Good Food Deserves a Better Home

It’s Tuesday evening. You’re unpacking the groceries, nudging last week’s carrots aside and wondering whether every vegetable belongs in the crisper. This week, make the unpack part of your food prep.

Give tomatoes a halfway stop

Not-quite-ripe tomatoes don’t need to go straight into the fridge. CSIRO and the NSW Government recommend ripening them at room temperature, then refrigerating once ripe; CSIRO also advises keeping them out of direct sunlight. Choose a shaded spot on the bench and check them as you make your morning coffee. ([csiro.au](https://www.csiro.au/en/research/production/food/refrigerating-foods))

Rethink the fruit neighbours

According to NSW Government’s Love Food Hate Waste programme, some fruit releases ethylene, a plant hormone that speeds ripening. Apples are among the producers, while broccoli and carrots are sensitive to it; Griffith University’s storage guide also recommends separating ethylene-producing fruit from other produce. Give the apples their own space rather than tucking them beside the veg. ([lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au](https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au/fruits-vegetable-and-herbs))

Give carrots some breathing room

CSIRO explains that vegetables can wilt or shrivel as they lose water, and recommends perforated bags for carrots and leafy vegetables in the fridge. NSW Government likewise advises making holes in plastic storage bags and ensuring vegetables are dry. Think protected, not tightly bundled in a wet bag; follow any storage instructions on the packaging. ([csiro.au](https://www.csiro.au/en/research/production/food/refrigerating-foods))

No elaborate Sunday prep required. Join the Y-23 community for more practical ideas to bring into your everyday routine, in and out of training.