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Homesteader reveals 18th-century hack that can keep produce fresh for months: 'I've been storing [everything] all wrong'

Viewers appreciated the hack.

Fresh apples left out on the counter typically last five to seven days. But a centuries-old preservation method can keep them fresh for months.

Photo Credit: YouTube

Fresh apples left out on the counter typically last five to seven days. 

However, a centuries-old preservation method can keep apples lasting much longer without canning or dehydration. 

As Danae from the Acadian Garden & Apothecary shared on YouTube, writings from the 1700s offer insights into fruit preservation that remain relevant today. 

In the video, Danae explains what causes apples to ripen prematurely and how to choose a healthy apple from an orchard. She shares that colonial Americans packed apples away in dry aerated materials, such as sawdust, grains, heat-dried sand, and newspaper. 

Danae uses a newspaper to individually wrap apples she recently picked and puts them away in a cool, dark pantry. She warns against storing apples near fresh potatoes because a chemical produced by the potatoes could cause the apples to ripen early. 

Another tip she shares is to try this preservation method with orchard-picked apples rather than store-bought ones. Stores often apply chemicals to apples to affect their ripening. 

Danae's apple-preservation hack is useful because it helps you make the most of your fresh fruit purchases. By preserving apples for longer, you can enjoy healthier fruit and waste less food.

By trying traditional hacks like Danae's, you can also save money at the grocery store. 

To reduce your weekly grocery costs even further, check out the deeply discounted items available at Martie. Martie helps shoppers save up to 80% off brand-name food, beauty, and home products by repurposing stores' overstock and surplus inventory. 

To save money, eat better, and reduce food waste sent to landfills, it's definitely worth learning strategies like this to shop smarter at the grocery store and keep your food fresh longer

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Danae's viewers appreciated her apple-preservation hack and shared their feedback in the video's comments. 

"Well darn," one YouTube user wrote. "I've been storing my produce all wrong." 

"Where does one get newspaper these days?" another YouTuber asked in the comments. 

"I usually get it at a local grocery store," Danae replied. "They also sell plain sheets of it at some craft stores." 

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