8 items that will keep your produce fresher for longer

Between the ongoing pandemic, intensifying war in Ukraine, and ongoing supply chain issues, life as we used to know it has changed a lot in the past few years—and your grocery routine isn't immune. For one thing, it's a lot more expensive now. Which means you're probably a lot more mindful of the food supply that you bring into your home—and what ends up in the garbage after spoiling.

So while it might be intimidating to look at the sky-high prices blinking at you from your local store register, we've got some ideas to make those hauls stretch wider, so you can make the most out of every grocery bill. We recommend these products (some of which you might already have on hand!) to help keep all your produce fresh for longer—so you don't have to sacrifice ingredients and meals you love, even when times are tough.

1. Produce bags

You might have an instinct to keep all of your fresh produce (and meat and dairy, for that matter) in airtight containers for storage, assuming that's the best way to maintain freshness. But sometimes the opposite is actually true; some fruits and veggies—like onions and stone fruits—release ethylene gas, which can speed up the ripening process of any surrounding food, and even itself when stored in anything airtight. That's why it's better to store this type of produce in a breathable bag (away from other sensitive produce), like these mesh polyester ones, which are lightweight and great for bringing to the grocery store for easy transporting (plus, less waste!).

Get Ecowaare's reusable mesh produce bags from Amazon for $12.99

2. Glass food containers

There are, of course, times when you do need something airtight to maintain freshness—for anything from greens to carrots to berries. We love the Pyrex Ultimate 10-piece Storage Set because it's airtight and made of high-quality glass. Plus, it's clear—so you won't forget about that fruit haul you bought when you're browsing your fridge for a snack. Just don't forget to pat your produce completely dry if you're washing it before storing.

Get Pyrex Ultimate 10-piece Storage Set from Williams Sonoma for $79.99

3. Veggie shelves

For all of our lovely produce that shouldn't be stored in the fridge (potatoes, garlic, and squash come to mind), it's helpful to have a designated area to store those foods without crowding up your counter space. This set of three-tier baskets from Saratoga Home features small chalkboards for labeling each shelf, and it's made of durable materials to last you the long run. Just be aware of which produce items shouldn't be stored on the same shelf.

Get Saratoga Home's 3-Tier Storage Baskets from Amazon for $44.98

4. Paper towels

I never thought something as simple as paper towels would drastically change my life (at least when it comes to preserving my precious arugula)—but they have. Buying pre-washed salad from the store means it's prone to building up moisture in whatever container it comes in, and oftentimes you're left tossing most of it away before you get a chance to make a week's worth of salads (sound familiar?). But there is a hack!

First, make sure your greens are dry before storing them (i.e., remove them from the packaging and pat them with a paper towel), then stick another dry paper towel in the container for storage—this will absorb the excess moisture that arises as your produce sits in the fridge. It truly lengthens the life of your salad stash.

Paper towels also can be used to store other types of produce. Wrapping fresh herbs in a damp paper towel after rinsing, for example, can help lengthen their shelf life and keep them fresh for longer.

Get a 12-roll of Kirkland signature premium paper towels from Amazon for $36.79

5. Your fridge's crisper (used right!)

You know those drawers in your fridge that you kind of toss random things into when they don't fit anywhere else? (No? Just me?) This is a friendly reminder that these drawers (aka crispers) can be powerful tools in maintaining food freshness—when used and set correctly. They offer a more humid environment than the rest of the fridge, which makes them ideal for storing fresh fruits and veggies, since the humidity retention causes them to wilt more slowly. They also release humidity to help prevent rotting.

To make sure you're getting the most out of your fridge's crisper drawers, we've laid out a guide to help you decide which produce goes where, how full is too full, and—if you're in the market—which fridges have the best crispers (like this one from Whirlpool).

Get the Whirlpool WRX735SDHZ fridge from Best Buy for $1,889.99

6. Vacuum sealers

Vacuum sealers are well known for preserving foods like meat and cheese, but they're also great for preserving fresh produce in the freezer—without the freezer burn.

If you ever find yourself with more fruits and veggies than you can consume before they spoil, a great way to avoid waste is to freeze them—and one of the best ways to freeze is by vacuum sealing, which removes any air that could cause ice crystals or freezer burn from dehydration. After testing some of the top ones, we found that the FoodSaver FM2000 Vacuum Sealing System had the best results—and came at a great price.

Get the FoodSaver FM2000 Vacuum Sealing System from Amazon for $89

7. Zwilling's Fresh & Save

If you're intrigued by vacuum sealing—but short on counter and cabinet space—investing in a handheld vacuum sealer might be a better option. We tried out the Zwilling Fresh & Save tool when it launched a couple of years ago, and were impressed by how well foods like fresh cilantro, arugula, and strawberries stayed fresh—two full weeks after being sealed with the product. It was also fairly user-friendly, and worked just as well with frozen foods.

Get Zwilling's Fresh & Save from Amazon for $79.99

8. Glass jars

If there's ever been a perfect time to start experimenting with at-home canning, it’s now. If you're unfamiliar, canning refers to the process of heating food containers and then boiling the canned products, which minimizes the growth of bacteria and other harmful microbes so they have a longer shelf life. And you can do it with anything from traditional pickles and jams to fresh fruits and veggies—Ball's website, shares some guidance on Canning 101, as well as ideas on what to preserve.

Get a set of 6 Ball Jars from Amazon for $74.99

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