Storing Veg

Chop them and freeze them

I normally keep the cut ends uncovered and just slice them off thinly when I want to finish up the veg.
Covering them can cause sweating and rot.

merlotgran

I normally keep the cut ends uncovered and just slice them off thinly when I want to finish up the veg.
Covering them can cause sweating and rot.

I do the same.
In winter I nearly always have cut-and-come-again swede and celeriac in the veg drawer - we have a lot of thick winter soups.
Ditto turnip, if I ever see any to buy.

I’ve nearly always got celery year round - a thin slice off any of them works fine. Ditto white cabbage, which I use a lot for salads, stir fries, etc.

I bought special bags from QVC years ago that keep vegetables fresh for ages. Similar are sold in Lakeland - they’ve saved me a fortune and reduced my need to shop at the same time.

I find that if I keep vegetables in the salad drawer of the fridge they rot quite quickly. My answer is to line the drawer with a whole newspaper (the I is the perfect size) then add kitchen roll. This prevents the veg getting frozen or too cold.

Thanks for the comments, I will keep the veg uncovered and take a thin slice off before using again.
Monica I was thinking of chopping and freezing, at least the squash and sweet potato, do I have to blanch first?

Personally, I never blanch anything. I know blanching is officially recommended, but in 50 odd years of freezing fruir and veg, I haven't bothered with blanching and have never had any problems as a result.

I also had the green lakeland bags ages ago and I re-use them very many times. They do indeed keep veg fresh for a long time, weeks

I found whole courgettes seem to keep better out of the fridge rather than in the veg drawer.

Interesting about blanching, M0nica!

I usually cook and freeze let over vegetables great for soups or a nice bubble and squeak!

Can anyone tell me the best way to keep carrots fresh - they seem to get black mould type stuff on them in only a few days, even the ones from M & S !!

Put them in a container containing leaf mould in a large airy shed.

yvonne I wrap carrots in a damp Teatowel before putting them in the veg drawer of the fridge. They keep for ages if you spray the teatowel to dampen it once a week. I’m definitely going to follow Monica’s example and try freezing veg without blanching.

DollyD I would’ve used those veg in a tray bake, even roasting them off and freezing them if I didn’t want them at the time.

Georgesgran

I bought special bags from QVC years ago that keep vegetables fresh for ages. Similar are sold in Lakeland - they’ve saved me a fortune and reduced my need to shop at the same time.

Yeah they’re great, veg keep fresh for ages in those green bags from Lakeland, tied up tightly and store in the fridge.
I used to waste a lot of veg til I discovered them.

Can you wash and re-use the Lakeland bags?

You could make soup out of thw remaining veg and freeze it in portions.

If you don't have room for vegetables in your freezer, I find it is best to put them in an uncovered bowl and keep them for a day or two in a cool place, such as a pantry or a cellar.

I never keep raw vegetables in the fridge, as I find they detoriate in taste very quickly.

The best thing really would be either to fry them lightly in oil or boil them for about three minutes, strain them, then put them in a clean jam-jar with a screw-top lid then store them in the fridge.

They should then last long enough for you to make room for them in the freezer or to make some dish with them.

Yvonnebrown29 they keep brilliantly in a container full of water on the fridge, I use a plastic box with a lid, still crunchy 2 weeks later.

Make double qualities of the soup and freeze it. Could save gas as well?

Even the ones from M&S?
Good grief woman, just because you pay over the top for their veg doesn’t mean it’s better!!! Go to Lidl or Aldi. I guarantee it will last the same, taste the same and do everything M&S veg do.
Don’t you realise that the majority of people are not admiring your using that shop for veg, but amused at your pretentiousness in thinking it is automatically better as well as being so expensive. I only ever buy English tomatoes. Im fussy about which types and believe me, Aldi, Tesco and Lidl have a much better,tastier selection than zM&S.
As to blanching, never bother. All left over veg gets chopped up and bunged in freezer. Except onions. They get sliced, popped in microwave on high for a couple of minutes and fried before being popped into small bags ready for use. No. Not in air fryer.
Unless you want onion crispies of course
Great to pop into a packet of crisps.

I find most like partly used peppers courgettes, onions etc. last well wrapped in kitchen paper and stored in a plastic box in the fridge.

Blimey I didn't expect such an attack on mentioning M&S!!
As it happens I usually buy from Aldi !! and just for once since my local shop is actually M&S I had got some carrots from there, my comment was actually meant to be bit of a joke. Especially as I mainly get carrots for our hampster & dog!!

Thanks everyone else for their suggestions - will try them out xx