Do you know how to store bananas, cucumbers, tomatoes and potatoes?

Follow these tips for proper storage to retain flavor and health benefits:

BANANAS—

1. If your bananas are too green, you can put them in a paper bag to ripen. 
2.  Add an apple or tomato to the bag, to ripen even faster. 
3. When the bananas get to the desired ripeness, just put them into your refrigerator. The skin turns black, but the banana inside stays perfect for two or three days. 
4. Never store unripe bananas in the refrigerator! They simply will not ripen properly because the cold interferes with the ripening process.

CUCUMBERS—

1. Store unwashed cucumbers in a sealed plastic bag in the warmest spot in the refrigerator. They like to be at 50-55°.
2. Keep cucumbers tucked far away from tomatoes, apples and citrus—these give off ethylene gas that accelerates cucumber deterioration.
3. You can do a lot of fancy things to the skin of a cucumber, and when it is young, fresh, and unwaxed, it really only needs to be thoroughly washed. 
4. If the skin seems tough or bitter remove it; if the seeds are bulky, slice the cucumber lengthwise and scoop them out.

TOMATOES —

1. Skip the refrigerator ... unless you have already cut your tomatoes. So many people store their tomatoes in the refrigerator which is the biggest mistake that you can make. This quickly leeches the flavor of this great fruit. You want to leave your fresh tomatoes out of the fridge. 
2. Make sure you get the right temperature for your tomatoes. You want to store tomatoes in an area that is cool but not cold. Temperatures as cold as your refrigerator are too cold for your tomatoes. However, your summertime counter may be too warm. Aim to store your tomatoes between 55-60°.
3. Take away the light if the tomatoes still need to ripen. If you have tomatoes that you want to use but they aren't ripe yet, then put them inside of a brown paper bag and store the bag on your kitchen counter. After a day or two, the tomatoes should be ready to use.
4. Store them with bananas ... but only if they aren't ripe yet. You can store tomatoes in the same bag as bananas at room temperature. Also keep them away from apples as they will have the same effect.

POTATOES—

1. Avoid rinsing potatoes before storing.
   
2. Place potatoes in a box, brown paper bag, burlap or plastic bag with holes in it.
3. Store in a cool, dark, dry place. Make sure the temperature in the area is about 45-50°. Don't store potatoes in the refrigerator or they will become too sweet.
4. Avoid storing potatoes with onions because, when close together, they produce gases that spoil both.
5. If the potatoes sprouts, remove the sprouts. They are no problem.
   
   

   NOW YOU KNOW TOO!