No one is looking to waste money on groceries these days. Improperly storing food is one surefire way to lose out on stretching your grocery dollar. You might be surprised to know you’ve probably been storing a few vegetables improperly.
While you probably toss your cucumbers and bell pepper in the refrigerator, you should be storing these vegetables at room temperature instead.
Here’s the thing, if you don’t plan to use your bell pepper or cucumber in two to three days after buying it, your refrigerator is still best. However, if you plan to use them soon, keeping the vegetables on the counter helps hem keep their flavor.
For bell pepper, your best bet is to place them in a produce bag and store them in a cool, dry place. They’ll lose littl freshness over the course of two to three days. After that, however, you’ll want to transfer them to the fridge. When you do, keep them in a plasic, ventilated bag and place them in a crisper drawer.
As for cucumbers, their storage is similar. They’re best kept on your countertop at room temperature. According to a study, temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit can damage the vegetable leading to water-soaked spots and pitting. You should just be sure to keep them away from ethylene gas producing items tha could accelerate their spoiling.
If you’ve noticed your vegetables spoiling faster than normal, you might want to shift up your storage method.
