How to Store Spinach So It Lasts Longer

Have too much of this leafy green on your hands? Learn how to store spinach so you can continue to reap the benefits long after you’ve bought it.

Spinach has many health benefits — it is a superfood filled with essential vitamins and nutrients. It’s such a versatile vegetable that it can be used in salads, pasta, soups, and smoothies. Based on the quantities in which it’s sold, it’s easy to end up with more than you need.

If you’re wondering how to keep spinach fresh, there are a few methods you can use. Learning how to store spinach properly goes a long way towards preserving this vegetable. It starts with picking the best spinach at the store: look for vibrant green leaves with no yellow or brown pieces and avoid leaves that look wilted.

Moisture speeds up the decaying process, so you’ll want to remove as much moisture as possible when storing spinach leaves. We’ve outlined the best options for you below.

How to Keep Spinach Fresh: 2 Simple Methods

Fresh spinach is best used within 2-3 days of purchasing it, but sometimes that isn’t enough time to use it all up.

Method 1: Rinse and store

The best way to store spinach in order to keep it fresh is to follow these steps:

1. Pick out any discolored or bad leaves.
2. Rinse the remaining leaves.
3. Dry the spinach using a salad spinner or pat them dry with a dish towel.
4. Add the dry leaves to a reusable container or bag along with a piece of paper towel or paper towel alternative.
5. Seal the container, place it in your fridge, and use it within 2 weeks.

Method 2: No-rinse

For those wondering how to keep spinach fresh to use within a week, you don’t even need to remove it from the original packaging:

1. Open the bag and add a paper towel to help absorb any excess moisture.
2. Rinse and pat dry before use.

Other Spinach Storing Tips

It’s worth noting that storing fresh spinach isn’t always the best option. Learning how to freeze spinach and use frozen spinach in your meals can help preserve the nutrients while giving you a bit more flexibility when it comes to using it up.

If you don’t have a sealable container, you can store spinach in a bowl lined with a paper towel in the cripser drawer of your fridge. Just be sure to keep it away from ethylene-producing fruits such as apples, as this will cause your spinach to go bad more quickly.

Read more: 

• Growing and Harvesting Spinach: A Complete Guide
• 15 Surprising Foods That Are High in Beta Carotene
• Spinach and Feta Pizza: Not Just for Vegetarians

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Tags: Cooking Food Food Waste Guide Practical Tips Vegetables