how to: make your produce live longer

so if you're like me, you inevitably end up throwing some produce away every time you clean our your fridge. and it hurts my heart... it's like throwing money right into the trash and it makes me feel so wasteful. and i hate waste! there are always a few peaches that i forgot were back there, or a bag of spinach that was hiding underneath everything else. so here is a list of produce and its shelf-life, with tips on how to store it to make it live a little longer.

• apples (fresh): 6 months, store at 32 F, separated



• beans (dry): 12 months



• beets (fresh): 6 months, store at 32 F in mesh bag



• cabbage (fresh): 6 months, store at 32 F in mesh bag



• carrots (fresh): 6 months, store at 32 F in mesh bag



• canned fruits: 24 months



• dehydrated fruits: 6-12 months in airtight container



• fruit juice (frozen): 12 month in freezer



• fruit juice (canned): 24 months, keep cool



• fruit juice (dehydrated): 12 months in airtight container



• jam and jelly (unopened): 18-24 months



• jam and jelly (opened): 12 months in refrigerator



• lentils: 12 months in airtight container



• mustard (unopened): 12 months, refrigerate for longer life



• onions (fresh): 6 months, store at 32 F in mesh bag



• oranges (fresh): 2 months, store at 32 F in mesh bag



• pears (fresh): 4 months, store at 32 F in mesh bag



• peas (dried): 12 months in airtight container



• pickles (bottled): 12 months



• potatoes (canned white): 30 months



• potatoes (canned sweet): 30 months



• potatoes (dehydrated): 30 months



• potatoes (fresh white): 6 months, store at 40 F in mesh bag



• potatoes (fresh sweet): 6 months, store at 60 F in mesh bag



• potatoes (frozen): 8 months in freezer



• pumpkin (fresh): 6 months, store at 55 F in mesh bag



• spices (ground): 6 months, avoid sunlight



• spices (whole): 12-24 months in airtight container



• squash (fresh): 6 months, store at 55 F in mesh bag



• tomato products (canned): 24 months



• vegetables (canned): 24 months



• vegetables (dehydrated): 6-12 months in airtight container



• vegetables (frozen): 12 months in freezer



• vegetable juice (canned): 12 months

source: food storage for the clueless, by clark & kathryn kidd, p. 277-279