How to store longer in the refrigerator: dill, parsley, lettuce, arugula, spinach and the rest

You need to know this

Before we talk about how to keep greens fresh longer in the refrigerator, it’s worth talking about some nuances. To follow the recommendations correctly, you should learn about preparing greens.

Do you need to wash your greens?

Many people say that it is necessary, but it is not so. There are several storage methods in which unwashed greens are preferable. Therefore, we advise you to read the recommendations carefully.

How to properly wash greens?

It is not recommended to rinse greens under high pressure of water. This way you risk damaging it. After this, it will begin to rot, turn yellow, and lose its taste. It is better to spend more time, but keep the foliage and stems intact.

This amount of water is enough to rinse the greens well and not harm them.

How to prepare greens?

Before storing, be sure to sort out the greens. Pay special attention to rotting leaves and stems. They need to be trimmed so that there is no rot left at all. It is also necessary to remove dried and yellowed areas.

How to store greens in the refrigerator?

Any material is suitable for storage, with the exception of unpainted metal. Upon contact with it, some types of greens lose their taste and appearance. It is best to use utensils from:

• Plastic;
• Glass;
• Ceramics.

Where to store greens?

Traditionally, greens are stored in vegetable and fruit boxes. The lowest temperature is maintained there. Due to this, the risk of rotting and the appearance of pathogenic bacteria is lower. But if you're storing your greens dry, in an airtight container, the entire bottom half of your refrigerator will do.

It is important to remember that the higher the greens and the greater the temperature differences in the chamber, the less time they will be stored. This is another reason why you should not put hot food in the refrigerator.

How to refresh wilted greens?

Parsley, dill and celery are the most common types of greens that are used for food, but when stored for a long time they can quickly lose their juiciness and elasticity.

How to refresh greens that have wilted? To do this, add 9% vinegar to cold water (per 100 grams of water - 1 teaspoon of vinegar). Soak the greens in diluted water for 1 hour. This way it will become fresh again, but will lose some of its nutrients and vitamins.

In summer, when it is hot, it is preferable to store parsley and dill in a dry, clean, tightly closed jar. You can also store it in a dry saucepan with a tight lid. Greens for such storage should be dried, without moisture, and stored in the refrigerator.

Before eating, it is better to rinse parsley in warm water. After this it will be much more fragrant.

If wilted parsley, cilantro, and dill were stored in the refrigerator, then they need to be washed thoroughly. But it is better to soak the greens for 15 minutes in water.

After this, take it out, shake off the water, and lay the leaves on a paper towel, at a short distance from each other, for better drying. Green vegetables that have wilted can be refreshed perfectly. To do this, you need to lower it first into hot and then into cold water.

Cleanliness is the key to freshness

This method of storing greens in the refrigerator is suitable if you have a lot of them. In addition, it must be of the same type. You should not store dill, sorrel and parsley at the same time. To keep it fresh you need:

• Rinse the greens thoroughly;
• Dry it with paper or a towel;
• Let dry in the shade for 10-15 minutes.

After this, select a suitable container. It is important that the greens fill the maximum volume. But it is not recommended to break it; avoid damaging the leaves.

Give it a drink before storing

This is one of the most effective and easiest ways to keep greens fresh in the refrigerator. But it is not suitable for arugula, green onions and salad. For any other type of green it works great.

First you need to cut off the roots of the greenery. After this, rinse it thoroughly and remove all rotten and yellowed leaves and stems. After this, tie them into bundles with threads or elastic bands.

Find a large plastic container. The lid must close tightly. Place the greens in it so that they do not reach 1-2 cm to the top. The bundles should lie freely, without pressure.

Fill it with enough cold water to cover all the greens. It is advisable to use filtered water. After this, place the container in the refrigerator for 6 or more hours. The best option is for the night.

After time has passed, remove the bunches of greens from the container. Let the water drain from them, shake lightly. Drain the container, but do not wipe it dry. Place the bundles back and seal the lid.

To prevent the greenery from rotting, swap the lower bunches with the upper ones every 1-2 days . Greens in such a container will be stored much longer than in the lower drawers of the refrigerator. But it is advisable to store it as low as possible in the chamber.

Preparation for storage

At this stage, many housewives who want to keep their greens fresh make the mistake of washing them. However, this should be done immediately before consuming the product. If you wash the plants right away, you can disrupt their fragile structure and damage some of the cells. This will only shorten the shelf life.

How to prepare greens for storage correctly? We suggest you do the following:

1. If water droplets accumulate on the leaves, gently shake them and let them dry. But don't leave it in direct sunlight.
2. Remove excess dirt with a paper towel.
3. Sort through the herbs. Discard dried, rotten and blackened parts. Cut off the roots but leave the stems.

Greens, especially tender ones (lettuce, spinach, sorrel, cilantro) should be stored as early as possible. Already 2 hours after collection, vitamin C begins to degrade. It is most likely no longer present in the store product, but vitamins B, E, K, and minerals are present. You can preserve them if you put the herbs in the refrigerator within 1-2 hours of purchasing them.

