Spring Produce Storage Tips and Pea Soup Recipe!

 

Leafy greens should be washed and well dried in a salad spinner.  Then simply roll them in dry paper towels or clean linen dishtowels and store in the refrigerator.

 

Scallions – There’s nothing worse than bringing home a bunch of scallions only to have them turn slimy when you need them most.  The best way to store them is white part down in about 2″ of water in a glass or jar in the refrigerator.

 

Avocados, tomatoes, mangoes, melons, apples, and pears will continue to ripen if left sitting out on a counter top. Once they are ripe, refrigerate. Items like bell peppers, grapes, citrus, and berries need to be refrigerated.

 

When storing bananas on your kitchen counter, be careful not to store them next to other fruits or they will ripen any nearby fruits. Additionally, pull the bunch apart to slow down the ripening process.

 

Fresh herbs do best in a jar on the kitchen counter in a bit of water, ideally, loosely covered with plastic. If you want to store them in the fridge, place washed and dried herbs in a zip-loc bag or plastic container, left slightly open so that the air will circulate.

 

If you buy “bagged” vegetables, like Brussels sprouts, spinach or peppers… poke a few holes in the bag before refrigerating. After all, veggies like to breathe, too.

 

Chards are a wonderful springtime crop and there’s nothing worse than buying a beautiful head of Swiss chard only to have it turn, a day or two later.  The best way to store chard it to refrigerate it unwashed in a plastic bag with a couple holes poked in the bag for air.

Cucumbers go bad very quickly when they’re kept too cold.  Store them towards the front of your refrigerator so they warm up a bit when you open the fridge.

Celebrate spring with this perfect Spring Sweet Pea Soup!