Most people know eating fruits and vegetables is necessary to live a healthy lifestyle, but it’s essential to understand that those delights from nature can carry dirt, bacteria, or pesticides. Cleaning your produce immediately after purchasing ensures your meals are delicious but also safe to eat. Knowing that you don’t need harsh chemicals to clean your fruits and vegetables is important. There are several natural and non-toxic ways to ensure your produce is clean and ready to eat. Here are three tips to safely clean your fruits and vegetables after bringing them home from the grocery store or farmers market.
1. Water
Water is a well-known and familiar way to clean your produce after bringing them home from the store. Simply rinsing your fruits and vegetables under cold running water removes a large majority of dirt and some pesticide residue. Using a brush with soft bristles or a sponge is also a good idea to scrub tough-skinned produce like apples or pears. An obvious but commonly forgotten practice you’ll want to be sure you don't forget is to wash your hands before starting the cleaning process. Washing produce under cold water is also effective on leafy green vegetables, jalapeno peppers, berries, and other similar fruits and vegetables that may be difficult to scrub individually. The FDA mentions, "There’s no need to use soap or a produce wash.” Once you’ve finished cleaning and washing your produce, a food-grade stone mat can be used to dry the produce.
2.Vinegar Soak
Using vinegar or apple cider vinegar has been a household secret to natural disinfection and reduces bacteria contamination on produce. Creating a soak with a minimum of 75% water and 25% vinegar is ideal for removing bacteria and pesticides. It’s recommended that the produce is soaked for 15 - 20 minutes and rinsed thoroughly afterward to remove any lingering dirt and vinegar. Berries, leafy greens, apples, and plums are great produce items to soak. The vinegar used for the soak can be found at your local grocery store.
3. Baking Soda
Baking soda is an excellent option for cleaning produce that may require a firm scrub, like sweet or non-sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and other common root vegetables. The baking soda will help remove dirt, bacteria, and some pesticides. To begin the cleaning process, sprinkle a minimal amount of baking soda on your fruits and vegetables while using your hands or a sponge to scrub them gently. Once you’ve scrubbed, rinse the produce under running water to remove the dirt and baking soda. After completing this process, you’ll be amazed at how clean your root vegetables have become!
By utilizing the tips mentioned above, you’re now fully equipped to ensure your produce is as clean as possible after bringing it home from the grocery store. Whether you’re simply using water to clean your fruit and vegetables or opting for a more thorough option like vinegar and baking soda, these methods will remove unwanted contaminants without relying on harmful chemicals. Try them all and determine which one you prefer!