If you want to get the most out of your weekly shop and save money, then storing your food correctly is crucial. This is especially true when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables, as these sometimes only last a couple of days before they start to rot.
With the cost of grocery shopping climbing higher and higher, households are keen to know exactly how to store food to keep it fresher for longer. One thing that often goes soggy before you get the chance to eat it is cucumber. But this popular salad ingredient can last ages, provided you do one thing before putting it in the fridge.
Lifestyle influencer and mum Chantel Mila on TikTok, who has more than three million followers, often shares simple home and organisation hacks with her fans. Food storage and cutting down on waste is a big part of her content, and last year, she made a video series on how to prep food to get the most out of it.
In one video, she explained the best way to keep cucumbers fresh for longer. Cucumbers have a very high moisture content, so they are very likely to go off if they’re not stored right.
However, one kitchen staple can really help boost their lifespan – tinfoil.
How to keep cucumber fresh for longer
Chantel says all you need to do is keep your cucumber ‘crunchy’ is wrap them in tin foil before you put them in the fridge. They’re usually wrapped in plastic when you buy them from the supermarket, so make sure to remove this before going in with the tin foil.
It might seem as though the plastic is enough to keep your cucumbers fresh, but it could actually have the opposite effect, especially if you’ve already used up part of it.
According to the experts at Martha Stewart, cucumbers should be stored in a way which encourages airflow and makes sure they aren’t exposed to any moisture.
Keeping them wrapped tightly in plastic could therefore end up making them rot or go soggy quicker if you’ve already unwrapped and eaten part of the cucumber.
However, wrapping them yourself in tin foil is a more breathable solution, and should extend their lifespan. Make sure the cucumber is completely dry before you wrap it up, as you don’t want any moisture to potentially spoil it.
And make sure they don’t get too cold in the fridge, as this can also end up spoiling them. Keeping them in the crisper drawer is key, as long as they are kept away from things like onions and apples, as they release a gas called ethylene which can speed up the rotting process for other fresh produce.
