Is your crisper drawer is full of wilted salad greens, bendy beans, flimsy carrots and celery?
Here’s how to fix your vegetables so they don’t go to waste.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to restoring squishy spuds or limp lettuce to their former glory.
Trim Any Parts You Don’t Need.
Cut away anything that is too wilted or not needed.
Celery leaves may be too shriveled for resurrection, but the celery stalks can be saved.
Keep only what you want to revive.
Place the Produce in Ice Water.
Then, put the container with the vegetables in the fridge to keep the water cool.
Let the food soak for 15 to 30 minutes.
Heartier produce, such as root vegetables, may need longer, or up to one hour.
Just be sure to trim the ends a bit to open up the cells.
You may have to let them soak a bit longer, but you’ll save water.
You may need to rinse the food under cool running water to remove any remaining grit or dirt.
Then, wrap the vegetable in absorbent towels to wick away excess water.
Dry individual lettuce and greens leaves thoroughly.
Use as You Normally Would.
Most of the revived produce can be used just as you had planned.
Revived produce will taste nearly identical to fresh-from-the-field food.
Use any revived produce within two days to prevent deterioration.
Pictured Recipe:Roasted Beet Salad
How Does It Work?
Water is essential to vegetable’s growth, texture and vitality.
Indeed, most vegetables are more than 80 percent water by weight.
When they’re harvested, vegetables have a limited supply of water.
When that water is gone, the cells in the vegetables begin to collapse.
Which Veggies Can Be Revived with This Technique?
Hearty vegetables like carrots, beets and potatoes do well with the water revitalization technique.
Asparagus and broccoli will also work.
What it’s unlikely to work with are vegetables and produce that rot quickly instead of shriveling.
These include zucchini, squash, pumpkin and tomatoes.
When Will It Not Work?
Produce that is also discolored or covered in dark spots is also likely too far gone.
Other obvious signs of decay include slimy texture, mold growth and liquefied portions.
These foods should be trashed-or better yet, taken to your compost pile.
You’ll instead have healthy hydrated food longer.
The towels will wick away moisture and prevent quick deterioration.
you might store carrots, asparagus, broccoli and similar foods in your crisper drawer.
Newer fridges often allow some level of adjustable humidity control.
Increase the humidity, if you’ve got the option to, to prevent evaporation.
Plan to use the food within four days.
Potatoes should be stored at room temperature in a dry environment to prevent moisture from making them soggy.
Place beet bulbs in a zip-top bag and refrigerate for up to one week.
Put the herb bundle in a plastic bag, and refrigerate for up to one week.
Check the towel after two days.
Add more water if it is dry.
