Do your veggies get limp?

[Curmudgeoness]

I love all kinds of lettuce, and end up buying too much at one time so I can have a salad with several varieties in it. This leads to too much lettuce going bad. Someone told me this tip and I didn't believe it would work, but I tried it anyways and am impressed. To keep lettuce and celery longer, wrap it in a paper towel and put it in a plastic bag. Mine stays at least twice as long as it used to now that I have started to do this. I am testing it on carrots to see if they will keep that fresh snap to them longer.

I even had some celery that was starting to get limp, and I decided to try this. I did not have it wrapped in a paper towel (what was I thinking). So I dampened one and put the celery in a plastic bag. The next time I used it, it was not limp. I am not much for using paper towels, but I will never go without them for this reason.

[knowbody0]

1. you can also perk up veggies

with icy cold water. celery especially.

[northoftheborder]

2. I've been putting celery in a glass or jar w/water in bottom and.....

.....it keeps a lot better. Cut root bottom off, and cover tops with plastic bag. You may have to cut off top leaves to fit in frig. You can use them in cooking.

[GoCubsGo]

6. That's a good way to keep fresh herbs, too.

I snip the bottoms off, and put them in a glass of water and store in the refrigerator. Works especially good with parsley, cilantro and basil.

[Denninmi]

3. Greenbags work great.

They help keep the plant hormone ethylene from building up, and really increase the longevity of produce. I've been buying the dollar store version and they work just as well as the more expensive brands. Some Kroger stores here have started to use these types of bags for their produce bags -- I double bag produce I buy there, and then have extras -- freebies.

You can wash and reuse these bags multiple times. I've been able to keep certain kinds of winter pears and apples up to a year in my fridge in very good shape in these bags.

[Curmudgeoness]

4. I do not know of these. Is that a brand name?

What do I look for?

I have not seen anything like this in my grocery stores at the produce section, but I love your thinking. Double bag everything you buy---brilliant.

[Denninmi]

5. The original kind was called Debbie Meyer Greenbags.

They started hawking them on late night infomercials for big bucks. Then they came to stores at a much lower cost. Now Glad, Ziplock, and Hefty all have versions for sale. They should be in your grocery store in the aisle where they sell plastic bags, foil, etc. Dollar Tree stores around here have a version that has 5 to 10 bags for $1, depending upon size, and believe it or not, made in USA.

Here's a link to the original version on Amazon.com. The price is outrageous, though -- at most stores, these sell for around $3 a box. I have found the dollar store generics just as good, though.

http://www.amazon.com/Debbie-Meyer-20317-Green-Bags/dp/B0011TMP3Y

[trud]

7. what works for me

When I bring produce home, I trim it, rinse it, and store it in hard plastic transparent containers I've saved from the deli from before the deli went green. I put a couple of sheets of paper towels in the bottom to absorb any excess moisture, so there is a little dampness in there. Stuff lasts 2-3 times as long as when I leave it in the original plastic bags. The only problem is I'm forever throwing stuff in the frig until I get to this, and then I don't get around to doing it.

[housewolf]

8. To keep celery crisp and good for a long time

wrap it in aluminum foil. You'll be amazed at how long it stays good without going limp.