Buying produce is the easy part, but washing and prepping can really be a pain. We found ourselves avoiding or procrastinating the entire process, which made us determined to find a simpler way!
The newest 'rule' in our house is that we cannot put any produce away until it's clean. This has made a MAJOR difference in our day-to-day cooking and eating. It's so nice knowing that everything we reach for is already clean and ready to eat.
We just recently bought the Thera O3 Bubbler and we love it! We are in no way affiliated with this company, just genuinely want to share this with our community.
The TheraO3 Bubbler is a unique device that can be used to sanitize all of your food sources by simply bubbling the low Gamma O3 into your kitchen sink filled with tap water. Within minutes, tap water transforms into a sanitation station and can sterilize and disinfect all forms of unhealthy foreign bacteria, viruses, parasites the like from not only produce, but many other things as well. It also has many other uses, so be sure to check it out to read more details.
For a more cost effective strategy, check out this article, which teaches you how to use things like vinegar and baking soda to properly wash your produce.
Also, check out the EWG's 2023 Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen. This is a great resource for a shopper's guide to pesticides in produce.
Washing & Storing Produce Tips & Tricks:
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Don't put any produce away until it is washed, dried and prepped.
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Use your TheraO3 Bubbler or other solutions to properly wash produce.
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Allow to air-dry until completely dry before storing. This could mean a few hours. If you put your berries away too soon, they will get mushy!
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Store berries with a paper towel underneath them, and do not cut until ready to eat. They also do best if they have a little room to breathe and aren't smushed together in a small container.
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Think of how produce is stored at your local store or market. Try to mimic this at home. For example, tomatoes are shelf stable, whereas herbs are in the refrigerated section and often receive a mist of water.
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Know which things you can store together and which to avoid. Some things, like onions, will make certain fruits ripen faster.
Can you think of any other tips? DM us on Instagram to let us know what we missed!