Chef's top hack to prevent spotty bananas and revive wilted vegetables
Chef Max La Manna shared his top tips so that Britons can stop wasting so much food.
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"Minimising food waste is so important," said Chef Max La Manna, so here's how you can start to make a difference.
"One of the most important steps in reducing waste is to keep your fruit fresh," said Chef Max.
To help keep your bananas from developing brown spots so quickly, you can cover the stems with kitchen foil.
"This slows down the ripening process and gives you a few more days before they start to look spotty," said Chef Max.
"The great thing about bananas is that even when they are overripe they can be transformed into delicious banana bread or muffins."
Storing fruits
Chef Max said there is a "common mistake" people make when it comes to storing fruits is that they store them next to vegetables.
"Avocados, bananas and apples all produce a gas called ethylene which speeds up the ripening process of any produce in contact with it," said Chef Max.
Overripe food tends to be thrown away, which is not only bad for your finances, but also the amount of food wasted in general.
Chef Max added: "It’s important to know which fruits are best kept in the fridge and which are better on the counter.
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"Citrus fruits and berries will deteriorate if kept out of the fridge; they should always be kept chilled."
Meanwhile, bananas and avocados will continue to ripen if left out of the fridge.
Chef Max said: "With approximately 170,000 tonnes of salad and vegetables being thrown away each year, it’s not just fruits that we should aim to keep fresher for longer.
"You can revive wilted vegetables by trimming what you don’t need, soaking them in water for 15-30 minutes, patting them dry and using them as usual."
Chef Max is a big fan of storing chopped fruits and vegetables in the freezer.
But when you do store vegetables in the fridge, such as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, be aware that they shouldn't be next to each other.
These veggies should be separated by containers or bags to keep as fresh as possible.
HelloFresh has partnered with low-waste chef Max La Manna to launch the CurrEATulum, an educational syllabus designed to teach about the importance of food waste reduction.
