Washing fruit and vegetables well before putting them in the fridge seems to be a thing from nothing, but in reality it makes a big difference. For health, of course, but also not to find yourself with a half refrigerator to be thrown away after a few days.
We tend to think that a quick pass under the tap is enough. And maybe, sometimes, he does it as well. But more often than you imagine, between the leaves of the lettuce or on the peel of an apple, small residues are hidden that do not go away so easily. And even if they are not seen … there are. A detail that many underestimate: putting dirty foods in the fridge can also ruin everything else. Humidity, bacteria, mold … spread quickly. And you end up throwing vegetables still whole only because a simple passage has been skipped.
A trick not to forget about it? Always keep a basin and baking soda at hand. It takes two minutes to prepare a solution that makes its duty without stress or complications.
Because it makes sense to wash fruit and vegetables before the fridge
L’food hygiene It is not just a matter of fixation for cleaning. Even what comes from the farmer or the bio bank of the market can be contaminated from the ground, invisible insects or traces of chemicals. A well -made washing helps to reduce the risk, point. There is also another reason, more practical: dirty and wet plants rot quickly. The humidity that accumulates in the bag or in the container is the perfect place for mushrooms and mold. If, on the other hand, they wash and dry well, they are better preserved and organize themselves even more easily. Just a right box or bag, and the fridge no longer becomes a jungle.
Someone is convinced that it is better to wash everything only before eating it. Yes, it can be fine in certain cases. But if the washing is done correctly right away, the freshness is still maintained, with the advantage that everything is already ready when needed.
The steps for simple but effective cleaning
Wash well is not a science, it is more a matter of habit. Once the mechanism is learned, it almost comes from itself. It is done without thinking too much, how to put the coffee into the mocha in the morning. Some gestures thus become natural that they are almost closed. And to have fruit and vegetables ready in the fridge, beautiful clean? A convenience that is priceless:
- Fill a basin with fresh water, nothing complicated: tap water is fine. Add a branches of baking soda for each liter, without staying there with the scale. Just go to the eye, as it was done once.
- Fruits and vegetables must be immersed calmly. You don’t need a hurry. They leave about ten minutes to soak, even something more if there is time. Every now and then, a mixture with your hands to make sure everything is reached by the water.
- At this point, for the fruit and vegetables with a slightly tough peel, like apple or carrots, a pass with a brush or even with your hands is ideal. A light rubbing is enough, you don’t need to discard them.
- After soaking and rubbed, the moment of rinsing comes. A nice passage under running water, made calmly, to remove any residue away. No rush, so you avoid leaving traces of baking soda.
- Finally, drying. A clean cloth or a little absorbent paper do their job. The salads must be treated well: if there is a centrifuge, it’s time to use it. The berries instead … well, there it takes delicacy: better to dab them slowly, without crushing them.
Attentions not to forget when washing fruit and vegetables
Sometimes it takes little to frustrate everything. Keeping fruit and vegetables soaking too long, for example, can make them soft and flavors. Or use detergents not designed for food: even if “natural”, they risk leaving annoying residues.
Another common mistake? Place still humid foods in the fridge. Humidity is the number one enemy. And then there is the temptation to mix the whole in the same container, a little for a hurry, a little for convenience. Better not. Strawberries and tomatoes, for example, do not get along. Everyone needs his space and air.
It also happens that, without realizing it, you begin to hear strange smells in the fridge. Often it depends precisely on a bad food. Fennel, onions, cabbage … they are good, but if not treated well they release aromas that stick everywhere.
After all, you get very little. Yet the result is immediately seen: less waste, more taste, more order. And that subtle satisfaction of knowing that in the fridge there is already everything ready for a fast snack or a improvised dinner.
Ten minutes, maybe even less. The time to undo the shopping envelopes and arrange everything with a minimum of attention.
A small habit that changes the way of living the kitchen.
Photo © Stock.adobe
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