At what temperature are fresh cucumbers stored? How to keep cucumbers fresh longer

Cucumbers are vegetables that can be eaten as an independent product, and also used to prepare various dishes. To ensure that cucumbers always remain fresh, you must follow certain rules for storing these vegetables in the refrigerator. There are several methods by which cucumbers can retain their benefits and freshness for several days and even weeks.

Thus, at extremely low temperatures, cucumbers change their color to brown-green and become slimy.
When stored in a warm room, cucumbers become flabby and begin to turn yellow.

The optimal temperature conditions for storing this vegetable are 5-6 °C, with an air humidity of 90-95%. If these conditions are met, cucumbers will retain their properties and original appearance for up to 2-3 weeks without any additional processing.

When storing cucumbers in the refrigerator, you must avoid their contact with the following vegetables and fruits:

apples;

tomatoes;

melon.

Glass, clay or wooden containers are ideal for storage. It is better not to use plastic bags for this purpose.

Cucumber storage time

Under different conditions, cucumbers can be stored for different periods of time. So, without providing additional conditions, at different temperatures, vegetables will retain their taste and appearance in the following time periods:

up to +8 °C - 1 week;
from +4 to 0 °C - shelf life varies from 2 weeks to 1 month;
from -2 to -6 °C - 1-2 months;
From -8 to -18 °C, cucumbers can be stored for up to 12 months.

Choosing a variety for storage

First of all, cucumbers intended for storage must be collected fresh. Even minor putrefactive damage can ruin the entire process. In this case, it is necessary to reduce to a minimum the time after picking cucumbers before sending them to the refrigerator.

Have you always followed the storage conditions for fresh cucumbers?

YesNo

When buying vegetables intended for storage, pay attention not to individual specimens, but to the entire batch. If most of the vegetables are in a wilted state, then they will not last 2-3 days in your refrigerator.

Cucumbers that have damage (cracks, dents) must be eaten immediately. Such vegetables are not suitable for storage.

Cucumbers must have thick skin, but the size of the vegetables does not in any way affect their safety. The following varieties have good keeping quality:

Sadko;
Competitor;
Bush.

Overgrown cucumbers are not suitable for storage. Such specimens are best used for blanks.

Competitor

Refrigerator storage methods

How to store fresh cucumbers in the refrigerator? The optimal place to store cucumbers in the refrigerator is the bottom shelf. In some models, the humidity in the lower part is very low. To correct this condition, cucumbers placed in a container can be covered with a towel on top.

Paper wrapping method

How to keep cucumbers fresh in the refrigerator? You can ensure long-term preservation of cucumbers using toilet paper or napkins. Each cucumber must be wrapped in a small piece of paper and placed in a bowl. In this case, the freshness of the cucumbers is ensured for 15-20 days.

Cucumbers preserved in this way can be used for cooking or eaten fresh. Vegetables retain not only their taste and color, but also a set of vitamins and useful things.

Storage in water, sand and vinegar

Temperature conditions, humidity and initial condition are the basis that must be observed in any case. As additional components for preserving cucumbers, you can use river sand, cabbage and 9% vinegar:

Pottery, river sand. It must be prepared first - rinse in warm water and dry on a baking sheet or frying pan. Cucumbers must be placed in a bowl in layers, each layer generously sprinkled with sand. In this state, they must be put in the refrigerator. In this way, cucumbers can be stored fresh for up to 12 months.

Plain water. It is advisable to use raw and not boiled liquid for this purpose. To do this, put the cucumbers in a plastic container and fill with cold water. It should completely cover the vegetables. The bowl of cucumbers soaked in water must be covered with a loose lid and placed in the refrigerator. In this case, the shelf life of cucumbers is much shorter than the previous method - only 4-5 weeks.

To store cucumbers using this method, it is unacceptable to use mineral water and other carbonated drinks, tea or milk. These liquids are not suitable for filling cucumbers and other vegetables and fruits.

Vinegar. For this purpose, you need to use 9% apple cider vinegar, but in no case 70% essence. Before placing the cucumbers, you need to pour a little vinegar - 3-5 mm - onto the bottom of the enamel dish. Then a tray with holes or a deep colander is placed at the bottom of this bowl, on which the cucumbers must be placed. Can be laid in several rows.

Make sure that vinegar does not leak through the holes in the tray, as it can harm the vegetables. Spoiled cucumbers should not be eaten.

The bowl of vegetables must be placed in the refrigerator on the farthest shelf. It is also better to warn people who have access to the refrigerator so that they are careful not to accidentally drop the saucepan with cucumbers and you can keep the cucumbers fresh longer.

