20 Tips for Storing Produce Properly During the Pandemic

To distribute the sweetness evenly in the fruit, trim the green top off the pineapple without exposing any yellow flesh, then turn it upside down in a pot or bowl and let it sit on the counter for a couple of days. Then, turned right-side-up, it will keep for a few days at room temperature.

These are the most fragile of summer berries, so wash them gently, discarding any squashed or moldy ones, then spread them out in a single layer on a plate lined with paper towels and refrigerate them.

If it’s packaged in a clamshell or sealed bag, simply refrigerate it — but pay attention to the use-by date, as leaves might develop bacteria even if they look fine. Wrap unpackaged spinach leaves loosely in a damp paper towel and keep them in the crisper drawer.

Strawberries should be stored in vented plastic bags in the refrigerator, unwashed, and then gently but thoroughly rinsed (they tend to have high concentrations of pesticide residue) before eating.

Treat turnips like their fellow root vegetable, beets. Cut off the greens, then store both them and the turnips themselves in separate vented bags in the refrigerator. (Cook the greens as you would kale. They’re equally nutritious, and actually higher in fiber, protein, and calcium.)