How to Store Vegetables and Greens in Andhra's Heat (Keep Them Fresh for Days)

Hot, humid weather makes vegetables spoil faster. These simple habits help you get more days out of your groceries.

Leafy greens

Remove rubber bands and damaged leaves, wrap loosely in a dry cotton cloth or paper towel and store in a container in the fridge. Do not wash until you are ready to cook.

Coriander and mint

Trim the stems and stand them in a glass of water like flowers, covered loosely with a bag. Or wrap in tissue and keep in a box.

Onions, potatoes and garlic

Keep them in a cool, dry, ventilated basket. Keep onions and potatoes apart, since together they spoil faster.

Tomatoes

Ripe tomatoes are best on the counter, stem side down. Refrigerate only when very ripe.

Gourds and okra

Store ridge gourd, snake gourd and okra in a paper bag in the fridge drawer. Moisture is the enemy of okra, so keep it dry.

Fruit

• Bananas: hang or keep apart from other fruit.
• Mangoes: ripen at room temperature, then refrigerate.
• Apples: fridge keeps them crisp longer.

Order little and often

The best way to keep produce fresh is to buy what you need for two or three days. With delivery from 6 AM to 11 PM, small frequent orders are easy: see the shop.