard stems are not very good. Store in plastic bags and refrigerate for up to one week.

�· String Beans: Avoid beans with bulges of seeds and look for a nice shiny skin with no rust called spots. Leathery looking beans are old. Refrigerate in a plastic bag or container for 3-5 days.

�· Broccoli: Look for hard stalks with a dark green or greenish-purple head that is tightly packed is much better than yellowish heads. Store broccoli unwashed in a container in the crisper section of the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

�· Cucumbers: Choose firm cucumbers with no soft spots. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

�· Celery: Look for unwilted, crisp, and unblemished stalks. Refrigerate wrapped up tightly for up to 2 weeks.

�· Zucchini: It is impossible to find a blemish-free zucchini because they have very soft skin. So look for small firm ones that have no cuts. Refrigerate wrapped up tight for up to 5 days.

�· Brussel Sprouts: Bigger is not always better; find small sprouts that are bright green. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 days.

�· Lettuce/Greens: Select unwithered brightly colored ones. Store lettuce unwashed in paper towels and in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Greens can be kept moist and stored in the refrigerator drawer in a plastic bag for up to 2 days.

Inspect your food closely before you buy. Look for crisp, bright-colored vegetables that are heavy for their size. Stay away from bruised, shriveled, moldy, or blemished vegetables. Follow the above guidelines for selecting and storing your food and don’t forget to wash most vegetables just before use.