You can also watch a video where they will tell you how to store cucumbers after harvesting.

This method involves storing cucumbers for up to 1 month. Fresh cucumbers are always nice to take out of the refrigerator, especially in the autumn-winter period, when the human body lacks vitamins. So, if you collect and store cucumbers at the end of August, then if all conditions are met, you can eat them all winter.

Despite our love for gardening, the bountiful and tasty harvest is one of the reasons we started in the first place. Nothing beats vegetables and fruits grown with your own hands. And you especially think about this when small children appear in the family.

And now is the hour when the seeds are sown, the plants are grown, and the harvest is harvested. But in order to enjoy vegetables from the garden every day, take care of their proper storage. We will tell you how to preserve cucumbers without a refrigerator and with its help in our article.

To ensure that vegetables are stored for a long time, do not spoil themselves and do not help your neighbors do so, follow these simple rules.

Select only whole fruits for storage. No dents, cuts, rot. The cucumber should be firm over its entire surface. The soft fruit will soon spoil. Therefore, it is better to immediately use overripe fruits for food, and send slightly unripe specimens for storage.

Try not to delay the preparation of cucumbers for storage. The longer they sit at warm temperatures, the shorter their shelf life will become. Therefore, after harvesting, immediately do this, and you will enjoy fresh cucumbers (subject to all the rules) until spring.

If you decide to stock up on store-bought cucumbers, then pay attention to the type of product you are purchasing. Do not purchase wilted or stale fruits; they will not be stored for long.

For long-term storage, plant varieties that have thick skins in the garden. They are resistant to external influences. For the same reason, greenhouse cucumbers are not sent for storage - they have an excessively thin peel.

Cucumbers are stored at a temperature of 0ºС. Its decrease or increase will lead to a reduction in the shelf life of fruits. When storing in the refrigerator, carefully ensure that there are no unforeseen situations - the refrigerator does not defrost, and the cucumbers do not end up in an excessively cold compartment. It's easier to keep cucumbers fresh in the refrigerator in the vegetable drawer.

Do not store cucumbers with the following fruits and vegetables:

apples;
pears;
bananas;
melons;
tomatoes;
peaches;
apricots.

They release substances that cause cucumbers to spoil faster than under normal conditions.

After picking the cucumbers from the bushes, place them in the sun to dry. Under no circumstances should fruits be sent for storage wet. This will cause them to rot. When the cucumbers are dry, lightly shake off any pieces of dirt. You cannot wash the fruits. This will shorten the shelf life.

Normal storage. Cucumbers are stored, if no measures are taken, from 3 to 5 days. At the same time, they are placed in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment. But, as a rule, the harvest is so abundant that it is simply impossible to eat all the fruits in such a short time.

Indoor storage.If you have a free room with suitable conditions, you can store cucumbers on the floor. The room for this should be dark and cool. You should be able to ventilate it properly. Do not allow the room to flood, otherwise the cucumbers will spoil.

Cover the floor with cloth or cardboard. Place cucumbers on it in one layer.

Storage in cold water.This method will help preserve cucumbers in the heat. It is more effective to use a well when using it. Place the cucumbers in a bucket. Place the bucket so that its bottom is in light contact with the surface of the cold water.

At its core, this method is close to storing vegetables in a cold room.

Coating with egg white.There is another unconventional way to store fresh cucumbers. For this you will need egg whites. Before this procedure, wash the cucumbers and dry them. Then coat them with a thin layer of egg white. Wait for the white to dry. To do this, it is better to hang the cucumbers in a net so as not to damage the resulting protection. Then place the fruits in a bag or wrap them in cling film (the second option is better) and place them in the refrigerator. In the refrigerator, cucumbers should be placed strictly in the vegetable compartment.

Storage in a container.For this storage method, cucumbers are placed in any convenient container. These can be boxes, boxes or plastic containers. The fruits are placed in several layers in a container. For better preservation, place in one layer. The container is placed in a dark, cool room. At a temperature of 0ºC you will be able to achieve longer storage of vegetables.

Storage in water.Also, some gardeners use this method of storing cucumbers. Pour cold water into a large bowl. Cucumber fruits are immersed in it 2 cm with their tails down. To do this, the fruits are picked together with the stalk. The plate with cucumbers is placed in the refrigerator. Change the water every 24 hours, or more often. For such storage, cucumbers are chosen according to the rules given above. They should be hard with a dense, fairly smooth skin of a dark green hue.

