Veggies:

Arugula: (See Greens)

Artichoke:

• Suggested Storage: Artichokes should be stored in a plastic bag and will last up one week in the refrigerator. Once cooked they will last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
• Freezing: An artichoke can be frozen cooked or not. It is best to put lemon juice on them to prevent them from darkening. It is best however to cook them through, allow to cool and then wrap in foil. After wrapping in foil wrap the artichoke again in plastic wrap and place in a plastic bag.  Frozen artichokes will keep up to 8 months. Thawed they do resemble the same texture as fresh.

Beans (green and wax varieties):

• Suggested storage: Store the beans unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Cooked beans will last in a air tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• Freezing: Wash and trim the ends. Blanch the beans in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain, allow to cool, and pack into a plastic bag, freeze. The beans will keep for 10-12 months.

Beets:

• Suggested storage: Cut off the tops immediately–they draw up moisture from the root. Leave at least 2 inches of stem. Unwashed beets can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Cooked beets will last 3 to 5.
• Freezing: Leftover or cooked beets can be frozen in a plastic bag for long-term storage. To prepare fresh beets for freezing you must cook them until they are fork tender–blanching is not sufficient. Rinse the beets carefully and then boil them whole with root tips and 2 inches of stem. Allow to cool and then slide the skins off. Packed them sliced or whole in plastic bags. The beets will keep 10-12 months in the freezer.

(Bell and other varieties) Pepper:

• Suggested storage: Keeping peppers at room temperature is not suggested as they prefer a cool and high humidity environment. Keeping peppers in a brown paper bag in the vegetable or butter compartment can last 4-7 days.
• Freezing: Peppers are very easy to freeze. Wash, slice, remove seeds, place in a freezer bag, label and freeze. The peppers will last 6-8 months. Most peppers loose their crispness but can still be used for cooking. Hot peppers tend to lose much of their spice once frozen.

Broccoli:

• Suggested Storage: broccoli has a relatively short shelf life: it can last up to 5 days in a plastic bag in your refrigerator before it starts to go soft. After it is no longer firm it is best to use it for cooking purposes. Leftover cooked broccoli will last 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator.
• Freezing: Broccoli should be gently washed, drained, and cut up into small pieces. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch cut pieces of broccoli for about 5 minutes. Allow to drain, cool, and place into an air tight container. Broccoli can keep up to 12 months.

Cabbage:

• Suggested Storage: Cabbage should be stored whole in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and can last up to 2 weeks depending on how ripe the cabbage is at the time of purchase. Cut or shredded cabbage will wilt in the refrigerator after a few hours. It is best to use the cabbage based on portions needed for the recipe or dish you may be making. Unused cut portions (such a quarter) should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and should last another day or two.
• Freezing: Cut cabbage into coarse shreds. Blanch in boiling water for 90 seconds, strain, and place in an air tight container leaving a 1/2 inch head space. Cabbage can last for 10-12 months. Once cabbage is frozen it is best suited for cooking purposes only.

Carrots:

• Suggested Storage: cold temperatures and humidity. Refrigerated carrots can last up to two weeks in the crisper drawer. Apples and carrots should be kept apart in storage, as apples manufacture a gas that causes a bitter flavor in carrots.
• Freezing: Wash and peel carrot and leave small carrots whole, slice the larger carrot to 1/4” thickness and blanch carrots in boiling water; whole carrots, 5 minutes; sliced carrots 2 minutes. Drain and let cool. Pack the carrots in plastic bags, label and freeze. Carrots can last 10-12 months.

Cauliflower:

• Suggested Storage: Cauliflower should be handled with care so as to avoid bumps and bruising of the florets. Cauliflower should not be rinsed before storage. Cauliflower head should be loosely wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator where it may last about 7 to 10 days. Cooked cauliflower will last for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
• Freezing: Cut the cauliflower head into 1 inch pieces and wash thoroughly in salted water. Blanch the cauliflower for 3 minutes or steam for 5 minutes. Drain, allow to cool, and place the cauliflower in plastic freezer bags. Once frozen cauliflower tends to be watery when thawed and is best used for cooking purposes. It will last up to 10 months in the freezer.

Celery:

• Suggested Storage: Can be kept up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, unwashed, in a plastic bag. If the stalk has begun to wilt you can set the bottom in water in the refrigerator to revive it.
• Freezing:  Wash and trim away the leaves. Cut the stalks into 1-inch sections and then blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes or 4 minutes for steam. Drain, chill, place in plastic bag, and freeze. Frozen celery will not be a crisp once frozen but is fine for cooking.

Cucumbers:

• Suggested Storage: Cucumbers may be stored in the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag or unwrapped in the vegetable crisper and will keep for 4-5 days. Once a cucumber is sliced you may store it in the refrigerator covered tightly for 1-2 days.
• Do not freeze cucumbers.

