How to store spinach to extend its shelf life?
How do you store spinach long term? What is the best way to store spinach in order to extend its shelf life?
Best Answer
Fresh spinach, like other leafy greens, is best stored in the fridge in some way that keeps it dry but not too dry. The things that cause spinach to wilt and spoil are:
- dirt & insects
- being wet or too damp
- getting too dry
- cut, crumpled, and broken leaves
I've included a number of references below, but here's my method that allows me to store fresh spinach for up to two weeks:
- If the spinach is sandy or dirty, separate bunches, wash in several changes of cold water and spin dry them. This is even more important if the spinach has any insects. Cut off any dirty roots, but do not trim off stems.
- Having made sure the spinach is thoroughly dry, wrap loose bundles of it in a couple of paper towels, and then put these bundles in plastic bags. Do not overpack the bags.
- Store the plastic bags of spinach in the fridge, preferably in one of its more damp spots like a vegetable drawer. More importantly, do not stack anything on top or jam the spinach in a tight space.
This way, fresh spinach can keep for up to two weeks in the fridge. If you need longer than that, then chop, blanche, drain, and freeze it.
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Quick Answer about "How to store spinach to extend its shelf life?"
To store spinach and prolong its freshness, first stem, wash, and dry it, pulling out any bad leaves. Place it in a plastic container or resealable bag. Then dampen doubled paper towels, wring them out, and lay over spinach. Seal the container and refrigerate spinach up to two weeks.How do you increase the shelf life of spinach?
Place the paper towel-wrapped spinach in a storage container or bag. Seal the container tightly. Store the spinach in the crisper drawer of your fridge for about 10 days. If your spinach isn't in an airtight container, make sure you don't store it next to ethylene-producing fruits (such as bananas and apples).How do you preserve fresh spinach?
Freezing whole spinach leaves is a total breeze! Just pick out any icky leaves, place the fresh spinach leaves in a Ziploc freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and place it in the freezer. It doesn't get much easier! You can also puree and freeze your spinach.How do you store spinach for a week?
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Images: Mick Haupt, Mark Neal, Karolina Grabowska, Кирилл Абрамов