More than half of fresh produce bought in the US ends up uneaten, rotting in landfills. Shopping smarter when it comes to fresh fruits and veggies not only can help you cut down on food waste, it'll ensure you'll always have fresh produce on hand for healthy meals and snacks.

Organic Gardening has highlighted twelve fruits and vegetables that last for weeks or even months—provided you store them properly. Apples, for example, can last for weeks if you store it in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge, away from vegetables (and if you eat the largest apples first, you'll enjoy the ones that tend to spoil soonest). Carrots can stay fresher if you put a paper towel in the plastic bag to absorb the moisture that makes them spoil faster. And onions could last for a whole year in a dry, temperature-controlled (between 30ºF and 50ºF) area (perhaps in pantyhose).

Most of the produce in this list are root vegetables (it kind of makes sense that they're less delicate than other produce). Hit up the printer-friendly (so you can avoid clicking through the slideshow) link below for the full list.


12 Fruits and Vegetables That Last for Months | Organic Gardening

Photo by Alyson Hurt