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Not all produce storage bags are created equal. I tested three to find the best. Tharon Green/Anna Gragert/CNET
Do you feel like fresh produce spoils within the blink of an eye? I bring home veggies and fruit from the grocery store, give them a wash and, by the time I go to take a satisfying bite, they look like they've fully embraced the decomposition process. Though I do compost my food, it's still a waste because I don't even get to enjoy it.
Tired of seeing my produce go to waste within days after purchase, I decided to put different storage methods to the test. As a wellness editor, I've seen people preach about the benefits of various food storage methods over the years.
I narrowed it down to three for my experiment: the free compostable bags available at my local grocery store, Thrive Market's reusable mesh bags and Ambrosia's linen produce bags.
My test subjects were red bell peppers and romaine lettuce, which I stored within these bags in my refrigerator's produce drawer over the course of two weeks. I chose this amount of time because it's what the USDA's FoodKeeper app says is the consumption limit for both types of food if they're refrigerated from the date of purchase.
This is what I noticed every few days while testing these bags, and which one ultimately emerged as the winner at the end of my produce freshness test.
Day 1: Off to a fresh start
I purchased my romaine lettuce and red bell peppers from my local Trader Joe's. While there, I picked up the 100% vegetable starch-based compostable produce bags available for free in the produce section.
What the produce looked like on the day of purchase, and all the different produce bags used. Anna Gragert/CNET
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