Fresh vegetables come with numerous benefits. They are abundant in vitamins and minerals and are excellent sources of dietary fiber. And the supreme appeal of fresh vegetables lies in the fact they are low in fat, sodium, calories and contain absolutely no cholesterol. Vegetables are usually at their best quality and price at the peak of their season. Fresh vegetables are key ingredients in the kitchen. Fresh fruits and vegetables are important to the health.

Eating more fruits and vegetables is a requirement for every healthy eater. But when you buy more fresh produce, do you end up throwing away more than you eat? Storing fresh produce is a little more complicated than you might think. If you want to prevent spoilage, certain foods shouldn't be stored together at all, while others that we commonly keep in the fridge should actually be left on the countertop.

Food is expensive, and most people can't afford to waste it.

• Look for brightly colored vegetables. The best items have blemish-free surfaces and regular, characteristic shapes and sizes.
• Sort through and discard any damaged items. Bruises and nicks can attract molds, which can lead to spoilage of an entire bag of vegetables.
• Leaves or greens should be crisp, not wilted.
• Buy only the fresh vegetables you plan to eat within a few days. Long storage time reduces nutrient levels, appeal and taste.
• Choose in-season vegetables. Typically, the closer you are to the growing season, the fresher your produce and the better it tastes.
• Enjoy packaged vegetables when out of season.
• Frozen vegetables are low in sodium and sometimes offer more nutrients than do less-than-peak-condition fresh vegetables, as they're processed quickly after picking. If you choose canned vegetables, look for those without added salt.

1. Keep a watchful eye for any vegetables that are rotten and remove them immediately to prevent spreading.
2. The best temperature is 32-38 degrees F
3. Store vegetables in a cool, dry location
4. If vegetables start to grow, the temperature is too high
5. If vegetables start to shrivel, the air around them is too dry

• Sweet Mild Onions should be kept in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, but beware the fatal moisture accumulation that causes them to spoil. Eat them within 2 weeks.
• Red and Yellow Storage Onions may be kept in any cool, dark, dry place with adequate air circulation for several months if they were cured.
• Be sure to store onions and potatoes in separate places. Moisture given off by potatoes can cause onions to spoil.)
• Uncured storage onions should be stored like sweet mild onions.
• Scallions should be stored unwashed and wrapped loosely in a plastic bag. Put them in the refrigerator where they will keep for a week.
• To keep scallions longer, chop off about three-quarters of the tender green tips; the end closest to the root is less perishable.
• Cut, raw onion leftovers should be tightly wrapped and refrigerated to be used within a few days.

• If your tomatoes smell fragrant and yield slightly when squeezed, they are ready to use.
• If not, store them for a few days at room temperature until they are ripe.
• Putting dry tomatoes in a brown paper bag may accelerate the ripening process, but a sun-free spot on your counter will work just as well.
• Except as a last ditch effort to keep tomatoes from spoiling, avoid refrigerating them --cold temperatures deplete their flavor & texture.
• Tomatoes may be dried for long-term storage, or they may be canned or frozen in sauces or salsas.

• Before storing the potatoes, put them in a paper bag with holes in it.
• Avoid using plastic bags, as they tend to increases condensation and thus, lead to development of mold.
• Potatoes should always be stored at a place which is cool, dark and has lots of ventilation. One of the best options is to store the potatoes in a root cellar.
• Avoid storing the potatoes in a pantry, as it may lead to their sprouting and dehydration.
• Potatoes should not be in the refrigerator, especially below a temperature of 7 deg C. This is because below this temperature they develop a sweet taste and get darkened when they are cooked.
• The ideal temperature at which potatoes should be stored is somewhere around 7- 10 deg C.
• Never ever store potatoes along with onions. When the two of them are put together, they produce certain gases that spoil both of them.
• Mature potatoes should not be stored for more than 2 months, while the new ones should be consumed within 1 week.
• Sweet potatoes should be stored for a maximum period of one week only, since they are very delicate.
• Never ever keep the potatoes in direct sunlight. Infact, keep them away from prolonged exposure to light. If exposed to light for too long, they become green, develop a bitter taste and might become toxic.
• Keep on checking the stored potatoes every few days. The moment you see a soft, shriveled or sprouted potato, remove it from the storage area.

Mushrooms can be delicious to eat, but they are also very delicate and must be handled with care. This is particularly true when it comes to handling and storing fresh mushrooms. Follow these steps to store mushrooms at home

• Place your mushrooms in a paper bag. The paper will absorb excess moisture that is released by the mushrooms.
• Fold over the top of the paper bag. You only have to loosely fold it. The idea is to close the top, but in a way that will still allow the mushrooms to breathe.
• Place the paper bag in the refrigerator, but not in your vegetable crisper. The cool air from the refrigerator will allow the mushrooms to stay fresh for several days.

• Carrots should also be stored in a paper bag, although plastic is almost as good, in order to keep them from going limp.
• Make sure you cut off the green top first.
• The longer you keep them, the limper they will be.
• Try not to keep for longer than a week.

• Store the whole head of cabbage in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week, two weeks if it is fresh from the garden.
• But remember, the older it gets, the stronger the flavor and odor will be.
• Cabbage will lose freshness rapidly once the head is chopped, so plan on using it within a day.
• If you only need half a head, place the remaining half in a plastic bag and shake a few drops of water onto the cut side.
• Close the bag and refrigerate.
• The cut half should last another few days if it was fairly fresh when you cut it.

• Most cucumbers found in supermarkets have endured a journey of hundreds of miles from where they were grown.
• To keep them from drying out on their long trip, their skins are usually waxed.
• Locally grown cucumbers are in their natural, wax-free state.
• These farm-fresh cucumbers dehydrate faster than the waxy kind, so be sure to get them into the refrigerator right away.
• If you store unwashed cucumbers in a sealed plastic bag in the vegetable crisper bin, they will hold for at least a week.
• Keep cucumbers tucked far away from tomatoes, apples, and citrus which give off ethylene gas that accelerates cucumber deterioration

• Do not wash the cilantro when you get home. The leaves will stay fresher longer if they remain dry.
• Gather the bunch with all stems together and snip off the bottom of the stems with your kitchen shears or cut with a sharp knife.
• Place your cilantro in a small vase as if it is fresh flowers; add enough water to cover the bottoms of the stems.
• Loosely place a plastic bag over the herbs and vase; this will hold moisture in to refresh the leaves and air will circulate through the bottom of the open bag.
• Change the water in the vase every few days to continue to keep the cilantro fresh.

• The best place to store your garlic is a dark, dry, ventilated area.
• It will keep garlic fresh for three months.