Long-term preservation of green onions

To keep your greens fresh for as long as possible, you will need onions. Depending on the volume, you need 1-2 onions. To keep greens for a long time, do the following:

• Wash the roots from the soil, but do not touch the green part;
• Cut the onion into 4-8 pieces (depending on size);
• Place chopped onions in the bottom of a container or other container;
• Place greens on top;
• Change the bulb when it stops smelling.

With this storage method, the greens will be fresh for several weeks. The time for replacing onions is individual, depending on the volume of the container and the size of the onion. The main thing is to remember to check whether the onion gives off a characteristic smell.

Napkins and towels

A great way to maintain optimal humidity is to use napkins or paper towels. You will also need a plastic container or other container with high walls. To prepare everything you need:

1. Wash and dry the greens;
2. Line the bottom and walls with paper;
3. Place greens up to half the height of the container;
4. Cover the container with paper and a lid.

With this storage method, the paper absorbs excess moisture. And a tightly closed lid prevents it from leaving completely. Optimal humidity is maintained. From 10 days - this is the shelf life of almost all types of greens using this method.

Layering greens on paper napkins in a container.

How to store green onions in the refrigerator

To keep green onions in the refrigerator for a long time, rinse their stems. Do not touch the bulbs, especially if there is soil left on them. Dry the stems and gently moisten the bulbs with water. It is better to use a spray bottle.

Place all the onions (not one at a time, but together) in a small disposable plastic bag. Tighten it with a hair elastic or tie it with thread. The binding should be just above the bulb , where the stem is white and hard. When storing, make sure that the feathers do not break.

How long to store dill and parsley in the refrigerator

Parsley and dill are traditional greens on our table. There are three traditional ways to store dill in the refrigerator:

1. Trim the roots and place them in a glass of water. At the same time, make sure that there are no rotten or yellowing branches. If there are, get rid of them.
2. Place the dill in a ziplock bag or container with the chopped onion. Change the onion every 5-10 days.
3. Line a container with paper towels and fill it halfway with dill. Cover with a napkin and close tightly.

How to store different types of greens

There are storage methods suitable for certain types of green plants.

• Cover the lettuce leaves with cling film. This will help them stay fresh all week.

• Another way to keep lettuce leaves crispy is to place a paper towel in the bottom of the container, place the lettuce on top, and cover with another paper towel. Wrap everything in cling film and put it in the refrigerator.

• Place the dill and parsley in a jar of water, roots down, like a bouquet in a vase. Additionally, you can put a plastic bag on top. Put it in the refrigerator. Replace the water with new water every 3 days.

• Be sure to dry the parsley, onions, spinach, celery, and dill well on a towel, even if you haven’t washed them, before putting them in the refrigerator.

• Dill and mint should not be stored in large bunches. Take them apart. This way they will retain their scent longer.

• Do not cut off the white bottom of green onions. Just carefully remove the film, wet it with cool water and wrap the roots in a wet cloth. But the feathers must remain dry. Wrap the onions in paper, then put them in a bag and refrigerate.

• Dill, parsley, green onions, celery, lettuce, and spinach will fit well in a plastic bag. Important: these types of plants should not be washed before storing! Sort out the dried herbs and pack them in a bag that you tie tightly. Punch several holes in the bag to allow air to enter.

How to properly store lettuce leaves in the refrigerator

To preserve the taste of the salad, use plastic, enamel or ceramic dishes. When in contact with metal, it loses its taste . It is advisable not to cut it, but to tear it off. After preparing the sheets, lay them down as quickly as possible so that their appearance is not lost. There are several ways to store salad in the refrigerator.

Method No. 1

• Sort through the lettuce leaves, select fresh ones;
• Rinse them and dry them on a paper towel or napkin;
• Place it in a container or container;
• Cover with a paper towel, thin cloth, or perforated plastic.

Method No. 2

• Pour water into a glass or jar;
• Cut 1-1.5 cm of cuttings from the lettuce leaves, so that part of the leaf is cut off;
• Roll several leaves into a kind of “bouquet” without breaking them;
• Dip the resulting “bouquet” of cuttings into water.

Method No. 3

• Sort through the lettuce leaves, but do not rinse;
• Place it on a polystyrene foam tray;
• Cover it tightly with cling film.

Foamed polystyrene tray (expanded polystyrene)

Storing dried dill

Greens, even if dried, give food a unique flavor and aromatic aroma.
Therefore, you should not mix different seasonings with each other. In each recipe, as a rule, the main flavor note predominates, and therefore green additives with a pronounced taste and aroma cannot be used together. You can dry dill as follows:

• Freshly harvested grass should be washed well, cut and placed on a clean, flat surface.
• Dry the greens for several days in the fresh air in dry weather.

