Tidy Tuesday – Sort Out the Fruit and Veggie Bins

Did you know that not all fruits or veggies do well with other produce? Some types of produce can cause other types to ripen more quickly than if they were stored alone because they create ethylene gas. This new to me knowledge is one reason I decided to sort out my fruit and veggie bins for today’s Tidy Tuesday. The other is that it is just nice to completely clear out and wash the bins at least once a week and it has been closer to two weeks since I completely emptied mine.

I began by moving all the fruit and veggies out of the drawers and giving the drawers a nice shower in Dawn dish detergent. (The brand doesn’t actually matter, but someone dropped some dressing on the outside of one of the drawers and Dawn cuts oil really well.) You could just wipe them down with a sponge if you prefer, but I always seem to end up with a stray crumb if I don’t pull them completely out.

Next, I tossed any spoiled fruits and veggies into the compost bucket and set everything that was getting close to overripe out for smoothies. (Yes, the veggies, too. Lettuce and carrots in smoothies are kind of sweet and go well with bananas, berries and oranges.)

Finally, I made sure to sort the fruits and veggies so they wouldn’t make each other ripen too fast.

Now, I’m planning to kick back and enjoy a fruit and veggie smoothie. Don’t tell anyone, but I top it off with a big squirt of whipped cream. Mmm.

Photo: SXC