Buying and Storing Eggplant

  Buying Eggplant: Not many people know it, but eggplant is actually a fruit and not a vegetable. It is party of the nightshade family and is closely related to the tomato. Eggplant is very delicate and should be used in a few days. The eggplant we pick should have a smooth and shiny skin that is the same color all over. When picking them up they should feel heavy in size. We can tell if an eggplant is ripe by pressing it with our finger. If it leaves a light imprint then we know its ripe and ready for use.   Storing Eggplant: Eggplant isn’t a fruit that keeps long so really we want to use it within 2-3 days of purchase. We can store eggplant either on the counter or in the refrigerator. When storing outside of the refrigerator make sure you store in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight. Eggplant is very fragile and any bruising or exposure of the skin will cause it to go bad fast. If you want to keep the eggplant for 3-4 days then the best place is the refrigerator. Make sure you put it in a perforated plastic bag and wrap it in a paper towel. Tip: These Ziploc bags are great for storing eggplants and other fruits & vegetables. They allow air flow and help keep the moisture out, allowing your fresh produce to last longer.   What Not To Do With Eggplant: Avoid Bruised or Soft Eggplants: These are likely going bad, and if you aren’t planning to use them within a few hours of purchase they won’t make it over night. Put In Direct Sunlight: Eggplant is a nightshade fruit, it shouldn’t be stored in direct sunlight. Never Store In An Airtight Plastic Bag: This will restrict airflow and cause the eggplant to spoil faster....

Buying and Storing Avocados

  Buying Avocados: Avocados can be a very delicate fruit and usually don’t last long. For this reason we want to make sure we buy the correct avocado based on our needs. If we need our avocados immediately then we want to pick one that is just slightly soft. Avocados should yield to a light squeeze and that’s how we can tell if they are ripe and ready to eat. For all other uses we should buy firm avocados. We can speed up or delay the ripening process at home based on how soon we need them.   Storing Avocados: Depending on how soon you need your avocados is how you should go about storing them. If you are looking to consume them in 2-3 days then leave them out on the counter. They will naturally ripen and will be ready to eat in no time! If you want to keep them for 5-7+ days then you should store them in the fridge. This will slow down the ripening process and allow you to keep them for longer. You should begin to take them out of the fridge as you need them and let them sit for a day or two to ripen naturally. Just remember that the longer they have been in the cold the faster they will ripen when you take them out. Tip:  To keep a half used avocado buy an avocado saver and sprinkle some lemon juice on the fruit to prevent it from browning in the fridge.   What Not To Do: Avoid Bruised or Soft Avocados: These are either already to ripe or won’t ripen correctly. Avoid a Loose Pit : Give the avocado a shake, if you can hear the pit bouncing around then you know its already began to spoil on the inside. Don’t Store Near Apples or Bananas: Both these fruits produce a high amount of ethylene gas and will cause your pears to ripen much faster....

Buying and Storing Kiwis

Buying Kiwis: A kiwi is a nice treat to have around the house, however it is a seasonal fruit so when we buy it we don’t want to waste it! Proper storage will help you keep your kiwis fresh and make them last longer. When at the store we should buy kiwis based on when we want to enjoy them. A ripe kiwi will give on a slight touch and feel just a bit soft. These are good to eat right away, while a firm kiwi is not yet right and good for storage.   Storing Kiwis: Kiwis are best stored in the fridge to delay the ripening process. If your kiwi was already ripe when purchased then you can prolong the life about 3-5 days in the fridge. Where a very firm, not yet ripe, kiwi can last up to 4 months! We should check on these every few days though to make sure they are still firm while sitting in the fridge. To ripen a kiwi we should take it out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter 2-3 days. The natural ripening should take place and it should be yield to gentle pressure. To speed this process up we can place them in a paper bag with a apple or banana.  Tip:  If you have a bunch of ripe kiwis you can store them in the fridge within a Ziploc bag. This will help them last twice as long!   What Not To Do: Eat The Fuzz: You don’t actually have to peel a kiwi, but you shouldn’t eat the fuzz. You can give the kiwi a good scrub and eat them with the skin on! Avoid Bruised or Very Soft Kiwis: These have already begun to spoil and will just make a mess on your trip home from the store. Don’t Store Near Apples or Bananas: Both these fruits produce a high amount of ethylene gas and will cause your kiwis to ripen much faster....

