5 top tips to keep your produce fresh for longer

Did you know Australia sends 7.6 million tonnes of household and commercial food waste to landfills every year?

Food waste creates more emissions than the entire aviation industry! The good news is we can all make a big difference – not to mention save ourselves money and time.

Follow our 5 top tips to keep your fruit and vegetables fresh for longer.

1. Store your bananas and onions separately

There are certain fruits and vegetables like bananas, apples, onions, garlic and potatoes that emit a gas called ethylene that speeds the ripening process of other produce. Try storing these foods separately to extend their life and the life of your other fruit and vegetables.

2. Move ripe fruit to the fridge

Some fruits like peaches, mangoes and avocados are best left out on the kitchen bench so they can ripen. This can sometimes take a couple of days, but after they have ripened, they can quickly spoil. Avoid this by moving your ripe fruit to the fridge to slow the ripening – giving you a few extra days to enjoy your produce.

3. Keep your berries in jars

Give your berries a rinse and let them dry completely on a clean tea towel before storing them in clean jars in the fridge. Your berries must be completely dry before you move them into your jars as any moisture will speed the ripening process. This can take some time but is an easy process and is well worth it for delicious berries that last weeks!

4. Use a towel to keep your salad greens fresh

Keep your salad greens crisp and fresh by gently wrapping them in a clean tea towel and storing them in airtight storage containers in the fridge. Avoid packing your greens together too tightly, as that will cause them to bruise and spoil faster.

5. Freeze!

One of the best ways to hit pause on food spoilage is to freeze your ripe produce. This is perfectly suited to fruit and vegetables like bananas, diced celery, onions, carrots and capsicums, berries, and greens like spinach and kale. But remember – not everything freezes well so be sure to check before throwing it in the freezer.

There is enough food produced in the world to feed everyone, but the sad reality is that millions of people are still going hungry every day. That’s why, at Foodbank NSW & ACT, we’re committed to reducing food waste to get more food to people who need it most.

If you or someone you know needs support, please visit our Find Food portal so we can connect you to a Foodbank community partner in your area.

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