If you’ve ever bought cucumbers only to find them mushy and moldy a few days later, you’re not alone. The average family throws away $1,600 a year in produce! It might seem like small amounts each week that you don’t get around to eating, but it adds up!
By learning the best way to wash produce and store your produce correctly, it can last for weeks. Washing produce doesn't take a long time and it can greatly increase the shelf life of your fresh fruits and fresh vegetables. You’ll find yourself being able to eat all of the fruits and vegetables that you buy. Better yet, you won’t be throwing away your hard earned money!
Why Proper Washing and Storage Matters
Whether I am buying my fresh produce from a farmers market or the grocery store, I always wash it when I bring it home. I use a vinegar wash because vinegar kills off mold spores, eColi, listeria, and other harmful pathogens. When it comes to food safety, it is a good idea to wash produce in a vinegar bath even if it says that it is pre-washed.
Cucumbers often come wrapped in plastic, which can trap moisture and cause them to spoil faster. Additionally, they may carry mold spores and bacteria that contribute to decay. If you buy English cucumbers, it is important to remove them from the plastic wrap as soon as you bring them home from the grocery store. If you are buying regular cucumbers, remove them from a plastic bag you may have used. I use these mesh produce bags when I am shopping. They are reusable, 100% organic cotton and machine washable!
Step-by-Step Guide to Washing Cucumbers
- Prepare a Vinegar Solution:
- Use ¼ cup of 5% distilled white vinegar mixed with 10 cups of cool water.
- The vinegar helps eliminate mold spores, bacteria, and other harmful pathogens.
- Soak the Cucumbers:
- Submerge the cucumbers in the vinegar solution for two minutes.
- If they don’t fully fit in the bowl, soak one half, then flip them over and soak the other half.
- Dry Thoroughly:
- Place the washed cucumbers on a clean towel and allow them to air dry completely.
- Ensuring they are fully dry before storing helps prevent excess moisture buildup, which can lead to mold.
How to Store Cucumbers for Maximum Freshness
Whole Cucumbers
- Store them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator with other vegetables (but not fruit).
- This method keeps them fresh for about two weeks.
Cocktail Cucumbers
- Place them in a glass container with a clean paper towel at the bottom.
- They will stay fresh for 2 to 3 weeks.
- Some condensation inside the container is normal and does not harm the cucumbers.
Sliced Cucumbers
- If you slice cucumbers in advance, store them in a mason jar with a metal lid.
- With skin on: Lasts 7 to 10 days.
Zero Waste Produce Guide
If you are looking for information on how you should wash and store other produce items too, be sure to check out my Zero Waste Produce Guide. This hardcover, full color book contains information for washing and storing 75 produce items. The book also has over 40 recipes for how to use your produce. It is available in The Cross Legacy Shop as well as on Amazon.
Refrigerator Organization with a Salad Basket
In order to encourage my family to eat more vegetables, I store them cut up in glass jars with metal lids. I keep all of the jars in an acrylic basket that I call the 'salad basket.' This is an easy way to keep them together in the fridge and have a reminder of what we should be snacking on or eating. If you find yourself throwing away vegetables that aren't getting eaten, consider trying this method. You can real more about my salad basket in this blog post.
One of my Favorite Cucumber Recipes
Last year, my recipe for crunchy pickles went viral and it is a recipe that I am asked for all of the time. This is an easy way to use up cucumbers if you have a lot from your garden. It doesn’t require canning if you keep them in your fridge and they still stay fresh for several months. Be sure to check out this recipe if you want to learn how to make quick and easy crunchy pickles for yourself!
Save Money with a Three Week Grocery Cycle
One of the ways that I am able to save money on groceries and stick to my budget of $135/month is by stretching out my grocery shopping trips to once every three weeks. I am able to do this and still keep my produce fresh by following the methods in my Zero Waste Produce Guide.
It is also important to know what to eat first, and what produce will last. Typically I will keep a whole cucumber in the crisper drawer for the first two weeks (or until I need it). I will cut it around the two week mark and I know that the slices will remain fresh for another week or so.
Watch Me Wash and Store Cucumbers
By following these simple washing and storage techniques, you can make cucumbers last much longer, reducing food waste and saving money. Try it out and enjoy fresh, crisp cucumbers whenever you need them!
Leave a Comment