Keep It Fresh

Keep It Fresh

How To Store Fresh Produce To Last
Lesson: 9.1.2
Level:
Beginner
Station: Teaching Kitchen
Format: Essential Skill
Rating:
Lesson 9.1.2 Keep it Fresh

Lesson Overview

Spoilage represents a loss of $2275 a year to each and every American family. But with a little preparation and effort, wasted food can be drastically reduced. This lesson explores the key methods for preserving food.

Goals

  • Describe ways to store a variety of fruits and vegetables
  • Describe why produce goes bad when stored improperly

Outcomes

Students will properly store harvested produce from the Lab as well as any store bought produce in order to minimize waste from spoilage.

Teaching Primer

food waste for compost

(Liz Martin/SourceMedia Group News)

Is there anything more frustrating than opening the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator only to find that the celery is limp, the cilantro wilted, or the baby greens a spoiled mess?

The NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) estimates that the average American household throws away 25% of the food and drinks they purchase. That represents a loss of as much as $2275 a year!

With a little education on the proper ways to store the most common fruits and vegetables, anyone can reduce spoilage, save money, and enjoy the best flavor from the ingredients that the garden has to offer.

Teach the Teacher

Tools & Materials

  • Resealable plastic bags
  • Paper towels
  • Mason jars
  • Kitchen shears

Vocabulary

  • Ethylene
  • Humidity
  • Dehydration
  • Spoilage

Method

Introduction (5 minutes)

Begin the lesson with the question, “What causes fruits and vegetables to spoil.” Then review each of the methods for properly storing the 10 most common fruits and vegetables used in the kitchen.

Activity (20 minutes)

After each fresh harvest in the Lab, have the Students properly store the produce according to the method outlined for each.

Discussion (10 minutes)

What are the biggest threats to storing fruits and vegetables? Any other methods we could try?

Assessment (10 minutes)

Use the following questions to assess the Students before and after the lesson. Tally the responses of the group in the Assessment Tracking Log for comparison:

  • By a show of hands, how many of you know how to properly store fresh produce at home?
  • Now that you know how to store a variety of produce, how many of you will teach your parents the proper ways to store fruits and vegetables at home?

Related Lessons

Give the Intermediate or Advanced lessons a try now that you’ve completed the Beginner Lesson!

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