In yesterday’s post about my tour of Walmart’s produce section, I mentioned that I was wasting money trying to eat healthily. Not because of the prices, per se. It was because many of the fruits and vegetables that I bought spoiled because I pussyfooted on eating them or cooking them. (side note: I thought pussyfoot was a made-up word that only Antiguans used, but I looked it up in the dictionary and it was there :))

When you bring your produce home from the grocers like Walmart, you have to properly prepare and store the fresh fruits and vegetables to stretch the life of your food and your dollar. Here are some tips that I have learned as being part of Walmart’s Fresh Crew to ensure that your commitment to eating healthily and affordably are not done in vain.

Six Fresh Tips for Preparing Produce Fresh from the Store:

1. If your vegetables come home from the store wet, be sure to pat dry with paper towels. Next, layer the veggies in plastic bags and place them in the crisper section of your refrigerator.
2. As soon as possible, take pre-washed leafy greens out of the containers and throw away any bruised or spoiled pieces. Those leaves will spoil the rest.
3. For unwashed greens, separate leaves and bathe them in several changes of icy cold water with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice to add crispness. Spin dry if you’re using the lettuce right away. If not, pat dry with a paper towel and then store in a clean, perforated plastic bag in the fridge.
4. Organize and separate fruits from vegetables. People often toss produce together into crispers, but apples and some other fruits give off ethylene gas. Ethylene gas speeds the ripening of vegetables. Separate your fruits and vegetables so veggies don’t ripen too fast.
5. Cut off green tops of carrots, turnips or beets, as the tops draw nutrients out of the roots. Store these vegetables in a cold, dark, well-ventilated place.
6. Keep onions and eggplants out of the refrigerator and stored separately. They last longer when air is circulating around them.

Frugalistas, leave a comment below: Which of these “Fresh Over Your Kitchen” tips have you found the most helpful?

If you need deeper work around healing your relationship with money or overcoming your blocks and fears, maybe it’s time for some money therapy.   

* I am a compensated member of Walmart’s Fresh Crew campaign. All opinions are my own.*