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Nutrient Preservation
After buying produce from the store or harvesting it
from your home garden, it is your responsibility to
preserve the nutritional value. The way you choose to
store produce will impact the nutritional value of
produce. Phytonutrients are some of the most
important nutritional components of produce that
must be preserved during storage.

Phytonutrients
● Phytonutrients are chemical compounds found within plants that help protect them from insects,
disease, UV light, extreme weather, and animals.
● Many phytonutrients act as antioxidants. When consumed, these antioxidants protect the human
body from free radicals that lead to a variety of issues such as inflammation, cancer, and worsened
eyesight.
● Overall, phytonutrients provide many important health benefits.
● The phytonutrient content of produce is highly variable, so proper storage is vital to get the most
nutrition out of produce.

Storing Produce
Every type of produce has an ideal storage method. Some
do well in storage for long periods of time. On the
contrary, others lose phytochemicals and nutritional value
after just one day of storage.
In general, produce should be consumed as soon as
possible after being harvested or purchased.

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 Produce Type Storage Instructions
Lettuce ● Pull leaves off, rinse, and soak for 10 minutes in
very cold water
● Dry in a salad spinner (or use a towel)
● Tear the leaves and place in a ziploc bag
● Poke 10-20 holes in the ziploc bag to make a
perforated bag
● Store in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for
1-2 days

Carrots ● Place in a sealed ziploc bag

● Store in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator or
in a dark, cool, and humid place
● Can remain in storage for weeks without losing
nutritional value

Tomatoes ● Do not store in the refrigerator

● Store in a location between 55-70°F, stem side
up and covered with a cheesecloth or netting
for 2-3 days

Kale, Chard, or Hearty Greens ● Store in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator
● Use within a few days

Zucchini ● Store unwashed in a perforated ziploc bag

● Use within 3-4 days, wash just before preparing

Beans ● Do not freeze (reduces the nutritional value)

● Refrigerate in a plastic bag, use within 1 week

Cucumbers ● Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 1 week

Basil ● Cut ½ inch from the stems

● Place the basil upright in a glass jar
● Fill the jar with cold water so the stems are
covered by 1 inch of water
● Loosely place a plastic bag over the leaves
● Store at room temperature, use within 1 week

Chives ● Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in a

ziploc bag, squeezing all the air out
● OR place in a glass jar with several inches of
water and cover with a plastic bag

References
Henneman, A. (n.d.). What to do with Zucchini. Retrieved from https://food.unl.edu/what-do-zucchini.

Krumhardt, A. (n.d.). How to store fresh basil. Retrieved from https://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/food-storage-safety/how-to-store-fresh-basil/.

Produce for Better Health Foundation. (n.d.). Fruits & veggies. Retrieved from https://fruitsandveggies.org/fruits-and-veggies/.

Robinson, J. (2013). Eating on the Wild Side. Hachette Book Group.

Trowbridge Filippone, P. (2019). How to select and store chives. Retrieved from https://www.thespruceeats.com/chive-storage-and-substitutions-1807751

gardenworksproject.org/ | info@gardenworksproject.org | @gardenworksproject