Isn't this a funny topic...organizing produce? It is a big issue at our house where we are big salad eaters. On top of that, I really try to limit shopping to once every two weeks.

Here is what I did today to organize produce.

I use the "green" bags that are sold to lengthen your produce staying in good shape. They really work.

I transferred all the grocery store produce to green bags from the plastic ones the store gives out.

I cut up broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and celery so that they are ready for snacking or quick salads.

I separated out the produce that is specially purchased just for dinners so that my meal plan won't get ruined by gobbling. I put the dinner produce in one drawer. I put the help-yourself produce in another drawer.

Finally, I made sure to wash the apples and pile them in a bowl.

We are now ready for healthy munching.

So far I haven't been that organized, although it's the direction in which I want to move.

Nevertheless, I have assigned areas of the fridge to specific foods, and have particular items in consistent places. Since the upper shelves are colder than the lower ones, any meat not frozen (i.e., awaiting preparation in something such as spaghetti, or chili made but not yet separated into containers for freezing) is on a higher shelf. Vegetables are in the crispers, with certain ones on the left and others on the right. That way I can keep track of them, and am less likely to forget about them, not see them, and waste food.

Great idea to divide up the fridge into organized area. If you do put meats on an upper shelf, always be sure it is on a platter or in a dish so that it can't drip meat juices on anything below it.

Lea, can you tell us more about the green bags? I've heard some people say they don't really work, despite the advertisement claims. I'm thinking about getting some in an effort to reduce the plastics in my home.

Well, I am not sure that the green bags will reduce the use of plastics in your home if you mean that you want LESS plastic in your life because they seem to be made of plastic.

However, if what you mean is that you want to buy less plastic and reuse/recycle more then this would work. They are reusable and state so clearly on the box front. Therefore my box of 20 should last a long, long time.

Someone suggested them to me and I decided to try them because I want to limit grocery shopping to twice a month. Not only does the shopping take up your time, each time you go you spend more and use more gas.

We have found them to work well. They are not going to make your produce last forver, that is impossible, but they do keep it fresher longer.

Some specific examples- we always seem to have cut broccoli and cauliflower for salads. If I bought enough for two weeks, it would make it past the week's mark but then the broccoli would get limp and begin to yellow or even blacken with soft areas- ugh. The cauliflower would start the black spot process. Now I can go the full two weeks with the produce in useable shape.

I bought Romaine lettuce and then ended up going out of town. So the lettuce is now hitting the end of three weeks in the bag. It has a few brown spots I need to cut off but is 90 percent useable.

One other thing that seems get me is cucumbers. I'll find a soggy one in the bottom of the drawer. They seem to go from fine to a mess in a blink. They don't seem to do that in the green bag.

I will say that it didn't do what I wanted for bananas. I love greenish bananas but it doesn't hold them green although they do get yellow slower.

You know...as I think this through, I am thinking that I am getting an extra five-six days average in being able to hold produce in the house. That meets my goal.

I found that they don't work well for produce that generates it's own "juice"-such as green peppers & tomatoes. The green pepper became slimey after a couple of days, & the tomato softened just as quickly as with any other storage method.

Lea, this reminds me that I need to get back to using the green bags. My dh only gets paid twice a month, and I would love nothing better than to only shop twice a month (except for milk). Thanks for the reminder!

Thanks for all the input on the green bags. I may give them a try - did you buy them in the grocery store?

stitchwitch, you can get them at Wal-Mart or Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Got mine at Walgreens.

I haven't used them for tomatoes or peppers. I tend to leave my tomatoes out on the counter until ripe and then eat them. Peppers seem to last and last just in the fridge drawer so I didn't try putting them in the bag. Good to know not to do it.