How To Wash Your Fresh Fruits & Veggies

We often don't think about the all-important step of washing fresh fruits and vegetables that we buy from the grocery store or farmers market. But this is one step you should not skip.

There are many reasons to wash your produce. They likely have contaminants from the field or orchard including dirt and pesticides (organic or non). They are handled by the harvesters and likely have been stored in warehouses and trucks for transport. Then once at the grocery store, the fruits and vegetables are handled by workers and other patrons.

Needless to say, your produce is dirty. They definitely need to be washed! We also recommend washing produce that will be peeled.

Here's a quick and easy washing procedure using things you likely already have in your home.

Step 1:
In a glass container, submerge your fruit or vegetable in water with approximately 1 tablespoons of baking soda.

Step 2:
Shake the container gently and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Step 3:
Rinse well.

Step 4:
Lay out on a paper towel to dry.

Step 5:
Once dry, store in a glass container for best shelf life!

Why Baking Soda?
A 2017 study showed that soaking apples in a baking powder solution for 2 minutes removed more pesticides than just rinsing them or soaking them in a bleach solution.

There are other methods out there for washing your produce too! Even giving them a solid rinse will hep remove contaminants that are better suited for the disposal and not your body.

Start today by washing your produce before consuming them!