How long do vegetables stay fresh and safe to eat?

The number of days for which your vegetables stay fresh can vary depending on how long they have been out before reaching your kitchen, temperature and humidity. In general, hard vegetables like carrots and capsicum will last longer than soft vegetables that contain more moisture in them. Let’s find out what the average shelf life is of some the common kitchen staples:

Potatoes & Onions: These will stay fresh for about 3 to 5 weeks outside. Just remember not to refrigerate them as that will speed up the spoilage process. If stalks begin to grow on potatoes, they are still safe to eat but if the stalks are more than an inch long, you may need to toss it.

Tomatoes: Though not technically a vegetable, tomatoes are one of those kitchen staples that are found in every kitchen. They are best stored at room temperature and will last for about 4 to 5 days.

Cabbage: This vegetable can be kept in the fridge and will remain for 5 to 7 days.

Capsicum & Cauliflower: Slightly harder vegetables like capsicum and cauliflowers can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 to 2 weeks.

Carrots: You can keep carrots for up to 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge without them going bad. Remove the greens from the carrots before storing them to extend their shelf life.

Green Peas: Shell your peas as soon as you get them home and then refrigerate them in an airtight container. The peas will last for up to 5 to 6 days. If the container isn’t airtight, they might start to sprout early.

Once you have brought your fresh vegetables home, wash them with water and then dip them in a solution of water and HûMaree™ VegeSûre™ vegetable wash for 2 minutes to remove all pesticides, insecticides and kill 99.9% germs on them. Wash them with water again and dry them completely before storing in the fridge or outside. This will not just remove all impurities but it will also help lock in the freshness of the vegetables. Using HûMaree™ VegeSûre™ vegetable wash concentrate is a quick and affordable way to keep your vegetables clean and free of germs.

Despite your best efforts, vegetables will not last forever. There are some signs that indicate whether your vegetables have started to go off. Inspect your vegetables regularly and discard the vegetables that seem to be getting spoilt to prevent the spoilage of vegetables surrounding them. Some of the signs that your fresh vegetables are no longer as fresh are:

Texture changes: Vegetables that have a firm surface will start to turn mushy and leafy vegetables will wilt. If only a few have changed texture, remove them as soon as possible and use the vegetables before it spreads to the rest of the bunch.

Smell: Vegetables, or any other type of food, will give off a rancid smell when it start to spoil. If you open your fridge and smell something different, check all your produce immediately.

Mold: Mold is the most visible signs of spoilage. If your vegetables have started growing mold, you may need to discard not just the affected vegetable but also those around it as the invisible spores from the mold may have already spread to nearby produce. If the spot of mold is very small, you can cut it out but remember to keep at least an inch of margin all around to prevent regrowth. Do this only for hard vegetables like carrots.

Change in colour: If your vegetables have started to turn black and are slimy to the touch, there’s no question about it. Discard them and also clean and sanitize the area before storing vegetables again in the same area.