To most people, fruits are the sweetest gifts that nature has to offer, but they usually end up spoiling before one has completely enjoyed all of them. Bananas ripen too early, and strawberries become mushy too quickly; keeping fruits fresh seems to be quite difficult. Luckily, a few hacks can be done around the house to make an enormous difference in extending the shelf life of fruits. These little habits cut costs and, at the same time, reduce waste of food and ensure better nutrition with every single day.
1. Bananas – Cover the Stem
Bananas ripen fast because of their production of ethylene gas. By wrapping the stem with plastic wrap, the banana emits gas slowly and keeps their color yellow and firm for a long time. To keep them fresh, separate them and wrap each stem individually.
2. Apples – Salt Water Soak
Apples brown immediately after cutting. To avoid browning, soak apple slices in salt water (½ teaspoon of salt/1 cup of water) for 5 minutes and rinse before chewing to get rid of a salty taste-makes them pretty fresh looking for hours.
3. Strawberries – Store Upside Down
Strawberries get spoiled quickly and gather mold because of moisture accumulation. Storing strawberries invert in a container with paper towels beneath helps to relieve some of the excess moisture audience around the stems. This would keep them firm and fresh for a few extra days.
4. Grapes – Bag it, Chill
For grapes, store in a bag- either plastic or paper bag that has holes to ensure air-take it to the fridge. Perhaps not washing fresh grapes at storage time because moisture will encourage the mold growth. Just wash it before it is consumed for maximum freshness.
5. Oranges – Paper Bag Rest
Allow them for a few days to rest in a paper bag at room temperature, and the oranges will naturally sweeten over time. This method condenses and, to some degree, softens the fruit without the over-ripening of everything.
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