In this article, I’ll go through the longest shelf life vegetables that you should be cultivating in your garden right now.
Eating vegetables is good for your health. Having vegetables and fruits as part of a healthy diet would mean that you will be less likely to acquire chronic illnesses, including heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and some forms of cancer.
Consequently, consuming lower-calorie foods, such as vegetables, may reduce calorie consumption instead of higher-calorie foods. Why is that so?
It’s because vegetables contain essential nutrients for your body’s health and maintenance, such as vitamins A and C, fiber, folate, and potassium.
Without further ado, let’s dive right in and go over the best long-shelf-life vegetables you could grow in your yard now.
Also detailed in our 55 Crops For the Best Prepper Survival Garden article, if you store carrots properly, they could last for up to a month or two. The key is to remove their green tops, which absorb all of the moisture from the orange vegetable part and cause it to wither.
Keep them whole, with the peels still on in the drawer to keep them from spoiling. If you want to cook them, roast them to insert some color to your plate, or try whirling them into hummus or baking a comforting, quick bread.
2. Celery
Next on this list is celery, a root vegetable. Did you know that wrapping celery tightly in aluminum foil can keep it fresh in the refrigerator for two weeks?
Celeriac, the root of celery plants, on the other hand, prefers moisture. You can place it on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator, wrapped in plastic. You can also place your celery root in a dish of water on your kitchen windowsill to regrow new celery stalks.
3. Garlic
From what we have so far and between the first three veggies, garlic has the lengthiest shelf life.
It is one of the most long-lasting vegetables available. If you leave a clove uncut, it will probably last up to a half year before it starts looking like it’s going to rot, and even separated cloves will last a month or two.
You probably have a week after you chop it before it spoils. If you want to keep your garlic fresh, keep it in the dark, dry place with plenty of air.
Keeping it in a paper bag in your kitchen should be fine. If it’s chopped, store it in the fridge in a container. When brown spots appear on the cloves, or they begin to turn yellow, your garlic has perished.
4. Potatoes
Next on the list are potatoes. We need to say that we are grateful for root vegetables, especially this one.
Potatoes, like the others, have an admirable lifespan, though how far they’ll go depends on the type of potato of your choice.
In general, potatoes can be stored in the pantry for two to five weeks or in the refrigerator for four months. Keep them away from warmer temperatures if you’re storing them in the pantry. Put them in a container to prevent them from spoiling if you’re through with the preparation.
Particular potatoes, such as french fries, cooked or baked potatoes, and mashed potatoes, can also be frozen. In that case, they’ll most likely last up to eight months.
5. Pumpkins
Now, fresh pumpkins may last up to four months in the refrigerator. Is there no space in the fridge? You can keep orange squashes on your kitchen counter or in a cold, dark pantry for up to three months.
A quick word of tip for you, roasting pumpkin in the oven with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin is our favorite. Serve it hot as a side dish, chill it, and toss it into a salad for a vitamin A boost.
6. Beets
If you aren’t a fan of pumpkins, you might be a beets fan. I have good news for you. You may preserve your favorite carpet-staining vegetable in the fridge for two to four months.
If the greens are still connected, make careful to clip them off. Leaving them on will suck moisture from the root, affecting the taste, taking away nutrients, and causing the vegetable to shrivel up over time.
Now, if you’re thinking of going for a jog, eat some beets. According to studies, runners who ate baked beets before a race finish quicker. Nitrates, a natural molecule that boosts endurance and decreases blood pressure, are the secret weapon.
7. Onions
We shouldn’t miss having onions if we have garlic on this list. They come hand in hand when cooking, after all.
To preserve onions’ at it’s best, store onions in a dry environment with a temperature between 30 and 50 degrees to keep them fresh for months. Alternatively, preserve them in a dark cabinet inside a mesh bag for approximately a month.
Everything tastes better with a delicious onion, from omelets and salads to sandwiches and stir-fries. So better save them up good!
8. Cabbage
Like garlic, onions, carrots, and potatoes, this multi-layered veggie can also be prepared and consumed in tons of different ways. Thus, having it around can come in handy, especially for someone who gets hungry but still wants to be healthy.
Good thing cabbage has a far lower water content than traditional greens like spinach and romaine, which helps to extend its shelf life. Wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator, the brassica vegetable can last for about two months.
Make sure to keep your cabbages in storage or a room that isn’t too hot. Heat breaks down the chemicals that give cabbage many of its nutritional superpowers, so it is best to enjoy it raw. Throw it into a salad or use it to beef up a sandwich.
9. Winter Squash
Winter squash is a type of hard-skinned vegetable that can have a shelf life of up to several months, depending on the variety.
Winter squashes such as butternut and acorn are among some of the longest-lasting vegetables when stored correctly in cool (but not cold) temperatures with low humidity.
When kept at room temperature or slightly colder, winter squash lasts two weeks to one month before it begins to spoil. If refrigerated properly and wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or placed inside an airtight container, they can remain good for three months or longer!
10. Turnips
Turnips are one of the long shelf life vegetables, with a shelf life of up to 8 weeks when stored correctly. Turnips should be kept in an airtight container or bag and placed in the refrigerator for optimal freshness.
They can also be peeled and frozen if you plan on using them at a later date. When cooked, turnips have a mild flavor that pairs well with other root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots.
Their nutritional profile is impressive too – they’re rich in vitamins A & C along with dietary fiber which makes them great additions to soups, stews, salads, or roasted dishes!
To Conclude
The best vegetables with the longest shelf life are root vegetables like onions, potatoes, garlic, and winter squash. These can be stored for several months in a cool and dry place away from sunlight or heat.
Other long-lasting produce includes cabbage and carrots, among others.
With proper storage techniques such as blanching before freezing or pickling, any vegetable can have an extended shelf life of many months under ideal conditions making it possible to enjoy fresh produce all year round!
These vegetables would also last very long as canned food, so you can consider buying those as well. Find out signs that canned food has gone bad here.
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I have always wondered how to keep my greens to stay green. The tips you got here can be used in any situation in survival or not. In fact, it can even be practiced in any kitchen anywhere. Knowing which vegetable has the longest shelf life is the first key step. Thanks for posting this!