Produce Storage Tips
Here are some tips for making your smoothie ingredients last longer and stay fresh so your smoothies are always top notch. Follow the tips below and you will never lose your smoothies to spoilage, temperature, or oxidation.
We also suggest cutting all of the fruits and vegetables and storing them in the freezer as they will make for a better smoothie experience when blending, since you can skip the ice with frozen fruits and veggies.
Bananas
We absolutely love bananas. They are not only one of the keys to a perfect smoothie consistency, but also one of the healthiest. We suggest peeling and dicing the bananas to store in the freezer when you receive your box. You can also keep them out on your counter if you will use them within the week, but as they tend to ripen and brown faster than most fruits, we suggest the freezer method.
Avocados
Storing avocados is practically an artform. We will do our best to send you an avocado that is close to ripe so that you can store them in the fridge right away. If you receive an avocado that is a little hard and more green than dark, then leave the avocado out on the counter in room temperature until it is ripe (entirely black and soft to the touch). Once ripe you can place them in the fridge to keep them from going bad.
Greens (Spinach, Kale, Chard)
Greens like Spinach, Kale and Chard can be stored in a refridgerator in a clear plastic bag. Do not wash them before putting them in the refridgerator, as moisture will cause the greens to rot. However, if you are going to freeze the greens, then you can wash them beforehand, dry them with a towel, then put them in the freezer inside a plastic bag.
Berries
When storing in a refridgerator, leave the berries unwashed and put them in a single layer and loosely covered. Washing the berries before storing them will make them mushy, so wash them only before blending. Strawberries can be stored up to 5 days, while Blueberries and Raspberries can be store for 3-4 days.
Berries freeze well and can be used frozen for smoothies. Leave a little space at the top of the bag or container when putting in the freezer, because the berries might expand a little
Citrus Fruit
While we are used to seeing decorative lemons and limes out on the counter in kitchens, that isn't the best place to actually store your citrus fruit. Citrus fruit is best refrigerated as it will slow down the deterioration process and help maintain freshness. You must also keep them dry, so don't was them until you are ready to blend them in your smoothie.
Root Veggies
Root vegetables have the best shelf life of all produce, and Root vegetables like beets, garlic, and squash can be stored ina cool dark places in your fridge, or chopped and stored in the frige. Carrots can be stored in the crisper drawer of the fridge as they do not rot easily, adn can be stored pretty much anywhere.
If you are going to freeze the root vegetables, then you must chop them and blanch (scalding vegetables in boiling water or steam for a short time) them first. After they are blanched, you can store them in a bag in a freezer.
Apples and Pears
Apples are pretty easy, as you can wash them before or after refridgerating them, and can easily be stored in a crisper drawer. Pears are best left out on the counter until they start to ripen. After they ripen, you can store them with the apples in the crisper drawer. If you do not let the pears ripen, they will be hard and difficult to blend.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are best stored in the refridgerator, wrapped in a paper towel and plastic bag. We do not suggest freezing cucumbers as they have a high water content and could turn mushy. If you are to store them in the freezer, they will need to be placed in a brine solution first.