How long will produce last?

Ok, now, you've learned how to store your produce, but how quickly do you need to eat it before a science experiment appears? Here's a general guideline on how long to keep/store some of the various produce I listed yesterday. Keep in mind, this applies to fruit and vegetables purchase at a grocery store. Purchasing at a farmer's market often offers you fresher fruit, which could, in-turn, last longer.

Items in your fridge:

• Artichokes- Will keep, refrigerated, for 1-2 weeks.
• Asparagus- Use within a couple of days. Snap off woody, dry ends before using.
• Beans & Peas-Enjoy within 3 to 4 days.
• Beets- Will keep nicely for about a week or slightly more.
• Berries, cherries- Eat quickly and enjoy! These tasty treats will only keep for about 2 days to taste their best.
• Broccoli & Cauliflower- Use within a week.
• Cabbage- Will store nicely for 1-2 weeks.
• Carrots & Celery- Can keep for 2 weeks or so.
• Corn- Enjoy while it's still sweet, within 1-2 days.
• Cucumbers- Use within about 5 days, otherwise they go mushy.
• Grapes- Will keep for about a week. Cut your large bunches into small ones and put in an open top bowl/serving dish in the fridge for a quick, easy to grab, healthy snack. They'll be gone long before they go bad.
• Green Onions- Will stay fresh for about a week.
• Leafy greens- Use within 3-7 days.
• Leeks- Use within a week or so.
• Radishes- Will stay fresh for about 10 days.
• Zucchini/Summer Squash- Eat within 4 or 5 days of purchase.

Items on your counter:

• Apples & Pears- Will stay yummy on the counter for a couple of days. For longer life, move them to the fridge when they are ripe and you can keep them for up to 3 weeks.
• Stone fruits, kiwi, melons, pineapple- Use quickly (within 2-3 days) if on the counter. To extend their life once ripe, put in the fridge and you can keep them for another 2-3 days. DO NOT wash them until you are ready to eat them!
• Avocados- As I mentioned, when they are ripe, move them from your counter to the refrigerator to stop the ripening. Once refrigerated, eat within 3-4 days. If you plan to use only 1/2 of an avocado at at time, make sure you leave the pit in with the remaining section as this will deter spoilage.
• Bananas- Like avocados, these will ripen nicely on your counter, and they will also stop ripening when you refrigerate them. So, keep them on the counter for a few days and pop them in the fridge. They will turn black on the outside, but the inside will not change.
• Citrus fruits- The great thing about citrus fruits is that they will stay for up to 2 weeks on your counter. To extend their life, but them in the fridge for up to another 2 weeks. I find that lemons will last better if you put them in plastic once in the fridge.
• Eggplant- If the eggplant on your counter begins to wrinkle at all, put in the fridge and use within a few days.
• Peppers- Use within 4 or 5 days
• Pomegranates- Should be fine for up to a month on your counter.
• Tomatoes- When they are out of season, in the winter, I find that I can only keep tomatoes for about 3 days, however, in the summer, I've had yummy ones up to a week after buying them. Always remember...NEVER refrigerate the tomatoes!
• Winter squash- Fine on your counter for about 2-3 weeks.
• Garlic- Can keep for up to a week. Do not use once it has "sprouted", and if you see a green part once you cut a clove in half, pull it out otherwise your garlic will taste bitter.
• Onions- Will be fine in your pantry for 2-3 weeks.
• Potatoes- great value and last for up to 2 months if stored properly. Again, do not use if sprouted.

Now, a few last things to consider...

1. Be careful where you store your apples. Apples emit ethylene which can promote overripening of other fruits near them. Bananas have been known to do the same, especially when stored near oranges. Also, if any fruit goes bad, remove it away fro other fruits immediately as all fuits produce ethelyne at this stage.
2. When using garlic, mince or press it 15-30 minutes prior to using. It's more nutritious that way!
3. As for bananas, although the bunches look nice on the counter, it's better to separate them. This tends to slow the ripening process slightly. Also, green bananas have resistant starch, providing more satiety. Resistant starch is associated with weight loss and several other health benefits. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistant_starch
4. Fruit goes bad when it hits moisture...so, keep your fruit dry for best shelf life.

Happy, healthy cooking and eating everyone!