Garlic:

• Suggested Storage: Garlic is best stored in cool, dark spot on a shelf or even in drawer in your kitchen, and can last up to one month if store properly. A simple preservation technique is to peel and chop all the garlic cloves, place in a small glass jar and cover the garlic with olive oil or vegetable oil. This method allows one to preserve garlic for up to 3 months depending on much you use.
• Do not freeze garlic.

Greens (Mustard, Turnip, Collard, Kale, Arugula):

Suggested Storage: Greens have a very short shelf and are best utilized on the day of purchase. Put unwashed greens into a plastic bag and store in the coldest part of the refrigerator and they will last up to 24 hours.

Freezing: Most greens are best frozen after they have been cooked or blanched. The greens should be stored in an air-tight container with 1/2 inch head room. The greens can last up to 3 months in the freezer and will most likely be a bit watery.

Eggplant:

• Suggested storage: You may keep an eggplant more for 3 or 4 days outside of the refrigerator, though they may last up to a week in the refrigerator.  Cooked eggplant can be refrigerated for 2-3 days, after that it ends to be mushy.
• Freezing: Wash and peel, remove the flesh. Blanch 1/4” thick slices in salted water for 4 minutes or steam for 5. After a quick chilling dip each slice into a solution of 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice to one cup of water.  Drain, place in plastic bag, and freeze. Eggplant keeps for 6 to 8 months.

Leeks:

• Suggested storage: In a plastic bag in the refrigerator they should last up to one week. Leeks should be carefully cleaned because their tight layers trap dirt. To wash. trim off the tops at the point where green meets the white portion. Slice into quarters lengthwise about 1 1/2″ from the base. Fill a sink up with cold water and rinse several times.  Pat dry before placing in a plastic bag for storage.
• Freezing: see above. Place in freezer bag. Leeks can last up to 12 months. Best used for cooking once frozen.

Lettuce:

• Suggested Storage: Lettuce loves the cold, the closer to 32 degrees, the longer it lasts. One degree under 32 and it will damage the leaves. Once the lettuce is chilled it needs humidity to stay fresh and green. Refrigerated lettuce should be stored unwashed a in the plastic bag in the coldest part of the refrigerator away from other fruits, especially apples. The ethylene gas given off by many ripe fruits will turn your lettuce brown. Storing in this manner and depending on the type of lettuce it can last from 3 days to a couple of weeks. To crisp limp lettuce, place in the freezer for 2 to 3 minutes. Chopped lettuce also can be braised or used in soup.
• Do not freeze lettuce.

Mirlitons

• Suggested storage: Mirliton can be stored in a plastic bag up to one month in the refrigerator. Cut chayote can be stored be for 3-5 days, in an airtight container as it may absorb other flavors from the refrigerator.
• Freezing: Cook completely before freezing it. You can cut the squash into pieces and boil it or you may bake it whole until the skin is soft (pierce the skin before baking). Remove seeds and scrape the flesh from the rind and  cut or puree the pulp. Put into airtight plastic bag, label, and freeze.
  The squash will keep for 10-12 months.

Mushrooms:

• Suggested Storage: Mushrooms do not like to be cleaned before storage.  Store in a paper container or bag in the refrigerator. Mushrooms will last 2-3 days before they start wither at this point, but the flavor is still good for cooked dishes.
• Freezing: Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Saute them, whole or sliced, in butter or oil or both, until they are almost done. Allow to cool and pack the mushrooms in an airtight container and freeze. You may freeze them without cooking, the texture may become a bit rubbery but are still perfectly good for cooking. Frozen mushrooms will last 10-12 months.

Okra:

• Suggested Storage: Okra is highly perishable and can be stored for 2-3 days in the fridge in a plastic bag. The okra needs to kept as dry as possible or else they begin to develop a slimy film on the surface. You can minimize this effect by briefly sauteing the okra in butter before adding to soups or stews. Leftover okra handle reheating very well. You can store the okra in a container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Freezing: Wash the fresh okra, trim the stems, but leave the caps intact. Sort okra according to size. Blanch–3 minutes for small pods and 4 minutes for large pods. Chill & drain. You can pack the okra whole or slice the pods before freezing. Store in airtight plastic bags. Okra will keep for 10 to 12 months.

Onion:

• Suggested Storage: Onions enjoy a cool dry area with lots of air circulation, conversely,  a humid environment can cut the shelf of an onion in half. Depending on the type of onion, the shelf life can vary. Sweet onions last about one to two weeks in comparsion with most other varieties which last three to four weeks. An onion can last up to 2 months in the refrigerator but the aroma will spread to other food in the refrigerator.
• Freezing: Peel, chop, and place in a plastic bag and freeze. Onions will last for 10 to 12 months, their texture and flavor slightly change during this time, so they will best suited for cooking.

