This One Simple Trick Will Keep Your Herbs Fresh For Twice As Long

If you’re one of those people who find themselves throwing out herbs without actually using them, then keep reading. This one simple trick will keep your herbs fresh for twice as long as they’d normally last, if not longer.

When I went plant-based raw, I found myself buying a host of different produce items that had a seemingly short shelf-life. I’d often buy things and just throw them into the fridge without even thinking twice about how I should have stored them.

When I realized that I was throwing out more than I was consuming, I had to find a solution, and so I did a little research and asked my mom for some advice on how I should store my delicate greens, especially herbs like dill, cilantro, parsley and basil, which always went bad within a day or two.

There are a few crucial steps you should follow first:

1. Always choose herbs that look the freshest in the grocery store. They should be fresh, with no brown, bruised leaves. You should be able to smell them with your nose about 3 inches away from the leaves. Bright, green, and crisp – this is the first step to ensure your herbs will last longer than a day in the fridge.

2. Never wash before storage. This is a huge no-no, as it will add excess moisture to the leaves, shortening their shelf-life as the dampness weighs them down. Wash your herbs right before using them instead.

3. Cut the base of the stems. This is one tip my mom suggested, as she normally does this with her flowers and it helps them last longer.

So what is the special trick that I use to keep my herbs lasting all week long? It’s incredibly simple, and takes less than a minute to do!

First, you want to place your stem-cut herbs in a tall glass with an inch or so of water. Don’t overcrowd the glass – if you’re shoving them in to try to fit them all, then use two glasses instead of one. They need room to breathe, and if you overcrowd them, then they will go mushy and brown.

Second, cover them loosely with a plastic bag and store in the fridge. Don’t store basil in the fridge, though, as it requires room temperature to stay fresh.

Lastly, change out the water every day or two as it will start to get cloudy over time.

And that’s it! Say goodbye to rotting herbs and say hello to lasting freshness! Let me know how this tip worked out for you in the comments below (or if you have any tips of your own that you’d like to share!).