Vegetables are powerhouses of vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, after you pick vegetables, their nutrients start to break down. They continue to loose their nutrient value as time goes on. Light, heat and exposure to air can speed up that process, so it's important to eat vegetables as soon as you can after they're picked, or store them in a way that helps slow their nutrient loss.
Step 1
Store your vegetables whole. Don't slice them, as slicing vegetables exposed the flesh to air and light, which helps quickly break down the nutrients. In-tact vegetable skins offer protection from light and air.
Step 2
Store vegetables in the refrigerator to help slow nutrient loss. Store root vegetables in a dark, cool place like a cellar or low cabinet. Keep them in the crisper drawers, which are generally farthest away from the refrigerator lights and adjusted to be cooler than the rest of the refrigerator.
Step 3
Use airtight containers. Store leftover sliced vegetables or smaller whole vegetables in containers that block out air. The combination of airtight containers and refrigeration dramatically slows nutrient loss. Use storage bags with the extra air removed, or plastic containers with airtight seals.
Step 4
Freeze if possible. Freezing vegetables retards the breakdown process. If you freeze vegetables soon after picking, they will have nutrient contents similar to the fresh product when you are ready to use them. Store in airtight freezer bags.
Tips and Warnings
- If you have a garden, don't pick your vegetables unnecessarily just to store them. Leave vegetables on their plants in the garden until you're ready to use them or until the absolute peak time to pick them. Allow the vegetables to retain their nutrients by still being attached to their mother plants.
Things You'll Need
- Airtight containers
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