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The refrigerator in my apartment is a very bare-boned model. The shelves are bare wire racks, which means that if something leaks on the top shelf, it very quickly saturates the entire fridge. There isn't a cheese drawer (I have an old clear plastic shoe box on the bottom shelf that corrals the cold cuts and cheeses) and the space on the door is slim. The one thing I do have is two crisper drawers and I use them as much as possible, often stuffing them beyond a comfortable capacity. This does sometimes mean that I lose a green pepper or a head of broccoli, only to find it again when it is soft and brown.
Over at the Unclutterer, Erin has a similar problem with her crisper drawers and began to wonder if the crisper drawer was the best place to store her fruits and veggies. She has put together a list of produce and the storage recommendations for each item. It's a helpful resource and one that may save you a lot of money and pain, as it will teach you how to keep your apples crisp (keep in bags punched with holes on the shelf for good air circulation) and your corn fresh (keep in husk if you're going to use it immediately, otherwise remove the husk and silk, vacuum seal and freeze). She also says that bananas can go in the fridge to slow down their ripening, that onions should go someplace cool, dry and ventilated (not the refrigerator) and that potatoes can be stored in the crisper drawers, but should be given a day to warm up to room temperature before you use them.
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1-01-2008 @11:11AM DON said... To keep lettuce fresh, simply wrap a piece of dry paper towel around the head of lettuce and place in a zip-lock bag before placing in the frig. The lettuce will stay fresh and crisp for three weeks.
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1-01-2008 @12:19PM ALICE GOMEZ said... I always buy slightly green bananas and keep them in the refrig if I am eating just one a day. The skin does get black but the meat is the way it should be - firm and yellow.
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1-01-2008 @11:18AM Denise said... The vaccum seal is the BEST investment i have ever made.Great for all ur meats,also use to freeze and sealall my cassorole dishes.Makealot of food ahead for later use it is great.Buy big bags of frozen vegatable break apart into smaller bags.Need i say anymore.
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1-01-2008 @11:18AM vixen said... Don't buy the green bags from the TV call-in ad. They charged me $19.95 for 25 green bags, and $22.00 for shipping them!!! They did not disclose the shipping and handling fees when I called the automated phone ordering number.
Don't buy the green bags at all, in fact. I put bananas in them, and though they ripened slightly slower than bananas outside the bag, the bananas picked up an odd chemical taste when eaten. They didn't taste safe to eat!
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1-01-2008 @11:19AM joanne said... Mark, rudeness is neither necessary nor welcome. You can store bananas in the refrig if you have more than you can use right away. Certainly, the skin turns brown, but the inside banana is fine. As we don't eat the skin, who cares? And they sell those banana hangers to people who buy any and all kitchen gadgets; they are totally unnecessary. I hope you have a good day and can get in a better frame of mind for the coming year. You seem to be an unhappy person. I wish you well.
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1-01-2008 @11:21AM babs said... TO KEEP TOMATOES LONGER PUT THE VINE SIDE UP AND ON THE COUNTER ON A PAPER PLATE OR TOWEL NOT ON WINDOW SILL OR IN THE FRIDGE I HAVE KEPT TOMATOES AS LONG AS 3 WEEKS
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1-01-2008 @11:28AM Lynne said... Sometimes I put bananas in the fridge when they are not eaten quick enough which is not often. They turn black but remain firm. When bananas get over ripe, they get sweeter and are excellent for banana pancakes or banana bread. I also keep chopped onions and green peppers in the freezer in freezer bags and use them when cooking. This is convenient and keeps them longer. You may not want to do this if you are adding them to salads but for cooking, they're great. And yes, I've also heard that potatoes turn to sugar in the fridge.
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1-01-2008 @11:29AM julianne m said... 2 old 2 buy green bananas
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1-01-2008 @11:33AM kim said... Bannanas in fridge turn brown on outside but are white when you open them, and you can also freeze with skin on and then peel for smoothies.
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1-01-2008 @11:30AM esther said... I visited Australia 7 years ago and the people there have been using the green bags for a long time.
Someone I met there gave me some to bring home to the US and as I recall, they were very inexpensive. Grocers should have begun distributing them for shoppers a long time ago. They are overpriced, but worth it. Wish I'd thought to bring them back as a business enterprise.
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1-01-2008 @11:32AM Mary said... I store all my fruits & vegetables in Lock&Lock containers. They extend the shelf life of everything in my frig. You can purchase them on QVC.
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1-01-2008 @11:34AM annmariezentis said... For the best and most economical way to store fruits and vegetables, you should contact your local Tupperware dealer. Tupperware has conducted extensive research on the storage of fruits and vegetables and has created the Fridgesmart product line in various sizes and shapes to store produce. Since Tupperware does not need to be replaced after 10 uses, it is much cheaper than the "green bags" in the long run. It also comes with a guide as to how the fruits and vegetables should be stored. Any Tupperware consultant should be able to give more detailed info.
www.my.tupperware.com/AnnMarieZentis
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1-01-2008 @11:39AM Lisa said... I use Tupperware - they have updated their line - they have special produce keepers that have ridges on the bottom for moisture to to be kept away from the produce. There is also venting holes and a chart printed on the container that tells you which items have one or 2 or no vents open. Also I notice when I have newly stored an item moisture collects on the lid so when I take it out I am careful to dry off the inside of the lid before I replace it. Compared to the bags these are more economical in the long run and would be more "green". You can find a rep on the tupperware site - the parties are fun! - or go on e-bay.
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1-01-2008 @11:39AM Helen said... Tomatoes and bananas should never go in the fridge... tomatoes get pithy and bananas will turn black and mushy very quickly. I know this from experience and it is also stated in many of my cook books. Never heard of anyone putting bananas in the fridge until this. I've always heard the exact opposite. Perhaps they said it just to get a rise out of those of us who know better. =P
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1-01-2008 @11:43AM Becky said... My food science teacher in college taught us to never store raw potatoes in the refrigerator. The refrigerator changes the starch molecules so they become sweeter. Store them in a cool place, but not at the temperature found in the refrigerator. However, always store cooked potatoes in the refrigerator to prevent botulism.
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1-01-2008 @11:43AM Marge Friend said... Putting potatoes in the fridge keeps them from sprouting.
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1-01-2008 @11:44AM Kelli said... As for the banana comments... keep them out of the fridge!!! if they start to turn... put them in the freezer. They make great smoothies, pancakes, muffins and bread. Why make them mushy and black prematurely. by the way, we freeze them in the peel... it removes easily after frozen.
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1-01-2008 @11:48AM itsonly4me said... http://kitchen-dining.hsn.com/debbie-meyer-greenbags-set-of-50_p-3021067_xp.aspx?sz=0&cat=&dept=&sf=&gs=&subcat=&attr=&o=-RI&ocm=sekw
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1-01-2008 @12:03PM Cherie Kurtzworth said... Living in Fl our bread molds quickly. If put in the green bag will the bread last longer.\? In some cases it only lasts a few days. With only two people, I freeze 1/2 the loaf but I do not like the bread after being frozen. I also do not like to keep bread in the fridg.
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1-01-2008 @11:51AM rose said... read all the comments well tomotoes I like to keep out of the frige well they taste better. potaotes last longer in the frige. well here in puerto rico and never put oninos to gether with pototoes. make them rot. and banners no way in the frige. they turn black fast. and what I do I fix all my meats repair them with olive oil spices and they are put in zip lock bags and they taste great and in a hurry just put in pan. since they already fix with all the spices. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat.
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