Question
Jackie Sarlitt
How long does fresh garlic last? Are they supposed to start sprouting green ? Is it best to leave out or refrigerate?
Answer
So this is gonna be a general food storage question. Um, you know, when it comes to, uh, you know, things like garlic or, or onions or other things that have a tendency to sprout, um, if they do get to the point of sprouting, um, that usually tells us that we need to use it faster or buy less of it so that we can use it up faster. Okay? Uh, another thing to consider is, uh, the storage place. Uh, this could be an indicator that we should store this in a cooler environment, uh, so that, uh, it's not, you know, starting to, to give off, uh, this new next generation of, of foliage. Okay? Um, so, you know, how long does garlic last? You know, a any foods, um, shelf life will vary depending on your storage conditions. And the warmer the conditions are, the more humid they are, you know, the, the, the quicker, uh, a produce item is going to, uh, sprout or decay, okay? Uh, and so, you know, garlic can last a long time in a, in a coolish dry ish climate, um, and, and a relatively short time, uh, in, in a, in a hot and moist climate. So it, it's difficult to give you, uh, you know, just one answer. But instead, um, I would suggest that you think about your own environment and then just make some ch uh, changes according to our discussion right here. Okay? Um, and then, is it best to leave it out or refrigerate, you know, if your surroundings, your environment is, uh, hot, you know, all the time, or pretty hot during a long, you know, summer season, then consider, uh, refrigerating some of these things that are perishable. And it's not just fresh produce. This would hold true for, uh, nuts and seeds as well. Uh, and also whole grains and whole grain flour, um, all of which have, uh, a relatively high fat content, you know, compared to refined foods. And, uh, therefore they have a chance of, uh, spoiling, uh, going rancid, uh, or oxidizing sooner, uh, than later. And so, a cooler environment is gonna be a better choice for storage. Uh, it doesn't have to be in the refrigerator or the freezer. If you have a cool place, uh, you know, in a basement or, uh, under the stairs someplace, uh, that would be suitable as well. But it's gonna be up to you sort of to make that judgment, okay? Um, but just keep in mind that, you know, all food items, uh, do have a shelf life, and it's gonna be up to us to, uh, purchase appropriate quantities that allow us to move through it before, uh, it turns that corner. Okay?
