Do you ever wonder how long certain fruits (or vegetables) might last sitting out on your kitchen counter? Or wonder if maybe you should refrigerate them instead? Of course it always depends on exactly how fresh the produce is when you buy it, but, to help solve some of those kitchen mysteries, I am excited to share this handy dandy produce storage guide* (just below) with you today! Please print, pass on, and enjoy. :)
Announcement: Real Food On The Road!
I also want to take a moment to share some super fun news with you. The cross-country family RV trip that my husband and I have been plotting for YEARS is finally coming to fruition—tomorrow! Neither of us has ever stepped foot in an RV before, so I really hope this dream of ours turns out to be everything we’ve ever imagined and does not at all remind us of the Griswolds. :)
We start by flying out to our old stomping grounds in Portland, Oregon (where we briefly lived after college), and then we’ll head south in a rental car to San Francisco, which is where we’ll be picking up our “home away from home” from El Monte RV. From there we plan to hit Yosemite, Big Sur, Vegas, The Grand Canyon, Utah, Yellowstone, Glacier, and (a place I’ve wanted to visit for well over a decade)…Banff! Then we’ll head on over to Seattle where we’ll return the RV and fly home.
I am so thrilled to have this opportunity and to be able to share it with my kids! I must admit though that the food situation is going to be interesting. First of all, we’ll be spending all this time in a TINY kitchen with no fancy appliances. Secondly, we must leave behind our freezer stash of local pastured meat and homemade whole grain goodies (like muffins). And thirdly, I have no idea where we’ll be shopping for all our food (goodbye Earth Fare…sniff sniff). We certainly can’t bring much more than snacks from home. But not to worry. I will for sure be sharing some of our experiences (the good, the bad, and the ugly) on the blog as well as on Facebook and Instagram. And no matter what happens, I’ve been looking forward to this adventure for so long—I can’t wait! :) (Oh and PS – I’ll also have several guest bloggers posting about some great topics on the site while we are gone.)
Produce Storage Cheat Sheet
Okay, here’s the produce storage sheet I promised …hopefully it will help you keep fruits and veggies fresh and prevent any unnecessary waste in your kitchen. Download your free printable version here.
*Thank you to Renee Boyer and Julie McKinney at the Virginia Cooperative Extension for the inspiration for this chart!
I’d add peppers freeze very well. I slice green peppers and poblanos, dry them off with a paper towel, and freeze them. They release some water when they thaw but they cook beautifully.
where can i purchase these vegetable charts for the classroom?
Hi. If you click on the chart, it gives you access to the PDF.
how can i get a pre made chart of your vegetables I can use at school. do not want to download. want something more professional and durable. thanks
I’ve seen about being able to chop and freeze onion to use in soups and cooked dishes. Does that work? I haven’t tried it.
Hi. Hmm, I don’t think I’ve frozen a fresh onion but imagine it would work fine to cook with.
I’m struggling to store all this fresh produce. Any tips on making pantry and countertop storage easier or more organized? I’ve thought about vented drawers in our cabinets for onions and potatoes, but they are not in the current budget! My counters are covered at the beginning of the week and starting to emerge by the end!
Hi. This might help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2015/01/16/real-food-tips-organize-your-kitchen/.
Hi there,
I’m wondering if you HAVE to blanch your veggies before freezing? I have been to several websites and they all give different answers:/
Hi Jessica. You do not HAVE to blanch but they will retain more of their nutrients, flavor, and color if you do.
I have seen Michael Pollan mention several times to NOT refrigerate tomatoes… any thoughts?
Hi Ruthanne. Yes, fresh tomatoes will lose their flavor in the fridge. ~Amy
Hi there! I have something I wanted to add as a suggestion. Last year we froze around two gallons of tomatoes because we ran out of time to sun dry. They were such a wonderful addition to winter soups, quiches, and chili. I highly recommend trying this if you end up having an over abundance.
We also had great results freezing peppers, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, and apricots. Blanching before freezing is a great idea to slow the degradation of the structure.