How to Clean and Store Fruit

So many varieties, so many rules of thumb. Let’s break it down as simply as we can so you can save time and money, and enjoy the sweet goodness of fruit.

Gather Simple Supplies

When you get home from the grocery store, take a few minutes to prepare your fruit. This will make it easy for you during the week when you want to grab something fast. We find a salad spinner is convenient to do a basic wash. Always have a gallon of vinegar on hand and make a combination of water and vinegar (three parts vinegar to one part vinegar) for your wash. Place it in the salad spinner bowl and utilize the basket to drain. Once you are done with the solution, spin the contents to dry as best as possible. This is good for fruits as berries, apples and grapes. For fruit that has inedible skins such as bananas and citrus, a simple rinse in cold water should do the trick.

Store in Smart Ways

You have your clean, dry fruit. Now it’s time to store it properly. Berries and grapes do well in glass containers with lids in the fridge. Citrus, apples and uncut melons can be kept in a bowl at room temperature. If you want to prepare your melons for easy snacking, you can cut them and store in glass containers. Bananas should be elevated to keep from turning brown too fast. If your bananas come with a paper or plastic cover on the stem, don’t take it off. Keep it on and they will stay fresh much longer. A great option to kill two birds with one stone is a fruit bowl with a banana hanger.