Store in a damp cloth. Moisten the cloth. Water should not flow from it. Excessive amounts of moisture, on the contrary, will cause vegetables to spoil faster. Wrap the cucumbers in this cloth. Periodically lightly moisten it additionally.

On a note!

Be careful when using storage methods that involve the interaction of water and vegetables. The fact is that water can harm and increase the risk of rotting cucumbers. In this matter, it is important to observe moderation.

Storage in vinegar. For this you will need a deep container. Pour enough vinegar into it to just cover the bottom. Place a smaller container in it that will contain cucumbers. Please note that the fruits should never come into contact with vinegar. Cover the container with all contents tightly with a lid. Place in the refrigerator or basement. You can choose any other cool place.

Storage in a bank.Cucumbers are stored for a long time using the following method. Rinse the cucumbers with boiling water. Lay them out to dry or wipe them dry. Take a glass jar and place the horseradish in it. The horseradish can be chopped first (finely chopped with a knife or grated). Then place the cucumbers in the jar. Close it tightly with a lid. Place the filled jars in a cellar or other cool, dark place.

Storage in a wooden box.This method is used to store many vegetables (for example, root vegetables). It is also suitable for cucumbers. You will need wooden boxes. Place fruits in them, sprinkling them with sand or sawdust. Place the box of cucumbers in a cool, dark room. The room must also be dry, without the presence of excess moisture.

On a note!

Sand for storing cucumbers can be used in almost any method. Use only clean and well-dried sand.

Storage in a clay container. The use of clay containers helps preserve fruits for more than 10 days. Storage rules are similar to those in other methods. Place cucumbers in a container in layers, sprinkling them with sand. Close the container tightly. Place it in the ground. The container must be completely in the ground.

Storing fresh tomatoes

Since tomatoes are equally popular with cucumbers, the desire to preserve their fruits also occupies the thoughts of gardeners. The main problem in storing tomatoes is the softness of their fruit and thin skin. However, if you know certain rules, you can extend their life up to several months, that is, preserve the fruits throughout the winter.

In order for tomatoes to be stored for a long time, harvest them correctly. Tear off the fruit with part of the stalk. Be careful not to damage the skin on the top of the fruit.

Tomatoes can be stored for 7-14 days by placing them in paper bags or wrapping them in parchment paper. Place these fruits in the refrigerator. In the compartment for storing vegetables.

In order for tomatoes to last all winter and not spoil, give preference, as in the case of cucumbers, to fruits grown in open ground. Greenhouse tomatoes have worse shelf life. The reason for this is the characteristics of the varieties.

The temperature suitable for storing fresh tomatoes is from +8ºС to +12ºС. Excessively high or excessively low temperatures have a detrimental effect on the safety of fruits. A suitable place to store tomatoes is a basement or other dark and cool room.

Choose undamaged fruits. In the case of tomatoes, this is especially important, since they are malleable in structure and are damaged at the slightest impact. A spoiled fruit will only speed up the deterioration of other tomatoes.

You can also store tomatoes in a cool room just on the floor. In this case, the fruits should not be too ripe. To keep them better preserved and not spoil so quickly, place the fruits on the top.

For the longest storage, take unripe tomatoes: green or just starting to turn slightly red. Store them, as mentioned above, at a temperature from +1ºС to +6ºС. At higher temperatures they will ripen faster and spoil. And at low temperatures, on the contrary, they will not ripen, and at the end of winter you will get green fruits. At the same time, it is recommended to store barely red fruits at +4ºС or a little more. But fully ripened fruits are stored at a temperature of +1ºС or +2ºС.

When storing tomatoes indoors, provide the fruits with a constant flow of fresh air. Ventilate the room periodically. Otherwise, the humidity level may increase and shorten the shelf life of the fruit.

When choosing a storage location, remember that tomatoes store best when they are not exposed to sunlight.

Try not to use bags when storing tomatoes. In such conditions, the humidity level increases, which leads to rapid spoilage of tomatoes.

The most common way to store tomatoes indoors is in boxes. To do this, the box is first lined with sawdust, sand or straw. They will help neutralize excess moisture during storage. Then the fruits are laid out on the litter. Lay out the tomatoes so that the top part with the stem is at the top.

For long-term storage, plant late-ripening tomatoes in the garden, that is, with a long growing season. Early ripening tomatoes have poor keeping quality.

General rules for storing vegetables, fruits and berries

Let us remind you how to make fruits, vegetables and berries please you for as long as possible. Stick to them, but adjust your actions depending on the type of fruit you choose. Because different fruits require different approaches.

