Shop with your senses
Examine produce closely to choose vegetables
and fruits that will last. Don’t aim for produce
perfection; just avoid produce that’s already
overripe.- Look: Fruits and vegetables should be free of
mold, decay, cuts, and excessive bruises or wrin-
kles. (Don’t shy away from odd-looking produce,
though: ugly can still be delicious!) - Smell: Get your nose close and inhale deeply.
Fresh produce will smell fresh. - Touch: Avoid anything slimy or mushy (though a
few soft spots are OK if you’ll be using it soon).
Make a produce plan
What do I have? First check your fruit bowl,
produce bin, and fridge for what you already have.
What do I need? Think through your meals for
the week, then make a grocery list. And stick to it.
(Hint: Don’t shop when hungry!)
How much do I need? Practice the “Goldilocks”
approach: buy the just-right amount. Resist the
temptation to stock up when you only need a little
bit. Try to purchase small amounts more frequently.
When will I use up these ingredients? Buy deli-
cate produce, such as salad greens and herbs, only
when you plan to use it within a few days. Buy
heartier produce like sweet potatoes and cabbage
that you plan to use later in the week.
Store strategically
Know your storage spots. Store fruits and veggies where
they’ll last the longest (see “Where to Store Your Produce,”
p. 94). Wrap greens and herbs in damp towels to prevent
wilting.Use crisper drawers wisely. Store moisture-loving
produce that’s prone to wilting, like asparagus, leafy
greens, and raspberries, in a high-humidity drawer; store
fruit that’s prone to rotting, like avocados and peaches,
in a low-humidity drawer. Only one drawer? Consider it
high-humidity storage.Play “keep away.” Store veggies, especially anything
leafy, away from fruits that release ethylene gas, like
apples, cantaloupe, nectarines, and peaches. This gas
speeds ripening.Prep ahead. Chop, peel, and dice produce that you
plan to use in the next few days, if you like. But don’t
pre-prep produce that has flesh that turns brown, like
avocados and apples. (Keep these whole until you’re
ready to eat them.) Store prepped produce in separate
sealed containers in the fridge.Keep the fridge cold. Check your fridge temp—it
should be at 40°F or below.Use up what’s in the fridge
Once your fridge is stocked, your only job is to eat
your fruits and veggies!- Cook in order of shelf life. Plan to use leafy greens
within a day or two, since they have a short fridge life.
Cook longer-lasting produce, such as winter squash
and sweet potatoes, later in the week. - Practice FIFO—first in, first out. Keep newer pro-
duce toward the back of the crisper drawer and move
older items up front, to help you see what you need
to use up. - Be flexible. Survey your fridge daily, and choose reci-
pes that make for easy swaps. Change up your recipes
to accommodate not-so-fresh-anymore produce. - Take action. As soon as you see almost-past-its-
prime produce, cook, eat, or preserve it that day.
(See “What should I do with soft or slightly wilted pro-
duce?”p. 94.)
Nourish