Stretching your supply between grocery visits:
WHICH PRODUCE LASTS LONGEST?
Roxanne C. Hare, Assistant Communications Specialist, LSU AgCenter
Sandra May, Registered Dietitian, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, LSU AgCenter
When frequent trips to the grocery store are not ideal, Another tip is to buy unripe fruits and vegetables to stretch
shoppers might want to focus on produce that lasts the longest, their lifespan in the kitchen.
and the chart on produce ripening from the LSU AgCenter can help.
“Bananas can last about a week if you buy them green, even
However, proper storage and freezing can help lengthen the though they ripen very quickly,” May said. “This also applies to
life of fresh fruits and vegetables that are quicker to spoil. things like avocados.”
“A lot of fresh produce lasts a long time if stored properly,” However, if foods are reaching the point of no return, May
said Sandra May, LSU AgCenter registered dietician in the School suggests freezing them.
of Nutrition and Food Sciences. “When people buy fresh foods,
in general, they usually eat them in the first week, but things like “Once you see foods start deteriorating a little bit, it might
apples and carrots can last a long time in the crisper.” be time to cut them up and put them in the freezer in an airtight
container,” she said.
It’s important to understand that storing certain foods
together can hasten spoiling, she said. For example, some fruits May said fruits such as strawberries and grapes can make a
and vegetables, such as apples and avocados, give off ethylene gas tasty frozen treat as is or chopped. Other foods, however, require
when they ripen, which can affect nearby foods. special preparation to maintain freshness when freezing.
May recommends buying fruits and vegetables in different “Some things, like broccoli and cauliflower, need to be
stages of ripeness to avoid repetition. blanched before freezing — basically steam or dip them in boiling
“When you purchase fresh fruit, you may not want to eat four water for a couple of minutes and let them cool in an ice bath —
nectarines four days in a row, so you can buy some that are a little that way they’re not limp and come out looking as fresh as when
firmer and have no bruises and eat the riper ones first,” she said. you cooked them.”
Visit our website: www.lsuagcenter.com
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PRODUCE — FROM QUICKEST TO LONGEST TO SPOIL
*All foods stored in refrigerator unless otherwise noted.
AROUND AROUND AROUND 2 WEEKS 3 WEEKS 4 TO 8
3 DAYS 5 DAYS 7 DAYS OR LESS OR LESS WEEKS
Corn on the cob Peaches Eggplant Cabbage Carrots Baby carrots
Greens Nectarines Mushrooms Celery Sweet potatoes Apples
Potatoes (on counter) Cranberries
Strawberries Plums Cherries
Pears Tomatoes (on Garlic Citrus
Okra
Broccoli countertop after ripe) Cantaloupe
Bananas
Cauliflower Grapes
Honeydew
Kale Zucchini
Watermelon
Cherry tomatoes Green onions
Asparagus
Kiwi Pineapple
Avocados (after ripe)
Cucumbers Blueberries
Blackberries
Raspberries Apricots
Summer squash
William B. Richardson, LSU Vice President for Agriculture
Louisiana State University Agricultural Center
Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station
Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service
LSU College of Agriculture
PUB. 3754 (ONLINE) 6/20
The LSU AgCenter and LSU provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.
Visit our website: www.lsuagcenter.com
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