Herbs are an important part of the kitchen pantry and are used a lot in cooking. In fact, it was one of the first items introduced to the kitchen. Today, herbs play a huge role in the food industry, making the preparation of meals more enjoyable and tastier. If it is for cooking or for enhancing the taste of the food, herbs are one of the most important vegetables to have in the kitchen.

Always Keep Your Herbs Fresh

Every time you make a salad, you must know when to throw away that wilted romaine lettuce and add a new batch of it to the salad draw. But how do you know when it has been too long? Fresh herbs have a noticeably short shelf life, and many people don’t realize that the leaves will only stay fresh for a few days. If you wait too long, your leaves will start to wilt as time goes by.

If you want to keep fresh herbs for your next meal, you can use them up as soon as possible or learn the best way to store them. Check out the following ways on how to store fresh herbs:

1. Refrigerate your herbs. There are various ways to store fresh herbs, but one of the most common methods is to refrigerate them. Using zip locking plastic bags to store herbs in the refrigerator helps preserve their freshness and protects them from temperature fluctuations. But how long can you keep your herbs in the fridge? When stored properly in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, fresh herbs typically have a shelf life of 1 to 2 weeks. However, it’s best not to keep them in the fridge for more than a week.
2. Freeze your herbs. If you chop and place them on an ice cube tray and procced to freeze them then they could last longer. The herbs you purchase from the market will be dead after a few days, but there are many ways to keep them alive for as long as possible. If you want to keep fresh herbs from losing their flavour, try freezing them instead of storing them in the fridge. Freezing herbs is a wonderful way to keep them fresh and can even save money. As you should hopefully have to re-buy fresh herbs less often.
3. Keep them dry. There are a host of ways to preserve herbs, but one of the best ways to store fresh herbs is by drying them in the oven or a microwave, if you had limited space to dry the herbs out. Simply cut the herbs and place them on a paper towel-lined plate. Cover the herbs with another paper towel and then microwave them. If you’re not sure whether your herbs are completely dry, then dry them in an oven until they are completely crispy. Dry herbs are exposed to air and light, which can lessen their flavour, making them less potent. This could mean that more of the herb may need to be used in cooking to maintain the same flavour that would ordinarily be achieved with fresh herbs. However, dried herbs could use less storage space overall.
4. Use a Food dehydrator. One option is to use a food dehydrator such as mr coffee food dehydrator. A food dehydrator usually works by drawing moisture out of the herbs, which helps to preserve them for longer. This is because moisture encourages the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms, which can cause the herbs to spoil. Dehydrating the herbs removes the moisture. With a food dehydrator, the herbs can be preserved for longer periods of time. Be sure to check the expiration date on the package of herbs and that the unit is working properly.

There is nothing more annoying than fresh herbs shrivelling up as soon as you get them home from the grocery store. It’s frustrating when they are still fresh, but their flavour is starting to fade away. There is nothing worse than having to throw away a bunch of fresh herbs because they lost their vibrant flavour. Make sure to store fresh herbs in a cool, dark, dry place. In general, keep the herbs away from direct sunlight, heat, and extreme cold.