Longest lasting vegetables in the fridge?

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Greg Who Cooks

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Was just contemplating this in another forum topic. What vegetables last the longest in your fridge?

Best example I can think of: cabbage. Cut off a quarter or a half, then throw the remainder back in your fridge (perhaps in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer) and a few months later bring it back out, peel off a few outside leaves, cut off 1/4 inch of the exposed cut part, and you're good to go to use more of it, and still put the unused part back in the fridge for another month or two...

And how long do you think a cabbage would last in the fridge? Just for an example, a fresh uncut cabbage just purchased fresh at the market then thrust into your refrigerator. Three months? Six months? I could try the experiment but I'd probably eat it sooner than that! :)

I'm lucky I like cabbage. You can keep it for ages!

Can you think of any vegetables that last almost this long, or even longer?
 
Cabbage and carrots maybe. I notice that my store bought cole-slaw in a bag lasts pretty long before it changes color a little, even when it does, it doesn't effect the taste that much when you add cole-slaw dressing.
 
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Romain Lettuce seems to last quit awhile, much longer then Iceberg.
 
This kind of defeats the idea of buying fresh vegetables!

In my house the vegetable that hangs around the longest is celery. I am constantly looking for ways to work it into my cooking so I can use it up. It keeps quite well if I buy a coarse dark green head of it instead of the more tender blanched variety. I keep it in a vase in the refrigerator to keep it crisp and fresh.
 
Greg, I find that if I don't do something with the cabbage for a while, not only is it still edible, it starts growing :LOL:
 
Root vegetables and winter squash seem to last forever. In fact, winter squash I don't even put in the fridge, but in the cellar. Even there, they last for months. I still have squash in my cellar from last fall that are still good.

Beets, celery root, rutabaga, turnips will usually last for a couple of months in the fridge.

Carrots and parsnips are good for 3-4 weeks, though it seems dependent on the size. Big fat roots will sometimes last weeks longer.
 
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I find kale lasting an amazingly long time when it's in the right position in the refrigerator.
 
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I find kale lasting an amazingly long time when it's in the right position in the refrigerator.

If we're going to include all veggies, pickles of any kind, and jarred peppers last forever.

Fresh asparagus lasts a surprisingly long time as well.

Radishes, ginger, fresh horseradish (not yet grated), cauliflower, broccoli, brussle sprouts, root veggies, onions, they all last a long time in the fridge.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
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Yep, cabbage lasts a long time. So does cauliflower.
I'm pretty sure cauliflower lasts a looong time at Andy's house, too :ermm:
 
Of course I like cooking from fresh ingredients, but "fresh" depends on the specific ingredient. Some stay fresh longer.

Some ingredients are "fresh" or "like fresh" for months... Others die ignominious deaths in your crisper drawer in mere days. Like green onions or bag lettuce...
 
Really? What position is that? I find mine starts to go yellow quite quickly.

(About where in the refrigerator kale kept well.)

Well, you know, I guess I need to check the temperature at that point, but it's in a bottom drawer. It's a French door model with a full width shallow drawer at the bottom and two standard type drawers above that. Maytag calls it a "deli drawer." The remaining kale that I never got around to using, after six weeks, started to get dry brown areas on the edges. Stayed green, except touches of brown where it started to dry. Of course, it was a very fresh local urban farm product, if that made any difference.
 
(About where in the refrigerator kale kept well.)

Well, you know, I guess I need to check the temperature at that point, but it's in a bottom drawer. It's a French door model with a full width shallow drawer at the bottom and two standard type drawers above that. Maytag calls it a "deli drawer." The remaining kale that I never got around to using, after six weeks, started to get dry brown areas on the edges. Stayed green, except touches of brown where it started to dry. Of course, it was a very fresh local urban farm product, if that made any difference.

Hmmm, I think I should try in the Tupperware crisper. I have it where one of the crisper drawers used to be. I sometimes forget I have it.
 
Whenever I buy kale, it's the first thing I cook. I love the color and the taste. It never gets to "sit" around in my fridge.

I love the taste of fresh kale. With bacon or ham hocks..... MMmmmmmm!
 
Whenever I buy kale, it's the first thing I cook. I love the color and the taste. It never gets to "sit" around in my fridge.

I love the taste of fresh kale. With bacon or ham hocks..... MMmmmmmm!

How do you do it when you have it with bacon?
 
I want to hear more about kale too. It's teasing me at the market, haunting me when I see it. I just know I'll like kale as much as I like gailan...
 

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