Buying and Storing Pears

  Buying Pears: Pears can be a very delicate fruit and usually don’t last long. For this reason we want to make sure we buy the correct pear based on our needs. If we need our Pears immediately then we want to pick one that is just a tad soft. Pears ripen from the inside out, so a soft pear will mean its ready for eating. The best place to check is near the stem, this is the narrowest part of the pear so this should be soft to the touch. A soft bottom indicate a pear thats past its prime and shouldn’t be bought. For all other uses we should buy firm pears. We can speed up or delay the ripening process at home based on how soon we need the pear.     Storing Pears: Depending on how soon you need your pears is how you should go about storing them. If you are looking to consume them in 2-3 days then leave them out on the counter. They will naturally ripen and will be ready to eat in no time! If you want to keep them for 5-7+ days then you should store them in the fridge. This will slow down the ripening process and allow you to keep them for longer. You should begin to take them out of the fridge as you need them and let them sit for a day or two to ripen naturally. Just remember that the longer they have been in the cold the faster they wil ripen when you take them out. Tip:  Don’t forget, a pear is ripe when the tip near the stem is soft. You should check them daily to make sure they don’t spoil!   What Not To Do: Avoid Wilted or Shriveled Pears: Avoid buying these, they won’t ripen and will never be good to eat. Never Store In a Plastic or Paper Bag: The ethylene gas will be contained causing the pears to ripen much faster.  You could do this if your pears sooner rather than later. Don’t Store Near Apples or Bananas: Both these fruits produce a high amount of ethylene gas and will cause your pears to ripen much faster....

Buying and Storing Grapefruit

  Buying Grapefruit: Grapefruit can usually be bought year round, however its at its best from January to April. When purchasing a grapefruit we want to look for one that is heavy yet has smooth skin. This will ensure a juicy and delicious grapefruit.     Storing Grapefruit: If you plan on having your grapefruit in 5-7 days its perfectly safe to leave out on the counter. If you want to save your grapefruit for longer you can place it in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 weeks. Cut or partial used grapefruit should be stored in the fridge in a tight plastic container. This will allow your grapefruit to stay fresh and juicy. Tip: If you decided to store your grapefruit in the refrigerator, make sure you bring it back to room temperature before consuming. This will lead to a perfect juicy snack....

Buying and Storing Bananas

  Buying Bananas: Bananas are one of the few fruits that can be bought all year round. They are harvested in exotic climates and shipped all over the world for our enjoyment. While at the super market you usually will want to pick a group of bananas that have a green or light green tint to them. They should be firm and have no visible bruises on them. They aren’t ripe yet but will be in a few days and ready for consumption.   Storing Bananas: The freshly bought light green bananas should be stored in room temperature. Bananas release a high concentration of ethylene gas so they should be stored separately from all other fruits and vegetables. If they are stored near other fruits and vegetable this will cause all your fresh food to spoil faster. Bananas should also be hung up to avoid bruising during the natural ripening process.  This allows you to keep your bananas for the maximum amount of time and avoid tossing brown bananas. A banana is ripe and ready to eat once they are a sunny yellow color and are at their best when they are solid yellow and have small brown spots.  Tip:  If you have any left over ripe bananas cut them up and store them in a Ziplock bag in the freezer. They will last about a month and go great in smoothies!   What Not To Do: Never Store Near Other Fruits or Vegetables: Because of the ethylene gas they release they will spoil your other fresh produce. Never Store In a Plastic or Paper Bag: The ethylene gas will be contained causing the bananas to ripen much faster.  You could do this if your bananas are to green and need them sooner rather than later. Never Store In The Fridge: Bananas aren’t used to the cold climates. Storing in the fridge will cause the natural ripening process to stop and the bananas skin will turn black while the insides won’t change much....