As is the case with cucumbers, choose only fresh, beautiful and undamaged fruits. They should be tight and free of dents and soft spots. Do not select crushed, cut or beaten fruits for storage. If there is only one such specimen in the total mass, simply eat it immediately.

Do not select overripe fruits for storage. They will spoil quickly.

Depending on the selected fruits, vegetables or berries, they require special preparation. Some of them need to be washed and dried. But most fruits and berries, on the contrary, should not be washed, since they are stored in this form longer.

Fresh berries do not last long. In order to enjoy them, they are blanched. First it is crushed. Then place it in boiling water for a short time (1-2 minutes). Then take it out and cool quickly.

Individual vegetables and fruits store well frozen in airtight plastic containers or bags.

When freezing vegetables, fruits or berries, defrost them only if you decide to use them for food. If you need a small portion of frozen fruit, then take the required amount without removing the rest from the refrigerator. After defrosting, re-freezing will no longer extend the shelf life of fruits, vegetables or berries.

Fresh cucumbers are a great light snack and an excellent base for salads. They are pickled, salted, fermented. And of course, many people just love to crunch on a fresh cucumber. Today, this tasty, aromatic vegetable is available at any time of the year, and therefore not only during the summer season we think about how to properly store cucumbers. Is it worth buying them for future use? How quickly can they go bad? How to store fresh cucumbers at home without unnecessary hassle?

If you follow some rules, cucumbers can be kept fresh for a month or even longer. In this article we will tell you how to do this.

It's no secret that cucumbers taste best in the first hours after harvest. The fresher, the tastier. But if you have grown a lot of them or you plan to buy a large number of cucumbers for pickling, you need to ensure the preservation of the vegetables for as long as possible. If you follow some rules, cucumbers can remain fresh for a month or longer. First you need to select the right vegetables for storage.

Which cucumbers are suitable for long-term storage?

Not all cucumbers keep well even in the refrigerator. Greenhouse varieties with thin, delicate skins will barely survive for several days. It will not be possible to preserve the freshness of overgrown, watery, yellowed fruits and cucumbers of quickly ripening greenhouse varieties for a long time. However, if the salad cucumbers are placed in an airtight container, they can last in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Freshly picked, dry and clean cucumbers are suitable for long-term storage. Inspect the peel: it should be dense, without any damage. Please note that store-bought cucumbers will already last for some time, so choose your vegetables carefully. Buy fruits with thick skin, without damage or signs of rot, of medium size. Small cucumbers will dry out quickly, and large, overgrown fruits are not so tasty. If you come across limp cucumbers, it is better to use them on the day of purchase. When choosing fruits in a store, consider the entire batch: if there are a lot of limp cucumbers in it, then even if you choose the most beautiful and fresh ones among them, you will make a mistake - they will not withstand long-term storage.

Choose your vegetables carefully. Dry and clean cucumbers with thick skin without damage are suitable for long-term storage.

How to store cucumbers indoors

The ideal option for storing cucumbers would be a basement or cellar, cold and fairly dry, since in a warm and humid environment they will rot very quickly, and in too dry conditions they will lose their taste and quickly shrivel. The fruits are placed in ceramic or enamel containers and sprinkled with sand. You can also wrap the cucumbers in paper napkins. In such conditions they can remain fresh for a month or more.

Never wash vegetables before storing them. Cucumber peel has a natural protective layer. Store-bought cucumbers are often coated with wax to increase shelf life. They must be washed immediately before use or salting.

Cucumbers can be stored for several days in the room. To do this, they are placed in a cardboard box, box, paper bag or plastic container. The air temperature should be no more than +15 °C. In such conditions, vegetables can remain fresh for 3 days. At temperatures up to +7 °C, cucumbers will last up to 10 days. At this temperature, a damp cloth can be used as an alternative. Wrap the fruits in it and moisten as necessary (this can keep it for up to 14 days).

Cucumbers can be stored for several days at room temperature. They are placed in a cardboard box, crate, paper bag or plastic container

During winter storage of pickled cucumbers (in a barrel, bucket or jar), mold or fungus often appears on the surface of the brine. To avoid this, you need to sprinkle the surface with dry mustard (a thin layer). Thinly sliced horseradish and placed on top of cucumbers will also protect the fruit from mold.