Parsnips:

• Suggested Storage: remove the tops before storing. Parsnips will stay for 7 to 10 days in a plastic bag. Cooked they will last 3 to 4 days.
• Freezing: (see turnips)

Peas:

• Suggested Storage: Fresh peas are best enjoyed the day of purchase but can last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in a plastic bag, the same for cooked peas.
• Freezing: Shell the peas and blanch for 90 seconds in boiling water. Allow to cool, drain, and freeze in plastic bags. They can last for 10-12 months.

Potatoes:

• Suggested storage: potatoes last the longest in dark cool environments (45-50 degrees), in a basket or paper bag allowing for air circulation. They can last for several weeks, even as long as 2 months. At room temperature, on the counter, they can stay fresh for a week to 10 days at the most. New potatoes (boiler potatoes) can be counted on for 4-7 days.  Left-over cooked potatoes can be refrigerated for 3-5 days.
• Freezing: Potatoes are not generally good candidates for freezing. Raw or cooked potatoes that have been frozen will simply disintegrate when thawed.
  One way to saving aging potatoes from the trash or compost: cook them, mash them, and then freeze them. Freeze in airtight container, mashed potatoes will last 10-12 months. To reheat, add a tablespoon or two of milk or water in a saucepan, add frozen potatoes, and warm them at a medium low setting, stirring frequently so they don’t stick.

Sweet Potatoes:

• Suggested Storage: As with regular potatoes these tubers need a dark cool environment, and can last possibly up to 2 months. Unlike other varieties of potatoes, sweet potatoes or yams can be refrigerated in a plastic bag can last for 7 to 10 days.  Cooked sweet potatoes can last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Leftover cooked sweet potatoes can be used in variety of ways; one easy way would be to integrate them in baked goods like bread.
• Freezing: sweet potatoes store well frozen when fully cooked with addition to a bit of lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Pack the cooked sweet potatoes in an airtight container allowing 1/2” room for food to expand. The potatoes will last 10-12 months.

Radish:

• Suggested Storage: The tops of radishes should be removed before storing. Radishes stored in a plastic bag will last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. A brief soak in ice water will perk up a sagging radish.
• Do not freeze radishes.

Spinach:

• Suggested Storage: Spinach will keep for 2 to 3 days in a plastic bag in your refrigerator. Save the washing and cutting for immediate usage. Once cooked, leftover spinach will last 3 to 5 days in a air tight container.
• Freezing: Start by stripping off the stems, then with one hand, fold the sides of each leaf downward, leaving the the stem side facing up. The other hand should grasp the end of the stem and pull upward from the leaf. The stem should separate easily, leaving the leaf whole. Be sure to discard wilting or yellowing leaves. Dunk the spinach into a sink of cold water to rinse the grit off. You should repeat this process in a fresh sink of cold water until there is no more dirt in the bottom of the sink. Blanch the spinach for 2 minutes in boiling water or about 90 seconds in steam. Cool the spinach in ice water, remove and gently remove extra water by patting dry with a couple of towels. Place the spinach in a plastic bag immediately, be sure to remove the extra air, label, and freeze. Frozen, the spinach will last 10 to 12 months. Cook thawed spinach for 3 to 5 minutes in a bit of water, butter, or oil which ever you prefer.
  

Sprouts & Shoots

• Suggested Storage: Make sure that when purchasing sprouts or shoots that they are both moist and crisp with a fresh scent. Avoid sprouts or shoots that look slimy or darkened. Fresh sprouts will last 7 to 10 days in a plastic bag in a refrigerator. They should remain moist but not wet in the plastic bag as this aids bacterial growth.
• Do not Freeze Sprout or Shoots.

Squash (zucchini, yellow, etc.):

• Suggested storage: Squash enjoy cool temperatures and high humidity. The best way to store your squash is in the refrigerator in a plastic bag, and it will last 4-5 days. One should avoid bruising or nicking the squash as it has a tendency to accelerate spoilage.
• Freezing: Wash and slice into 1/2 inch thick cubes. Blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water or 4 minutes in steam. Cool, drain, and place in a plastic bag and freeze. Squash will can last 10-12 months.

Tomatoes:

• Suggested Storage: The refrigerator is no place for a tomato.  Refrigerated tomatoes will ripen but will not become juicy or sweet. Keep tomatoes at room temperature to ripen, even a ripe tomato will last 1-2 days. You can keep sliced tomatoes in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap for to 2-3 days.
• Freezing: You may freeze tomatoes whole or in pieces although their texture may not be good for canning or fresh cooking. Once frozen tomatoes may be better suited to sauces and stews.