Dried dill is poured into a canvas bag. You can also use a plastic food container. Glass containers are also used for long-term storage of dried herbs. In any case, the container must be tightly closed.

In unchopped form, dill is also dried; for this, it is tied into small bunches and hung in a well-ventilated room. It is allowed to dry the greens simply in the fresh air in the shade. After 3-4 days, the greens are removed and placed in a cotton bag. If it is not there, dry bundles are simply wrapped in natural fabric and placed in a dry, dark place.

If it is not possible to dry the greens at natural temperature, or you need to do it faster, the dill can be put in the oven. The temperature should not exceed +50°C, otherwise it will lose some of its properties. You should constantly be nearby so that the process does not get out of control and the greens do not become too dry.

When dried, dill can be stored for up to 1 year. Of course, its aroma will not be quite similar to fresh. Therefore, dried seasonings are recommended to be added to first courses and stews. But for salads, it is still advisable to use fresh herbs.

General storage table

Standard shelf life for greens

In this post, we talked about how to keep greens fresh longer in the refrigerator. We examined in detail the issues of storing green onions, dill, parsley, lettuce, arugula and spinach. We hope it was useful. Don't forget to share the post with your friends!

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Saving methods

There are many popular ways to preserve green onions, dill, parsley, cilantro, basil and other herbs for a long time. Let's consider each of them, analyze the pros and cons.

We recommend: Drying or freezing currant leaves for the winter

Plastic bag

The plastic bag protects plants from excess oxygen and maintains an optimal humidity level (90–95%). At the same time, it costs a penny or even goes to the hostess for free. The main disadvantage of this packaging is that the greens in it remain fresh for no longer than 5–7 days.

Pack one small or medium bunch into each bag. Don't mix different types of greens. Inflate the bags and tie tightly.

Paper towels

Perhaps the most ineffective way to keep herbs fresh, but for some reason very popular among housewives. Extends the shelf life of the product to 3–5 days.

Wrap a small bunch of herbs in a paper towel, forming a “sausage”. Lightly spray it with water from a spray bottle. This will protect the plants from drying out.

Please note that newsprint is not suitable for storing greens in the refrigerator. It contains traces of printing ink containing harmful substances that can penetrate into products.

Vacuum container

For long-term storage of greens in the refrigerator, a vacuum container equipped with a pump for pumping out air is most suitable. Since no oxygen penetrates into the packaging, the herbs are not exposed to bacteria and germs. In addition, inside the container the greens are almost not subject to evaporation and retain moisture.

In a vacuum, the shelf life of green onions is 1 month, other types of greens - 2-3 weeks.

When choosing a vacuum container at a hardware store, try not to skimp. Buy products from reliable companies:

• Steba,
• Status

Cheap products may be defective and leak air.

It is desirable that the container material be polypropylene. It is mechanically strong and resistant to any temperatures, including negative ones. But a material such as polycarbonate may contain bisphenol A, a toxic substance that has carcinogenic properties and has a bad effect on the hormonal system.

So, you bought a vacuum container. Rinse it thoroughly from the inside, dry with a clean towel and dry. Then fill the volume 2/3 with greens. Bunches of herbs should lie freely. Close the lid, pump out the air and store the product in the refrigerator.

Regular plastic container

The rules for packing greens in a regular container are the same as in a vacuum container. Only the shelf life will be a maximum of 10–12 days, since some of the oxygen will penetrate into the packaging. But this is still more than using plastic bags or paper towels.

Glass jar

Glass is an environmentally friendly material, unlike many types of plastic. A regular jar allows you to keep greens fresh for up to 10–14 days. Before use, the container must be thoroughly washed and dried.

Take jars up to 1–1.5 liters in volume, putting 2–3 small bunches of herbs in each. Then cover tightly with plastic lids. During storage, check whether condensation has accumulated on the walls. If this happens, remove excess moisture with a cloth.

Container with water

There are three “tenacious” types of greens - parsley, green onions and dill. These spices contain many essential oils and phytoncides, so they are not spoiled for a long time by microorganisms.

We recommend: Dry dill for the whole winter in the microwave - simple and easy

To extend the life of plants up to 1 week, follow these steps:

1. cut off the ends of the stems;
2. pour cold water into a glass container;
3. lower the herbs into the container with the stems down, like a bouquet of flowers;
4. cover the upper leaves with a plastic bag or wrap with damp gauze;
5. put the greens in the refrigerator.

The water should be changed every 2 days. Before consuming herbs, cut off the stems and rinse the leaves under running water.

Using the Bow

A non-standard method of preserving the freshness of greens extends the shelf life of the product to 2 weeks by suppressing the activity of bacteria. Unfortunately, the herbs take on a characteristic onion-like aroma.

It is better to take red onions for storing greens, which contain more phytoncides than other types.

Place the herbs in a plastic bag. Without removing the peel, cut the onion into 4 parts and place with the greens. Tie the bags. Twice a week, the herbs should be transferred to a dry bag and the onions should be replaced with fresh ones.