Local Produce Storage Guide

September in Idaho is peak harvest time! Who can resist all the delicious produce available at the farmers market and in local stores right now? Enjoy these tips to keep this abundance of local goodies fresh.

Leafy Greens

Wash, dry, and store your leafy green in a plastic bag with a paper towel to keep crisp and ready for salad making for a week. If you have one, a reused plastic clamshell from lettuce mix makes a great storage container.

Root Vegetables

If they still have the tops, cut them off right away, but don’t compost or throw away! Store the roots in a paper bag in the fridge.  Store greens in a non-porous bag in the crisper and plan to use them in a few days. Use the greens in pesto and or throw them into a stir fry.

Peppers & Zucchini

Place in the fridge in a loosely closed non-porous bag in your crisper drawer. Use within a week as zucchini gets soft fast once picked. These can be chopped and frozen for use year-round. Shredded, frozen zucchini is a great addition to baked goods!

New Potatoes

The fresh-dug potatoes you’ll get at the market right now have thinner skin and a higher moisture content than the cured potatoes you get later in the season, so they're more perishable. Store them in a cool, dark, ventilated spot, and use within a couple of weeks. Don't refrigerate and don't store near onions.

Tomatoes

Keep at room temp, out of direct sun with the stem-side down to reduce moisture loss at the scar. Refrigerated tomatoes lose flavor, try to avoid chilling them. Instead, look into preserving them for the winter season.

Sweet Corn

Leave husks on and refrigerate immediately. The sugars in corn start converting to starch the moment it’s picked, so best to eat within 1–2 days of purchase, or remove the kernels and freeze for future use.

Melons

Whole melons store fine at room temperature for several days. Once cut, wrap tightly, refrigerate, and use within 3–4 days.

Onions & Garlic

For fresh, uncured onions treat them like scallions. Store them in the fridge and use them within a week or two. Fully cured onions and garlic go in a cool, dark, dry spot with airflow away from your potatoes.

A quick tip: Tender produce that you purchased on a hot day at the market can get a bit of chill shock. Let them come down to room temperature gradually before putting them in the fridge.