A handy guide to storing fruits and vegetables

Fruit has a short shelf life in our house.

The child who picks at her food devours most fruit. A bunch of bananas does not hang around long enough to turn brown. Strawberries are eaten at least four at a time, to say nothing of bunches of grapes. These are easy pickings for her.

Mum is the word in my book. What better way to get vitamins than fruit? Natural fruit sugars certainly beat candy.

Now that the thermometer is rising, fruit is another way to cool off. If I can keep grapes around long enough, I like to freeze some for a cold afternoon snack when her little face is beet red from Hula Hoops, trampoline jumping or tumbling.

Grapes also make a creamy salad or fruity dessert that can be lightened with Greek yogurt.

Dora Harrison of Gulfport shared a “How To Store Your Groceries” chart that helps readers get the longest shelf life out of their fruits, vegetables and meats. Since fruits can perish easily, I thought maybe other parents or grandparents could benefit from Harrison’s storage tips.

Apples, berries and grapes need to be stored in a refrigerator drawer. Apples, unwrapped, will last about three weeks if kept in the drawer. Berries should be kept in a vented container uncovered. They will last three to five days. Grapes stored in a perforated plastic bag will keep one to two weeks.

Citrus will last two weeks unwrapped on a refrigerator shelf. Also, needing to be put on the refrigerator shelf are halved melons wrapped in plastic (about seven to 10 days); halved citrus in plastic wrap, two to three days; unwrapped ripe peaches and plums, five days once ripe; halved banana wrapped in foil, one to two days; and halved avocado with lemon juice squeezed on the flesh and wrapped in plastic, one day.

Now, do not refrigerate whole avocados, bananas, unripened peaches and plums, pears, melons and tomatoes. These do best left unwrapped on the countertop. Tomatoes do need to be kept on the counter in a vented container and will last about five days. Melons, too, keep about five days and pears, four days. Avocados need to ripen on the counter, but place on a refrigerator shelf, unwrapped, when ripe. They will last about four days.

Memorial Day weekend is when summer vegetables start coming in. I will share Harrison’s vegetable storage hints next week.

Today, I will share three fresh salads that will work will for Memorial Day and are refreshing for outdoor meals. Of course, our picky eater will not eat salads mixed together but will chomp down on fruit in its natural state.

CAT ISLAND SNACKS

The Pass Christian-based Cat Island Cookie & Cracker Co., which produces all natural and preservative-free snacks and treats, now will be available at Rouses Supermarkets. Cat Island products will be available in more than 130 stores in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas, including the 54-store addition of Rouses.

Founded by New York pastry chef and Mississippi native Leslie Bullock, the company has several varieties of cookies and crackers from which to choose, including toffee chocolate chip, chocolate chip, lemon butter cookies, pecan chocolate chip, brown butter cookies, lime butter cookies and coffee on the half shell. Savory crackers are zesty Cheddar bites and spicy Asiago wafers. All are shapes familiar to the Mississippi Sound.

Cookies and crackers also may be ordered online at www.catislandcookies.com/

This story was originally published May 24, 2017 at 12:00 AM with the headline "A handy guide to storing fruits and vegetables."