We’ve all been there: You come back from a grocery run, and just a few days later, some of your fresh produce or perishable items have gone bad. Not only is it frustrating to waste food and money, but it’s also not environmentally friendly. Fortunately, there are a few simple hacks you can use to help extend the life of your food and keep it fresh for longer. See my top 10 hacks to keep your food fresher for longer!

  1. Treat herbs like flowers – Fresh herbs and even asparagus should have their ends trimmed and then be stored in the fridge in a vase or glass of water 
  2. Wash berries in vinegar – add one-part distilled vinegar and 8-parts water to your kitchen sink, soak the berries for 10 minutes, rinse and pat dry. You can’t taste the vinegar, but it can make strawberries last up to two weeks longer 
  3. Paper towel with leafy greens – place paper towel in the bottom of your salad drawer or in your salad bags to absorb excess condensation that is created when storing vegetables in the fridge 
  4. Don’t separate bananas –  to prevent them from ripening as quickly, wrap the crown (that part of the bunch where they all join) with cling film as soon as you buy them and only separate when you’re ready to eat it. This can help them last an extra 3-5 days before they turn brown. It’s also best to store bananas away from your other fruit 
  5. Allow avocados to ripe at room temp – keep your avocados out of the fridge until they are ripe, then place them in the fridge to stop the process. Once you’ve cut them open, keep the stone in the remaining half and squeeze over some lemon juice to keep it from browning 
  6. Tomatoes belong out of the fridge – keep tomatoes on your kitchen bench as the cold temperature ruins the texture and reduces the flavour. 
  7. Store apples & potatoes together – the ethylene gas from the apples will keep the potatoes fresher for up to 8 weeks, meaning none of those sprouted spuds 
  8. Potatoes and onions should also be kept out of the fridge and are best stored in a cool dark place 
  9. Wrap your whole, uncut/unwashed celery in aliminium foil to keep it fresh. Then place the wrapped celery in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Be sure not to crimp the edges of the foil so the natural ethylene gas can escape. 
  10. Store prepped veggies in water – Place chopped vegetables in a container or jar and cover with water so they stay fresh and crunchy 

Posted by Sam Wood

Father and husband, on a mission to help people move more, eat better and make a positive change to their lives. Sam Wood has over 20 years experience as a personal trainer and is recognised as one of Australia’s leading experts and media commentators in the health & fitness industry. Sam is the founder and personal trainer of 28, Australia’s #1 home fitness and nutrition program, and he's also the proud owner of Australia’s largest personal training studio, The Woodshed, based in Brighton, Melbourne.

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