Being a mom and an entrepreneur can be a challenging combination in a resume. Aside from farmed knowledge and skills, no one really is an outright expert when you start in these ‘careers’.
I have been a mom for quite some time now, and is learning the ropes on how to juggle both jobs, that comes with taking care of my son, my family, my resellers, and clients, and still committed to living a healthy lifestyle.
One of the challenges I face as a homemaker, is cooking; particularly that of keeping fruits and vegetables crisp and fresh. I used to remember my mom lecturing me about maintaining a good home, a workable kitchen, and choosing the right things to buy in the wet market.
Good thing, I was able to find and combine some tips and tricks that work for me.
- Buy from a specialty grocery store or farmers market.
While you have every freedom to choose where to buy, I just really like buying in supermarkets like these for they store their produce well. And the sellers practice good hygiene in handling their good.
2. Keep them dry before storing.
After washing, be sure you store them dry. Moisture can lead to molds when they are already inside the fridge.
3. Reuse your plastic bags.
Putting them inside plastic bags will help prolong their shelf life. It will also act as a shield from other gases produced by other fruits and vegetables, that may cause them to ripen immediately.
4. Separate gassy fruits and vegetables from the others.
Apples, bananas, pears and potatoes produce a gas called ethylene. It is a gas that may cause other fruits and vegetables surrounding them to oxidize and quickly ripen. So to prolong their crispiness, make sure you give the bananas its own area, like in the kitchen table.
Store the apples inside a bag before putting them inside the refrigerator.
5. Ripe fruits go to the fridge.
Avocadoes, mangoes and pineapples are most likely to ripen rapidly, that is why it highly recommended to store them inside the fridge when you come home from the supermarket
6. Remove vegetable tops.
Cut them out to avoid moisture retention, thereby preventing your produce from developing molds. The leafy tops of your pineapple should also be cut off, and make sure you store your pineapple upside down. This helps redistribute sugars that goes to the bottom during delivery and also helps avoid fruit spoiling.
7. Chop and freeze!
If you bought a hefty number of fruits and vegetables, you may chop some in cubes, and store them in the freezer. You may also use these when you’re creating fresh fruit juices and smoothies. In promoting a healthy lifestyle to my family, I always urge them to skip the commercial drinks, and make our own at home.
8. Use aluminum foil.
Wrap celery in aluminum foil and store it in the vegetable bin in the fridge. Aluminum is a great material to use in preserving your greens.
9. Soft goes first.
If you bought a lot of green leafy vegetables, you should prioritize to eat the softer ones first. That means, lettuce and spinach, are meant to be prepared and included in your nearest meal; and cucumber, broccoli and cauliflowers comes next.
10. Make some breathing room for everyone.
Allow your fruits and vegetable to breathe inside, and don’t stack everything all at once. This will help prolong their freshness, and be able to reach the time you’re meant to cook them.
Hope this helps you in keeping your fruits and vegetables fresh, and always ready when you need them!
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