How to store cucumbers in the refrigerator

Not every housewife has a cellar or basement at her disposal. A more common place for storing cucumbers is the refrigerator, namely the vegetable compartment (other names are “zero chamber” or “freshness zone”). Let's figure out how to store fresh cucumbers in the refrigerator:

In the refrigerator, cucumbers will remain fresh for 2 days without any problems. There is no need to specially process or prepare the fruits;
if longer storage is necessary, you can cover the cucumbers with damp gauze and place them in a plastic bag. In such conditions, the fruits will last up to 10 days. If you wrap each cucumber in a paper napkin and place them in a plastic bag, the freshness of the vegetables is ensured for 2 weeks;
To preserve cucumbers with thick, smooth, dark green skin, you can use water. Cold running water is poured into the tray and the cucumbers are placed vertically with the tails down. The fruits should not be completely immersed, but 1-2 cm. As they lose moisture, the vegetables will absorb water. However, there is a caveat - the water needs to be changed every day. You can store cucumbers in the refrigerator this way for up to 3 weeks.

A common method is to store cucumbers in the refrigerator. There they remain fresh from 2 to 20 days, depending on the variety and location in the refrigerator

Non-standard storage methods

Of course, there are other ways to store cucumbers. For example, clean dry fruits can be coated egg white. It forms a film and will prevent moisture evaporation. Cucumbers in a protein film are stored in the refrigerator, in the vegetable compartment or other cool place (underfloor, cabinet under the windowsill).

Some housewives use it to store cucumbers vinegar. To do this, pour a little vinegar (about 3 mm) into an enamel container, then install a stand on which the fruits will be laid out (they should not touch the vinegar). Vegetables are placed in several layers, the container is tightly closed and placed in a cool room. The shelf life of cucumbers using this method is about a month.

Many summer residents use ancient time-tested methods. For example, in order for cucumbers to remain tasty and juicy for as long as possible after harvesting, they grown in cabbage seedlings. As soon as the small fruits set, they are placed in cabbage leaves, where they subsequently grow. They continue to be stored there, in heads of cabbage, in a cool place. This way cucumbers can be stored all winter.

Another interesting and simple way to store cucumber harvest is in clay pots. The fruits are placed in a container, covered with calcined river sand and buried in the ground (lowered into the cellar).

And if there is a river flowing near your site, you can try the method that our ancestors often used. The harvested crop was placed in a wooden barrel, tightly closed, placed on the bottom of the river and fixed. An important condition: the water must be running and must not freeze under any circumstances! This way the harvest can be stored all winter.

Cucumbers tightly wrapped in cellophane or film, without access to oxygen, quickly “suffocate” and the process of rotting begins

Whatever storage option for cucumbers you choose, remember a few important rules:

Cucumbers should not be stored with ripe vegetables and fruits. Ripe fruits, for example, tomatoes or apples, emit ethylene, under the influence of which biochemical processes in cucumbers are accelerated. They begin to quickly turn yellow and soon become unfit for consumption.
Cucumbers, tightly wrapped in cellophane or film, without access to oxygen, quickly “suffocate” and the process of rotting begins.
At temperatures below 0 °C, cucumbers very quickly soften and become covered with mucus. When storing vegetables in the refrigerator, keep them as far away from the freezer as possible.
Regardless of how and where you store cucumbers, you need to check them, removing any that are damaged or have lost their freshness.

When in the summer there are so many cucumbers in the house that it is no longer possible to quickly eat them all in a regular salad, and naturally it’s a pity to throw them away, then the first solution that comes to mind is to pickle them. But perhaps there are options for keeping it in the refrigerator longer? After all, pickles are a completely different taste!

What conditions do cucumbers like?

The vegetable is surprisingly capricious. If he is too cold, he softens and becomes slimy. If it's hot, it turns yellow and withers.

Therefore, in order to understand how long to store cucumbers fresh, you need to know the optimal conditions for it. This is a humidity of 90-95% and a temperature of plus 5-6 degrees. In such an environment, cucumbers will “live” for two to three weeks without any additional processing.

Also, during storage, cucumbers should not be placed together with tomatoes, apples, or melons, otherwise they will quickly spoil.

It is advisable to choose glass, wooden or clay containers for storage. You can put a clove of garlic in it to protect the cucumbers from rotting.

How long can cucumbers be stored?

When figuring out how long to keep cucumbers fresh, it would be nice to clarify what period is meant by the word “long”. Here are the periods that these fruits can survive at different temperatures, unless they are provided with some special conditions:

up to 8 degrees - up to 7 days;
from 0 to 4 degrees - from two weeks to a month;
from -2 to -6 - 1-2 months;
from -8 to -12 - up to 5 months;
from -18 to -14 - 5-9 months;
from -24 to -18 - about a year.

Cold storage

What do we usually do when we want to extend the “life” of a product? We send him out into the cold. Cucumbers can be stored for about twenty days at a temperature of about 0 degrees. But there are two nuances.

