[ABue1]

I'm in my 3rd week on IP and doing well. Today I decided to wash and cut my veggies to make it easier when it's time to pack a lunch or cook. I'm just wondering, how long will they keep and what storage method do you use.

[rubygirl05]

After my 1st week of trying to cook veggies every night, I decided to switch to prep'ing and cooking all my food on the weekends.

I use a lot of cauliflower, green/red peppers, celery, broccoli, spinach, and mushrooms.

The spinach, I just leave in the bag/bin I purchased it in. I try to use that up in the first part of the week because it spoils the quickest.

I found that the other raw veggies sliced up and put into a ziplock bag seemed to last throughout the week (Sun - Fri) without too much issue. The peppers started to go soft towards the end, so this week I'll be cutting up enough to get me through 1/2 the week, and then will cut the rest later.

Cooked veggies, I just portion out into "tupperware" containers and they've stayed fine. I roast a lot of my veg so I don't have to worry about them potentially getting mushy from excessive moisture.

[Rachel3]

I too like Rubygirl05 use Ziploc bags however, I am currently using Ziploc bags but they have little holes in the bag..the box is green and the veggies last and they remain crunchy. Because I have 3 guys in the house and they are all big eaters...I find the Ziploc use less room than the plastic or glass containers.

[RareBird]

I have good luck lining a plastic snap lock shoe box with paper towels. My spinach is till good after 2 weeks (when it's lasted that long) as well as bell peppers (after they are cut) and mushrooms... don't wash mushrooms first, or they get waterlogged (I know you're not supposed to wash mushrooms anyway, just brush the dirt off, but yuk... I just can't do that)... and I separate different veggies into separate boxes. I've read here that someone pregrates cauliflower for cauliflower "rice" and freezes in 2 cup portions in ziploc bags... I'm going to be trying that tomorrow!

[MntRose]

Originally Posted by rubygirl05

The spinach, I just leave in the bag/bin I purchased it in. I try to use that up in the first part of the week because it spoils the quickest.

I buy my spinach in the tubs, then when I get it home I slip a paper towel or two into the tub and under all the leaves. If the paper towel looks super wet by mid week I switch it out for a dry one.

[lisa32989]

Originally Posted by MntRose

I buy my spinach in the tubs, then when I get it home I slip a paper towel or two into the tub and under all the leaves. If the paper towel looks super wet by mid week I switch it out for a dry one.

That works for me, too!

[Misti in Seattle]

I'm not on IP but saw this post and decided to share what a friend just taught me.

She puts her fresh fruit and veggies into a smaller zip loc bag and then puts a little bit of water into a larger zip loc bag... puts the smaller bag into the larger one and puts them into the crisper drawer of refrig. They stay amazingly fresh this way!

[mightbe]

I use green bags, they work really well.