The Long-Lasting Produce You Should Have in Your Kitchen
Photo by Shelley Pauls/Unsplash
If you’ve gone to the grocery store lately, it’s probably no surprise to hear that grocery prices continue to rise. In 2023, the USDA predicts that food-at-home prices will increase by 8.6%. As shoppers feel the squeeze of these high food prices, many home cooks are thinking about how they can cut costs in the kitchen.
As someone who perpetually refuses to meal prep, one of the main issues I encounter when it comes to grocery affordability is food waste. Every time I throw away half a bag of spinach I forgot to freeze, I feel like I’m literally composting my cash. This is why I’ve begun to think more about the shelf life of my produce before purchasing it. By spending more of my produce budget on heartier, longer-lasting fruits and veggies, I’ve found that I throw a lot less away than I used to… and that ultimately saves me a lot of money over the course of a month.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the longest-lasting fruits and vegetables you should be stocking your fridge with.
1. Cabbage
Every few months or so, a new article comes out proclaiming that cabbage is set to become the next “it” vegetable—and yet, it never seems to experience the wide-scale embrace that kale once enjoyed. Regardless of whether it’s getting the love it deserves or not, though, cabbage is one of my all-time favorite vegetables to have on hand. Uncut, it can last for weeks (sometimes even months) in the fridge. Best of all, it’s delicious both cooked and raw and can be incorporated into a wide variety of dishes. I’ll have some combination of beans, cabbage, and a starch several nights out of the week.
2. Citrus
It’s always a good idea to have some citrus on hand for when you want an acidic complement to a fat-heavy dish or just want to indulge in a sweet, juicy snack in the middle of the day. That’s why I almost always have lemons, lime, grapefruit, and/or oranges on hand. When you store them in the fridge, they can last for weeks at a time, which means you only have to stock up on citrus about once a month.
3. Potatoes
There are few vegetables that can compete with potatoes when it comes to a long shelf life. Whether you choose russet, Yukon gold or sweet potatoes, they’re likely to last for months in a cool, dark pantry, which makes them an essential kitchen staple for those who are interested in reducing food waste and spending less money at the grocery store. This most beloved of carbs can find its way into almost any dish, whether it’s used as a side or it’s playing the lead role.