Firstly, there are varieties of cucumbers, including greenhouse varieties, that do not tolerate low temperatures. Secondly, for preservation they need a humidity of 90%. The cold also softens the cucumbers. How long to keep cucumbers fresh in the refrigerator, taking into account these features?

Without any preparation, cucumbers from your own beds will quietly lie in the refrigerator on the vegetable shelf for 3-5 days. Store-bought vegetables will last 7-8 days. If you need to increase this period, do the following.

Sort through the cucumbers. If there are yellow blossoms, remove them. No need to wash. Wrap each fruit in a paper towel and then place in closed, but not sealed, bags. In this form they will remain for 10-14 days.

It’s just not recommended to store it in plastic bags without wrapping it in paper. If you do use them, make sure that they have holes in them.

Freezing

Wash and dry the vegetables. Cut into slices or cubes, depending on how you plan to use them.

Distribute the chopped cucumbers on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for several hours. Place cucumbers ready for storage into a bag, seal and return to the freezer. Try to keep as little air as possible in the bag. You can use a straw to blow the juice out.

It is also permissible to freeze whole fruits by first wrapping them in plastic. But in the future, you will still have to chop them before using, and it is more convenient to do this when the vegetables are fresh.

In polyethylene without refrigerator

The most obvious option is to prevent moisture evaporation by covering the fruit with a plastic bag or film. But cucumbers also need to “breathe,” so you shouldn’t wrap each of them tightly in film.

Place them in bags or wrap several pieces (no more than 2 kilograms) in film. At temperatures no higher than 15-20 degrees, they will “live” from 15 to 30 days, in some cases longer.

“Bouquet” in the water

Try to provide moisture-loving vegetables with a constant flow of liquid. Place them vertically in the pan, tails down. Fill the container with water so that it covers the cucumbers by about a third.

Typically, green fruits are stored for a long time in such conditions. However, the water must be changed every day, otherwise the vegetables will rot.

Wrapped in egg white

Cellar owners less often have the question of how to keep cucumbers fresh for a long time, since there are more conditions for this: there is a cool room with fairly high humidity.

For the described method, it is advisable to take cucumbers with a long stem, since after processing the fruits need to be hung somehow.

Wash and dry the vegetables thoroughly. Whisk the egg white and generously coat the cucumbers. After drying, the protein forms a film, which, on the one hand, prevents the evaporation of moisture, and on the other, allows the fruit to breathe.

Processed cucumbers are hung from ropes by the stem and stored in a cool place. In this form, they will retain their beneficial properties and taste for quite a long time.

They will have to be cleaned before use.

In a jar with a candle

This method is somewhat exotic, but if you want to know how long to keep cucumbers fresh, and by “long” you mean more than a month or two, then a candle in a jar is a real godsend.

Sort through the cucumbers. They must be of excellent quality, without the slightest damage. Take a three-liter jar and sterilize. Wipe freshly picked or purchased cucumbers with a dry cloth; no need to wash.

Place a regular candle in a jar (any kind, just not a scented one!), and stack the vegetables around it. But don’t stuff it to the top, you need to leave some space. Light the candle and let it burn for ten minutes.

Then take the metal lid and seal the jar. This must be done so that the candle does not go out. It will go out on its own when the closed jar runs out of oxygen.

Store the container with cucumbers in a cool place.

Another way

This is an old recipe that promises to last for at least several months. You will need vinegar and a non-metallic container. You can take an enamel pan.

Pour some vinegar into the bottom of the container. Place the cucumbers so that they do not touch it. For example, use some kind of lattice. Then close the lid tightly. A gas environment is formed inside that is comfortable for the fruit.

We have looked at many options for how long to keep cucumbers fresh. Choose the right one and enjoy fresh vegetables at any time of the year!

You discovered that beautiful vegetables, bought fresh at the market only yesterday, have already turned out to be spoiled today, despite the fact that they were stored in the refrigerator. How to properly store vegetables? What requires refrigeration and how should vegetables be prepared for storage?

Slim Life Club, Jun 11, 2014

Despite much careful inspection, sniffing, touching and selecting the best products on the market, two days later you discover that the cucumbers have wilted, the tomatoes have dried out, and the peppers have gone rotten. Has it not happened to anyone?

The fate of vegetables can be predicted even before they are purchased, given their genetic predisposition, weather and growing method.

But you have the power to change this sad fate. After harvesting, vegetables and fruits continue to live and produce heat, while at the same time losing moisture and other protective properties. You can extend their life, preserve their nutritional properties and improve their taste - only through proper storage.

