A fresh tomato is a sight to behold. Ripened on the vine smelling of sunshine and summer ready to be layered into juicy tomato sandwiches or made into the best tomato sauce you’ve ever had — a flavorful fresh tomato puts the bland mealy conventional store-bought tomatoes to shame. It’s just a fact of life. So when you do get your hands on the precious gem that is a freshly picked tomato it pays to know how to best store it to prolong that peak of just-picked freshness for as long as possible. We’ve all forgotten a tomato on the counter or in the fridge only to find a sad wrinkled mess that we had to throw away. To avoid wasting your precious commodity and keep your ‘maters at their peak for as long as possible turn them upside down and store your fresh tomatoes in that position until you’re ready to eat them.
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 MOMables - Laura Fuentes | 2021-07-07 16:15:03 |  84,058 Views |
How to Store Tomatoes to Keep Them Fresh
It may seem counterintuitive to turn them upside down—you’ve probably been storing them stem-side up for years. But it’s the easiest and best way to prevent moisture loss and keep tomatoes as plump and supple as the day they were picked. By storing them upside down you’re effectively closing off the stem area the weak spot where moisture normally escapes leading to wrinkled shriveled fruit that spoils faster than you’d like. Turning them upside down keeps tomatoes looking and tasting their best and prevents spoilage and mold.
Wrinkled or slightly overripe tomatoes aren’t a lost cause (as long as there are no signs of rot or mold). You can always make a quick tomato sauce and freeze it or use it in dishes like roasted tomato pies where a less-than-ideal texture won’t even be noticeable. But whether you’re eating them in salads a classic tomato sandwich or simply sliced thick and sprinkled with salt you want your tomatoes to be as juicy as possible. And retaining moisture is key to maximum flavor and enjoyment.
The stem area where tomatoes are picked when they’re harvested can become an easy place for air and moisture to enter and exit speeding up the process of decay and changing the flavor and texture of the once-perfect produce. Storing them upside down seals off this area and stops this process. And the tip works on both conventional supermarket varieties and fresher heirloom tomatoes and whether you store them in the refrigerator or on the counter.
