Wash Your Fruits and Veggies

April 6, 2020

I’m not really sure where to even start this post because it could’ve started with my new obsession of washing fruits and vegetables or it could’ve started when I realized my children really don’t eat vegetables. For the sake of having a starting point let’s start with my new obsession …. washing vegetables.

During this whole COVID-19 pandemic and putting a lot more emphasis on washing and sanitizing, I started realizing that I probably should could be washing our fruits and vegetables better. Along with almost everything else in our house.

So after one of our major grocery shopping halls and seeing Nesting Well’s fruit and veggies soak, I decided to load all of our fruits and vegetables up in the sink. I used the converted method with our thieves cleaner. I tell you I was in complete shock at how beautiful the fruits and vegetables were once they were clean, not to mention my whole kitchen smelled like a farm.

I was hooked I actually wanted to go back to the grocery store and buy more vegetables just so I could wash them and you best believe when this whole thing is done and over with I’ll be shopping at fruit stand and farmers markets just so I can wash my fresher fruit.

Now, I used Young Living Thieves household cleaner concentrate combined with water to wash my fruits and vegetables. Young living has a fruit and veggie soak which I plan to order but it’s currently out of stock. There is a conversion recipe to use the thieves cleaner, which is what I use. Knowing that this is something you can only get with a Young Living membership, I also found this Fruit and Veggie Wash on Amazon or this DIY Recipe.

Side Note: with a large batch of fruits and vegetables I will also put a few drops of lemon essential oil in the soak as well

This then let let me down a rabbit hole of figuring out once I wash them the best way to store them in order to keep them fresh. So I pulled out my Bible, well not my real Bible my second Bible, the Martha Manual.

Side Note: Martha Stewart is one of my icons, something about that woman and how she knows how to do everything, do it perfectly, and do it beautifully is just mesmerizing. Minus all the jail time stuff

There was only a small section in her book about storing fruits and vegetables. So then I went to Pinterest, and well I Pinterest gave me quite a few conflicting ideas.

So upon gathering all of my research I compiled a list here of things that I learned that I thought were interesting and that some people may not know. As well as plain and simple rule of thumb for storing fruits and vegetables

Vegetables need high humidity (the vent closed on the crisper) and Fruits need low humidity (the vent open) – I personally don’t have vents so I’m not sure what I should do haha
Mushrooms should be kept in a breathable brown paper bag
Once you chop or cut vegetables in any way, put in an air tight container
Avocados, Nectarines, Peaches, Plums and Pears – ripen on the counter first then transfer to fridge.

Speaking of ripe fruit, when your fruit has gone a bit past what you could deem “good”. Chop or blend them up and freeze them (in cubes if you blend) and use later for smoothies, melted over a dessert or in a cocktail.

Ok, here comes the rabbit hole … now talking about freezing things. Here are some things you may not have known you can freeze.

Hard Cheese (do not freeze soft cheese)
Butter
Bread (I always get it two for one and freeze one)
Flour
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches (hello, uncrustables are in the freezer section)
Shredded zucchini
Cooked Pasta (go ahead and make the whole box)
Mashed Potatoes
Milk (I’m a little skeptical on this one)

Side Note: When freezing berries, lay them out flat on a sheet and freeze them. Once frozen transfer to a bag or container. Also, sprinkle with a little sugar. This will absorb some water and maintain the fruits texture when thawed.

There is still more to this rabbit hole that I went down from washing fruits and veggies, to storing them, to freezing them and all in between. I’m going to keep this post up and live continuously so I can add things as I learn and therefore share my information.