Tips to keep fruits and vegetables

1. Do all your other shopping first then get the produce home and into the fridge as soon as possible.
2. Looks count - it is the best clue to whether fruits and veggies are fresh to begin with.
3. Mold proliferates rapidly and contaminates everything nearby, so toss any spoiled produce immediately.
4. For longer life, keep your produce whole - don't even rip the stem out of an apple until you eat it to avoid micro-organisms growth.
5. Cold-sensitive fruits and veggies lose flavor and moisture at low temperatures. Store them on the counter, not in the fridge. Once. they're fully ripe, you can refrigerate them to help them last, but for best flavor, return them to room temperature
6. Never refrigerate potatoes, onions, winter squash or garlic. Keep them in a cool, dark, dry cabinet, and they can last up to a month or more. But separate them so their flavors and smells don't migrate.
7. Eat more perishable items first.