1. Asparagus

Asparagus is one of my family's favorite vegetables. Even my daughter loves it. Up until I learned this tip on how to keep food fresh longer, I always bought my asparagus the day I planned to cook it. With a busy schedule, that is not always so convenient. To keep asparagus fresh, cut off the bottom edge of the stems and bundle them all together. Place the fresh cut edges into a container of water, a mason jar would work perfectly, and cover the tops with a plastic bag. They should keep for a week or longer.

2. Herbs

Certain fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, chives and parsley stay fresh longer using the same technique as asparagus. Other herbs like thyme should be tied together and hung out in the open.

3. Bananas

Really, who doesn’t love bananas? They are a great snack for on the go and always pleasing to kids. Unfortunately, bananas have a tendency of going ripe too soon. I’ve learned that if you wrap the crown of the bunch with plastic wrap, they will stay fresh longer.

4. Guacamole

Guacamole is another favorite of mine. If you are also a guacamole lover, you know that saving uneaten dip is just not feasible. Or is it? If you have some leftover that you want to hold onto, spray the top with a little cooking spray before putting it away in the fridge. I wish I knew about this trick a long time ago.

5. Potatoes

Want to save your potatoes from sprouting? Try storing them with apples. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But it’s actually pretty common. No more reaching into the potato bin and grabbing onto a bunch of eyes!

6. Apples

Speaking of apples, don’t let a rotten apple spoil the bunch. It’s true that one bad apple can ruin its fellow apple buddies. If you see one turning, pull it out fast before the rest of the apples can go bad with it.

7. Salad Greens

When I buy lettuce, I typically plan to have salad throughout the week for lunch and with dinner. I’ve learned two things. One, it goes bad quicker if I leave it together as a head. Two, I am far less likely to eat a salad for lunch if the leaves aren’t already chopped and cleaned. Now I chop and clean my lettuce as soon as I bring it home from the grocery store. After it is dry, I put the lettuce in a plastic bag with a dry paper towel. The towel helps draw out any extra liquid and keeps the lettuce crisp much longer.

8. Ginger

I like ginger but I don’t always use it fast enough. Did you know that ginger will keep in the freezer? I just grate off what I need as I need it. As an added bonus, frozen ginger grates much easier.

9. Cheese

There are a few different tricks to keeping cheese fresh. First you should put a little dab of butter on the sliced side of the cheese. This will keep it from drying out. Second, wrap cheese in wax paper and not plastic wrap. Then place the cheese in a plastic bag before storing in the warmest part of the fridge.

There you have it, 9 tips on how to keep food fresh longer. What do you think of these tips? Do you have any of your own fresh food tips?