Even if your refrigerator does not have many temperature settings, you can use a simple secret - the further the product is from the refrigerator door, the colder the temperature setting. The shelves on the refrigerator door are the warmest place in it, and the back wall is the coldest.

Below are a few more simple rules that will help you enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables longer:

Tomatoes

Temperature : tomatoes do not like cold, the optimal storage temperature for them is 12 degrees Celsius

Storage duration: For barely ripe tomatoes, this period can be a week. Unripe tomatoes should not be refrigerated until they are ripe and completely red.

Preparation: Before placing tomatoes in the refrigerator, we recommend removing the leaves from them, as they dry out and become moldy. If left, they can spoil the adjacent part of the tomato and begin the process of rotting.

Storage: To increase storage time, store tomatoes in a bag with large holes and insert a paper towel into the bag to absorb excess moisture.

cucumbers

Temperature: fresh cucumbers do not like heat, so they should be stored in the refrigerator. If cucumbers are left out of the refrigerator, they will begin to wilt very quickly. They will turn yellow and change texture and flavor. On the other hand, the cold will make the cucumbers soft and cover them with microscopic scars. These scars will start the process of decay.

Duration of storage: If all necessary measures are taken, cucumbers can remain relatively fresh for 10 – 14 days

Preparation: Before putting the cucumbers in the refrigerator, they should be cleared of yellow inflorescences. As a rule, the process of rotting begins with them

Storage: To keep cucumbers fresh for as long as possible, each cucumber should be wrapped in a paper towel to retain moisture and absorb excess. By storing cucumbers in closed, but not sealed, bags, you will delay scarring and softening of the vegetables. Cucumbers that have been stored in the refrigerator for a long period should be eaten immediately upon removal from the refrigerator. After a day or two of storage outside cool conditions, the quality of the cucumbers will rapidly deteriorate.

Peppers

Temperature: Peppers generally like the cold, but choosing the right temperature depends on the ripeness of the vegetable. The color of the pepper should be taken into account at the time of picking and packaging. All peppers are initially green and change color depending on the period of ripeness. The optimal temperature depends on the color of the vegetable. Yellow, red and orange peppers like temperatures of 7 degrees. Green - 10 degrees Celsius.

Storage duration: Firm peppers without damage to the surface can be stored for 7 to 10 days. If the red pepper has a green side, it can be stored for up to two weeks.

Preparation: If the pepper inflorescence is damaged, it should be removed as it is an open wound through which rotting bacteria can enter. This may cause damage to the rest of the peppers in the package.

Storage: The shelf life of peppers can be extended by placing them in a large-perforated bag with a paper towel to absorb any fumes from the peppers.

Green onions

Temperature : Green onions are stored well at 0 degrees. In a home refrigerator, where the temperature never drops below 5 degrees, onion leaves will continue to grow. Because of this, the leaves may turn yellow and begin to deteriorate.

Buying: We recommend purchasing green onions that have dark green leaves without the brown part at the base. This part signals the beginning of the rotting process. Light shades of green should also be avoided as this means a very short shelf life.

Preparation: There is often some sand left at the base of the bow. We recommend that you wash the base - but not the leaves. After this, you should cut off the roots of the onion, dry it and put it in a bag. We recommend making small holes in the bag the size of the eye of a needle. If the bag is opened from the side of the stems, they will quickly begin to fade. To prevent this from happening, you can cut off a couple of centimeters of the onion stems and close the bag tightly with a rubber band at the very tips of the stems.

Storage: Green onions should be stored in bags with small holes; the quality of the onions will be preserved better if they are wrapped in a paper towel before putting them in the bag. The paper will absorb excess moisture, which may cause the onions to wilt. It is important to keep the onion stems straight. Bending the stems will cause damage and loss of moisture.

Broccoli

Temperature : Broccoli has a special nutritional value, which is why it is so important to preserve its properties. At a temperature of about 0 degrees, broccoli can be stored for a month; at home, this period is reduced to several days. Broccoli, like kohlrabi, is eaten before it blooms. When this vegetable begins to bloom, it is no longer suitable for food.

Packaging: In some stores you can find broccoli in special packages filled with air: such packages contain carbon dioxide created by the respiration of vegetables and a decrease in oxygen concentration.

Special packaging changes the concentration of gases and slows down the rotting process, preserving the nutritional properties of broccoli. If the broccoli was purchased without packaging, or the packaging was damaged, place it in a bag without holes. After removing the air from the bag, close the bag with rubber bands and make two pinholes using a toothpick.

