‘Treat them like cut flowers!’ Keep herbs fresh for a month with clever storage hack

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Fresh herbs can enhance a dish, but how can you make them last longer than a week? Consumer expert Alice Beer showcased a clever food storage hack that can see your basil, coriander and parsley last up to a month without wilting. 

During a recent segment on This Morning, Alice said: “Treat your herbs like cut flowers.” 

She was referencing the cut herbs you buy in a supermarket in a plastic bag – not the living herbs that come with roots in a pot. 

“These are soft herbs – so parsley, coriander etc,” she displayed. 

Having taken them out of the plastic wrap, Alice advised: “Cut them, put them in a jar of fresh water and change the water regularly.

“They will last in your fridge for a couple of weeks.” 

You might have to adjust the shelves in the fridge to fit the jars and herbs in – or place them on the top shelf. 

She then compared the cut herbs in a jar of water to the herbs left in the plastic pack. 

“This is a week old [the herbs in the plastic pack] look how that’s swollen, I wouldn’t eat those,” she commented. 

To make the herbs last longer than “a couple of weeks”, Alice suggested putting a plastic bag over the top. 

She used a ziplock bag that wasn’t closed. 

By doing this, “you control the environment, control the moisture, you control the oxidation and they will last for a month” she claimed. 

For the majority of herbs, this food storage hack will work. 

But some herbs are hard and more steadfast, and these can be identified by their woody branches. 

Amongst these are rosemary, thyme, sage, marjoram and oregano. 

Hard herbs often come from warmer climates and therefore don’t require a lot of water. 

Instead of placing the herbs in a jar of water, you can wrap the stems in a damp kitchen towel. 

Place the wrapped herbs in a plastic container or wrap them in cling film, and then store them in the fridge. 

The damp paper towel ensures that the herbs won’t dry out and will keep them fresh for up to two weeks.

Basil, however, is the exception. 

This herb doesn’t tolerate colder temperatures and should, therefore, never be stored in the fridge. 

Instead, store basil in a glass with a little water at room temperature – a windowsill is ideal for this. 

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