4 Ways to Wash Your Fruits & Veggies

Organic fruits and vegetables certainly cost more than their counterparts in the produce section. But, if you cannot buy organic because of your budget, you need an easy solution for washing your fruits and veggies that doesn’t cost a small fortune.

Special produce washes can be really expensive but if you are wanting to remove pesticides from your food, they can be very tempting. Honestly, these products are just not necessary. All you really need is a vinegar solution. Cook’s Illustrated tested and found that vinegar kills about 98 percent of bacteria – including salmonella – on the surface of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Instead of spending a chunk of your grocery budget on chemical solutions, try these four, frugal ideas for washing your produce.

Leisurely Lettuce Soak

My Granny always used a salt soak for her greens and with good reason. The salt makes the bugs release from the plant.

Great for leafy greens, mix 1/4 cup vinegar  and 2 tablespoons salt in a large bowl of cold water. Place your lettuce in the soak for 20 minutes and then drain and rinse in cold water.

Extra tip: If your leafy greens have started to wilt, add ice to the soak and watch them perk up.

Berry & Broccoli Bath

Mix one part vinegar and ten parts water in a bowl. Soak broccoli or cauliflower for two minutes or just swish the berries around. Drain and refrigerate. I don’t recommend soaking as the berries can get mushy.

DIY Produce Wash

In a spray bottle, place 3 cups water, 1 cup vinegar, and the juice from half of a lemon or a few drops of lemon essential oil. (The lemon is really optional so you can skip it if you do not have it.) Shake it well and spray your produce well, rubbing the skin. Then, rinse well under cold water and pat dry.

Scrub a Dub

Invest is a brush that you will only use for produce. Scrub the fruits and vegetables well under running water.

NOTES:

• Never wash produce until right before you are ready to eat as premature washing can cause the fruits and vegetables to spoil quickly.
• Always wash your vegetables and fruits – including those with an inedible rind like melons – before slicing as bacteria can be transferred from the skin to the inside on your knife.