Eggplant

Temperature : Eggplants do not respond well to cold, but spoil quickly outside the refrigerator. The optimal storage temperature for this vegetable is 12 degrees.

Duration of storage: If eggplant is stored in the refrigerator for more than 4 days, it may freeze, dents will appear on the skin, and it may turn black.

Storage: The quality of the eggplant can be preserved for another 2-3 days if you wrap it in a paper towel and put it in a closed but not sealed bag.

Lettuce

Temperature : Lettuce, the most common type of leaf lettuce, is best stored at temperatures close to 0.

Storage Length: Lettuce can be stored in the home refrigerator for about a week.

Preparation: If the end of the lettuce stem is brown, it is best to trim it off

Storage: A bag with many small holes will promote gas exchange but will prevent vapor condensation. It is better to close the bag tightly to avoid wilting of the leaves. Lettuce should not be refrigerated next to apples, as the ethylene contained in the fruit can cause brown spots on lettuce leaves. Individual lettuce leaves can also be stored in the refrigerator after you have rinsed them with water, dried them, wrapped them in a paper towel and stored them in a bag. Even chopped lettuce leaves can be stored if they have been washed and dried, and if they have been cut with a sharp knife. Immediately after cutting, they must be placed in a bag without holes. After this, you need to remove the air from the bag and close the edges of the bag tightly.

Melon

Temperature : melon loves cool weather, it is best stored at a temperature of about 5 degrees

Storage Duration: Yellow melon with green barrels can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Purchase: the choice of fresh melon determines its taste and shelf life. To make the right choice, you need to examine the mesh on the melon peel: it is better that the entire surface of the melon is covered with this mesh. Choose yellow melons with green barrels, avoid orange ones (unless the melon has an oblong shape).

The smell of this fruit is very important: melon with a strong aroma will have a short shelf life. You can shake the melon to hear a gurgling sound. If you hear it, it means the seed casing has broken down and the melon has begun to deteriorate. Melon should be stored cut into large pieces and packed in closed plastic boxes. It is important to wash the melon before cutting it.

Strawberry

Temperature : strawberries do not freeze, so temperatures slightly above 0 will be favorable for storing this berry.

Storage Duration: Strawberries will keep in the refrigerator for several days, depending on the time of year. In winter, this period can be a week; in spring no more than 2-3 days.

Greenery

Temperature : any greens, except basil, are well preserved at a temperature of 1-3 degrees.

Storage duration: up to a week in the home refrigerator

Storage: To avoid wilting of the leaves, we recommend storing the leaves in closed but not sealed bags, bending the ends but not over-tightening them. Here you will also need a paper towel to absorb excess moisture resulting from plant respiration.

Basic rules for purchase, cleaning and storage:

When you buy vegetables, carefully examine each of them and make sure that they are not damaged, have not begun to spoil, and are free from insects.

Do not buy products that have been exposed to the sun for even a short period of time.

If you need to store vegetables for a long time, choose less ripe and firmer ones. Typically, the brighter the fruit, the more ripe it is.

Bags of vegetables and fruits should be placed on top of other purchases to avoid damage.

Refrigerator drawers should be cleaned once a week; we recommend placing paper towels on the bottom to absorb excess moisture released by the breathing of vegetables and fruits

As a general rule, you should not wash fruits and vegetables before placing them in the refrigerator. It is better to do this immediately before eating them. If the fruit is covered in dirt, it should be washed and dried before placing in the refrigerator.

Carrots, celery, lettuce, kohlrabi, melons and watermelon should be stored in sealed plastic boxes in the refrigerator. If vegetables and fruits are already cut, they lose vitamins and minerals. The larger the cut area, the less beneficial properties the product loses, so it is better to cut them into large pieces. Before cutting, fruits and vegetables must be washed.

If you store vegetables in the pantry, do not pack them in bags to prevent rapid rotting.

When slicing vegetables and fruits, it is important that no pieces of meat remain on the cutting board to avoid infection

Other goods

Carrot after removing the tops, it should be stored in the same packaging. If it was not packaged when purchased, it is best to store it in a bag with large holes.

Onions can be stored in the refrigerator, but the smell may spread to other foods. If you put onions in the refrigerator shortly before cooking, you will shed fewer tears while chopping them.

Garlic is best stored in the refrigerator to prevent it from wilting. Garlic can be stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator for months.

Bananas are sensitive to cold, so they should not be placed in the refrigerator. Avocados, on the other hand, are best stored in the refrigerator. Grapefruit does not like cold, we do not recommend putting it in the refrigerator.