A hierarchy of vegetable life expectancy

In Habit 1, we looked at the simplest system for veg storage.

Which basically has 3 parts to it:
1. If in doubt keep them in the fridge
2. Use the veg crisper OR store in plastic bags
3. Don’t worry about ethylene

And while this is a great system to follow once you’ve got your veg home, it doesn’t help when it comes to choosing and shopping for vegetables.

The thing is not all veg are created equal when it comes to how long they generally last.

Just like people.

Some veg fall in the ‘live fast, die young’ category, others will have the average life expectancy, and others are more happy hanging out with the octogenarian crowd.

So when you’re shopping for veg, the type of veg you choose can make a massive difference to how often you’ll have fatalities in the fridge and have to throw out

the james dean vegetables

These are the veg that I try to eat up as soon as I can. I put them on the priority eating list, if you will. Some will be OK only for a few days, others are fine for 4-5 days.
§ coriander (cilantro)
§ basil
§ mint
§ lettuce
§ loose salad leaves
§ avocado
§ tomatoes
§ spinach
§ chard (silverbeet)
§ kale
§ collard greens
§ corn (more for loss of flavour – will still be edible for a week or so)
§ peas (more for loss of flavour – will still be edible for a week or so)
§ broad beans (more for loss of flavour – will still be edible for a week or so)
§ asparagus
§ mushrooms

average life expectancy veg

These veg will hang around in the fridge for at least a week without any apparent ill effects. Sometimes you’ll even get more than 2 weeks out of them.
§ flat leaf parsley
§ woody herbs – rosemary, thyme, oregano
§ broccoli
§ cauliflower
§ snow peas
§ sugar snap peas
§ fresh beans
§ bok choy
§ other asian greens
§ capsicum (peppers)
§ eggplant (aubergine)
§ zucchini
§ summer squash
§ chillies
§ brussels sprouts

the long livers

I’ve often kept the veg in this group for longer than a month, sometimes months. Of course if stored incorrectly, they are still perishable so make sure you show them a little care and you’ll be well rewarded.
§ cabbage
§ celery
§ carrots
§ beets (although the leaves will wilt)
§ potatoes
§ sweet potato
§ onion
§ green onions (scallions)
§ garlic
§ pumpkin (winter squash)
§ swedes & rutabagas

further notes on veg shelf life expectancies

One of the biggest determining factors in how long your veg will keep is how old they are when you took them home. If you find yourself prematurely throwing out ‘veg gone bad’ even when you’ve been organised and stored them correctly, it might be time to change vegetable suppliers. Sometimes it’s worth paying a little more for super fresh veg from the markets if it means they’ll last longer.

I’ve also noticed that since I got a new fridge a few months ago, my veg have been lasting far longer than I previously would have expected.

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