How to store vegetables so they stay fresh for a longer period of time

Joke has it that buying all the vegetables mentioned in the song Bahay Kubo can now cost you an arm and a leg. It’s a piece of black comedy, we know, but one that isn’t entirely false.

Prices of commodities, especially of vegetables, have gone up that Agriculture Secretary Emmauel Piñol has called on the public to plant their own food.

On Unang Hirit Monday, Chef Conrad Legaspi, of Empire Steak on Maginhawa Street, gave tips on how to store vegetables so they fresh for a longer period of time.

Punch holes into your reusable plastic bags. When storing veggies in a plastic bag, make sure to punch some holes into them to prevent moisture build-up. Moisture is what you’ll want to avoid as it makes vegetables turn bad quickly.

Separate fruits and vegetables. Fruits produce ethylene gas that ripens veggies too quickly.

Wash vegetables only as needed. If you wash veggies before putting them inside the refrigerator, it will create moisture, which is what you’ll want to avoid. So, wash only as needed.

Don’t put onions and potatoes together. Onions has enzymes that hastens unwanted growth at the tip of the potatoes.

Use newspapers or paper bags as storage for potatoes. They need to be stored in darkened rooms, remember? And please do not put potatoes inside the refrigerator!

Don’t store tomatoes inside the refrigerator. “Malalamog siya dahil sa pag-de-dehydrate sa ref,” Conrad explains, adding that when tomatoes ripen, clean it and then freeze.

Remove KangKong leaves from stalk. “Sometimes, we blanch it but mas madali kung i-ra-wrap in paper towels, and store in reusable bags.” Which, of course, have already been punched with holes. — LA, GMA News