To prolong the life of vegetables such as asparagus or green onions, place the bottoms in a jar with water right away. Cover with a reusable bag and a rubber band to create a balloon like shape and refrigerate for up to a week. Bonus points: if you cut off about an inch off the bottoms of your green onions and leave them in water by the windowsill, they will regrow within weeks and will be ready to be reused in no time. Other produce like potatoes, onions and tomatoes should be stored in a cool, dry space. Stop by tomorrow for some more tips but in the meantime, stay fresh everyone!

The best vegetables to consider freezing contain a more rigid structure such as peas, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, kale or squash. Steer away from waterier vegetables like mushrooms, cucumbers or lettuce as they will become waterlogged and mushy upon thawing. Blanching before freezing is helpful and this can be done by...

• Chopping vegetables to uniform sizes and then briefly boiling them in salted water for just enough time for them to wilt slightly and turn a vibrant color

• Immediately transfer into ice water as this stops the cooking process

• Strain, dry and freeze (ideally on a sheet pan) directly after

• Store in a freezer-safe container or resealable bag for up to ten months

Some vegetables can be frozen directly without blanching like onions, peppers or celery. I personally like to use these veggies for smoothies or soups. Don’t forget to label and use within eight to ten months.
Herbs should be treated a little differently when it comes to freezing as they are more susceptible to freezer-burn than vegetables. Chop up finely and fill an ice cube tray pocket about ¾ of the way full. Then top with either olive oil or water and freeze. Simply add the frozen cube directly when cooking your next meal. If the herbs were frozen in oil, there should be no need to add additional oil. Hopefully you found some of these tips this helpful. In the meantime, stay fresh everyone!

It’s all about fruit! As far as pineapples go, cut the leafy top off after purchasing and store upside down. Not only will this prolong the life of the pineapple but it will help redistribute the sugar evenly throughout. To delay mold from growing on more fragile fruits like berries, store them in the refrigerator right away and wait until you are ready to eat them to wash them. If your grapes are looking a little dehydrated, try putting them in a covered container with water in the refrigerator and watch them magically come back to life. Stop by tomorrow for another quick tip. In the meantime, stay fresh everyone!