Did you know that fresh spinach can last up to 10 days? If your spinach is going bad more quickly, you may be storing it wrong. But don't worry! We're here to help you fix those bad habits. Here's everything you need to know about picking, storing, and freezing your spinach for maximum shelf life:
How to Store Spinach
The best way to store spinach depends on whether the greens are fresh or cooked. Follow these easy, step-by-step instructions to make your spinach last for as long as possible.
How to Store Fresh Spinach
Gently wrap fresh spinach in a paper towel to absorb excess water. Moisture speeds up the decaying process, so you'll want to keep it to a minimum.
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). Exposure to ethylene gas will cause your spinach to go bad more quickly.
How to Store Cooked Spinach
Allow cooked spinach to cool to room temperature.
Place the spinach in an airtight storage container or zip-top bag.
Cooked spinach can last anywhere from three to five days in the refrigerator.
Yes! You can definitely freeze spinach. It's probably the best way to store spinach if you need to keep it for more than a week or so.
The frozen greens are obviously great for smoothies, but they also work well in soups, sauces, casseroles, stir-fries, and so much more. Just don't try to substitute frozen spinach for fresh — freezing changes foods on a chemical level and, even when thawed, it won't ever taste the same again.
How to Freeze Spinach
You can freeze whole spinach leaves or puréed spinach. Whole spinach leaves will incorporate easily into soups, sauces, and more. The second method is slightly more labor intensive, but it's perfect for simplified smoothie-making.
How to Freeze Fresh Spinach
Simply place the whole spinach leaves in freezer bags (make sure to remove all the excess air before sealing them tightly). Store them in the freezer for up to a year.
Choose spinach that is crisp and unwilted. The leaves should be vibrant green and you should avoid those that have yellow or brown spots.
Stems may be fibrous or thin — fibrous stems tend to be mature and tough, while thin stems are generally younger and more tender.
Young, tender spinach is best used raw. Mature spinach works better in cooked recipes, as it stands up to heat better.
How to Tell When Spinach Has Gone Bad
There's not a lot of guesswork involved when it comes to realizing when your spinach is past its prime: You'll be able to see, feel, and smell it. As it starts to turn not-so-fresh, the leaves will wilt and lose their bright green color. After a while, they'll become slimy and may take on an unpleasant scent.
The key is to keep your spinach as dry as possible because excess moisture is what causes spinach—and all greens for that matter—to get slimy. The first thing you should do when you get a bag or bunch of spinach is to pick out any leaves that may have already started to turn.
The key is to keep your spinach as dry as possible because excess moisture is what causes spinach—and all greens for that matter—to get slimy. The first thing you should do when you get a bag or bunch of spinach is to pick out any leaves that may have already started to turn.
Place sealed bags in the freezer. Vacuum sealing systems work really well with spinach leaves. Use frozen spinach within nine to 14 months for best quality. Add frozen spinach to soup or stock, casseroles, and stir fries.
How long does spinach last? Properly packaged, undamaged spinach stored in your crisper drawer can last about a week. But it is always recommended with any fresh produce to buy what you need as close to the day you need it as possible.
Frozen spinach will last in the freezer for about three months, but if you bought it from the store already frozen, Bruning says to follow the sell-by date.
Simply cut an inch or so off the bottom of the stem, and place it in a glass of water. You should start to see results in the leaves in a few hours. Think: arugula, spinach, or spring lettuce. To revive this group of greens, simply submerge them in a bowl of ice cold water, and let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes.
If the spinach leaves are yellow, discolored, and wilted instead of crisp green leaves, or have spots of drastically darkened color then it might be time to toss at least those leaves in the compost bin. Slimy spinach leaves are also a telltale sign of rot.
Gently wrap fresh spinach in a paper towel to absorb excess water. Moisture speeds up the decaying process, so you'll want to keep it to a minimum. Place the paper towel-wrapped spinach in a storage container or bag. Seal the container tightly.
If loose, wrap the spinach in dry paper towels or clean dish towels, place it in a sealed freezer bag or plastic container, and put it in the crisper drawer. If the spinach came in a package of its own, you can simply put a towel or cloth in the container, seal it, and put it in the crisper.
When eaten in moderation, spinach helps in reducing the risks of high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and cancer. Although it is safe for most people to eat a bowl of spinach per day, you should be careful to eat it in moderation. Spinach is a dark leafy green crop with an impressive nutrient profile.
A study found that cooking spinach quickly in boiling water, then plunging it into cold water, reduced oxalate content by 40 percent, on average, which was more effective than pan or pressure cooking.
Once the spinach has been cooked, it will last for 2-4 days in the refrigerator. Eating cooked spinach after this time increases the risk of food poisoning.
For fresh-cut spinach stored at 4 ºC and 90% HR a level of quality between excellent and good can be maintained for eight days using LDPE bags or for six days using OPP bags.
Introduction: My name is Terrell Hackett, I am a gleaming, brainy, courageous, helpful, healthy, cooperative, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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