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.
Get cost-effective air conditioning in less than an hour without expensive electrical work The Merino Mono is a heating and cooling system designed for the rooms traditional HVAC can't reach. The streamlined design eliminates clunky outdoor units, installs in under an hour, and plugs into a standard 120V outlet — no expensive electrical upgrades required. And while a traditional “mini-split” system can get pricey fast, the Merino Mono comes with a flat-rate price — with hardware and professional installation included. |
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.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
|
What's the most you'd pay per month to put solar panels on your roof if there was no down payment?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
$200 or more 💰 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."
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
