Keeping Sliced Veggies & Fruits Fresh

[Michi702]

Hi all,

My question is about the viability of cutting up fruits and veggies for snacks and salads all at once and then using them over the next few days. I bought the pre-cut apples in single serve bags on sale once from the grocery store and loved the convenience of them, but I was hoping I could do some prep just once or twice a week instead of every time I want to use something. As far as apples go, I know I can put some lemon juice on them to prevent the browning but what should I do for things like pepper strips, onions etc?

Also, I've heard that if you take separate leaves of lettuce and rinse them, then stack them between paper towels it will keep the lettuce crisper and stay better than keeping it all together in the head. Any experience with this?

[4myloves]

Try dipping the slices of fruit in lemon or orange juice. That will keep them from browning.

[juliana77]

Pepper strips do fine in a sealed container. Carrot and celery sticks you can put in water in a container. I often freeze diced onion to use for cooking (put in a zipper bag and freeze in a flat layer). For apples, I use an apple slicer, it only takes 5 seconds and I don't have to worry about them keeping.

[Ilene]

When I clean romaine lettuce I wash and spin them dry then just wrap all of them in some paper towel then put it in a plastic grocery bag... I don't think it's necessary to put a sheet of paper towel in between each leaf of lettuce... I clean celery ahead of time in the same manner, wash, dry, wrap in paper towel, put in a plastic bag....I put a paper towel in almost all of my veggie bags ... It's the dampness/humidity that makes them go bad... As for fruits, I just cut as I eat them, to me it's no biggie with fruits...

[AnnieDrews]

I do all my veggie prepping for salads on Sunday evening. I rinse the lettuce then chop it and put it in ziploc bags. I usually put one or two paper towels in the baggie with the lettuce to absorb any moisture. Boxed greens, I just leave in the box and sometimes put a paper towel in. I chop celery, peppers, cucumbers, etc. and keep them in separate lidded plastic containers. With wetter veg (like the cucumbers), I will put a paper towel in the bottom of the container to absorb.

I don't preslice fruits, I prefer to eat them or slice them just before eating.

Note: Keep tomatoes at room temp. on the counter unless they are chopped.