The Unexpected Storage Hack That Will Keep Your Cucumbers Fresh

If you want to avoid tossing out cucumbers after just a few days, there's an easy way to do so that involves a kitchen item you already own: a spoon. If you whip out one of these utensils and place it in a sealed container with your veggies, you can help them last anywhere from 10 to 15 days in the fridge. Just make sure it's a metal spoon, as a plastic or bamboo one won't have the same effect.

Why does this work so well? Metal items like spoons are especially good thermal conductors, and they can help cucumbers from experiencing the temperature swings that translate to early spoilage. Refrigerator doors that open and close often will experience these fluctuations, and a metal spoon's proximity to these veg in a bag will help them stay cool. Since cucumbers are a watery vegetable, they are especially reactive to temperature changes, and this hack might just save you a trip to the store for your weekend tzatsiki. 

So we know to use a spoon when storing our cucumbers, but how else should we keep them in optimal condition? While it's a good idea to keep them in the fridge, placement is important too. Set your bag of 'cumbers either on a shelf or in the door since they hate the extreme cold as well as the heat. When cucumbers get too cold, they can develop chilling injuries, which is how they get soft or slimy. Their ideal temperature is between 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and ironically, this is a little higher than the FDA's recommended refrigerator temperature (at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit). 

It's also a good idea to wrap your veggies in paper towels before placing them in a container. If you skip this step, your cucumbers can get soggy or moldy from any extra moisture or condensation that develops in the fridge. And before you do so, make sure they're completely dry after washing. Once you've got your bags nestled in an ideal spot in the fridge, avoid taking them out and putting them back; as we covered, changes in temperature can cause your cucumbers to go bad more quickly (although packing them with a spoon will help), so try to keep them properly chilled until you're ready to eat them.