7 Kitchen Tools to Stock Up On If You Eat a Lot of Produce

published Oct 5, 2021
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Credit: Lula Poggi

Whether you’re already eating spinach like Popeye or are looking to add more greens to your meals, one concern with buying fresh fruits and veggies is how to make sure they stay fresh as long as possible, so that you can actually eat what you buy before it goes bad. Even if you have the best intentions, food waste is a huge problem in the United States. According to the USDA, food waste accounts for 30 to 40 percent of the national food supply. Not only is this harmful environmentally, it’s also resourcefully and financially wasteful. 

Luckily, there are a number of nifty kitchen tools to help keep, prep, and store your produce. From reusable shopping bags to sandwich bags, salad spinners, and fruit and veggie cleansers, these seven kitchen tools listed below will majorly step up your fruit and veggie game so that you eat the rainbow without running out the clock.

The produce has to get home somehow, right? You can make your grocery store runs more eco-friendly with these produce shopping bags — just use them in place of the tear-off plastic bags found at every corner of the display cases. This pack of seven mesh bags are made of organic cotton muslin, and come in various sizes for fruits and veggies of all shapes and proportions.

Take your berries on the go, and feel good about the helping hand you’re giving the environment, with reusable sandwich bags. This pack of 12 BPA-free sandwich bags are great if you or your family loves to take cut-up fruits and veggies on the go. They’re also easy seal, leak-proof, and freezer-safe in case you change your mind and freeze those strawberries mid-week.

Salad Spinner

If you’re questioning whether a salad spinner is worth it, the answer is a resounding yes. After washing your greens, salad spinners help remove any excess moisture from the leaves, making for crunchier salads. Not to mention, this helps the produce last longer, too. Salad spinners have many other uses as well, including cleaning herbs, rinsing and draining beans, and washing berries.

Produce Keeper

Storing your produce properly is key for its longevity. These produce keepers come in small, medium, and large storage options, helping prevent food waste (and save you money). Each Produce Keeper has a vent that helps store broccoli, fruits, spinach, and more at the ideal humidity level for each type of produce, keeping them fresher, longer.

Fruit and Vegetable Cleanser

Yes, you need to clean your greens and other fruits and veggies before consuming. This well-loved Trader Joe’s Fruit and Vegetable Wash does the trick. A little goes a long way with this one, keeping your produce clean and ready to eat.

Glass Storage Containers

Whether you’re a meal prep pro or beginner, half the struggle of batch cooking your food is making sure you have enough storage containers to keep it all fresh. These glass storage containers are easy to clean and store. They’re also dishwasher-safe, and the glass sides mean you can take a peek at your leftovers and remember which dishes to use up first. 

Berry Basket Colander

Give “organized fridge goals” a whole new meaning with these berry baskets. Not only do they store strawberries, blueberries, grapes, and other snackable fruits, they also come with a strainer, helping make cleaning produce a breeze. They’re also awesome on the go, which is a great alternative to single-use plastic bags.