This Genius Trick For Storing Tomatoes Keeps Them Fresh & Juicy For More Than A Week
When the growing season is good and your garden is thriving, you may end up with a countertop full of tomatoes even after giving a bunch away to neighbors and friends. Unfortunately, this abundance often comes with a problem. How do you use all the fresh, homegrown produce before it starts to rot? Surprisingly, a small piece of tape could keep your tomatoes fresher for longer. If you find that your produce starts getting squishy or moldy shortly after you harvest it, there's a chance that you've been storing your tomatoes all wrong. Covering the stem end of your tomato with tape is a super easy trick that could extend the fruit's life to over a week.
Food and Wine tested a variety of ways to keep tomatoes fresh, and found that those with a piece of tape on the end lasted for nine days. While several of the other options kept the tomatoes fresh for up to six days, the tape trick was the only one that prevented the fruit from rotting for longer than a week.
The idea behind this simple hack is that the stem of the tomato is a sensitive area, so leaving it exposed causes the fruit to lose moisture. And, leaving the stem uncovered makes it more susceptible to mold. If you're ready to harvest more tomatoes from your garden, keep a roll of tape nearby to ensure they last long enough to enjoy.
How to keep your garden tomatoes fresh with a piece of tape
When you take the effort to prune your tomato plants to ensure a delicious harvest, you don't want any to go to waste. It takes just a second to help your tomatoes last over a week. Simply rip a small piece of tape from the roll and press it over the stem end of the fruit. While many people across social media suggest clear, craft tape, such as Scotch tape, other types will work. Painter's tape or masking tape are good options if you're out of the office variety. Stronger tapes, such as duct tape, have adhesives that would likely be difficult to remove. If you're concerned about the tape harming the skin of the tomato, stick to cellophane tape.
Even if you don't garden, this trick is helpful for getting the most out of your groceries. With store-bought tomatoes, the sticker label on the fruit is an eco-friendly substitution for a new piece of tape. Relocate the label over the stem to help keep your produce fresh.
@thekitchn If you want your tomatoes to last, this is what you should do 🍅 #tomatoes #tomato #tomatogirlsummer #foodstorage #veggies #vegetables #kitchenhacks 🎥: @kellimfoster
When you're ready to wash and eat one of your tomatoes, peel off the tape or sticker. Since covering the top of the fruit is what keeps it fresh, try storing tomatoes upside down if you're out of tape. Now, that you don't have to worry about your harvest going bad, you can look into ways to ensure your tomatoes ripen by the end of the season.