How to Store Spinach up to 6 months
Spinach is a nutritious dark green leafy plant that is abundant in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, and used in low calories diets. Spinach is also high in antioxidants, iron, calcium, and other vitamins and minerals that are good for overall health.
I love using spinach in soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, and so much more. However, I was hesitant to buy more than one little bunch at a time since I knew how quickly they may spoil even in the refrigerator. I researched and asked around, and learned that I was not storing my spinach properly. According to allrecipes, fresh spinach should last up to 10 days.
So, I decided to try various ways of storing spinach and report back to you on what I learned. I hope you’ll be able to increase your intake of spinach all year round with these tips and tricks.
How long does spinach last?
Fresh spinach has a short shelf life due to its high moisture content. Pre-washed spinach has an even shorter shelf life and should be consumed as soon as possible. But don’t worry, with the right preparation, spinach can be frozen without losing its nutritional value and kept for up to half a year.
How to store fresh spinach for a week
Spinach from a local farm or your garden:
If you’re harvesting spinach from your garden or getting it straight from a local farm, don’t wash it until you’re ready to use it. Just sort the leaves to remove any damaged or bad leaves. Refrigerate the spinach after wrapping it in a dry paper towel or clean dish cloth and placing it in an air-tight freezer bag or plastic container. Use the leaves within a week, or until they wilt and lose their color, whichever comes first.
Spinach from a grocery store:
Fresh spinach should be stored in a cool, dry place. Normally, grocery stores keep their vegetables moist. Take the spinach out of the plastic bag and remove any twist ties. Pat it dry to remove any moisture before storing it.
How to store spinach for Few Weeks
If your garden produces more than you can consume within a few days, or if you want to have spinach ready for your favorite meals, you can either freeze or dry it to use in the next few weeks.
Freeze the Spinach: Not all dishes need fresh vegetables, which is where frozen veggies come in handy. Same thing applies to spinach. Sort through the spinach leaves to remove damaged or bad leaves. Rinse the spinach and put them in a freezer bag and store them in the freezer.
Dry the Spinach: Use a food dehydrator. If you don’t have a food dehydrator, you can use your oven or hang dry the leaves.
Food Dehydrator: If you have a food dehydrator, use it to remove the moisture from the spinach.
Oven: Place the cleaned leaves on a baking pan, set the oven to the lowest temperature setting, and leave it for 2-3 hours, or until the leaves are dry and brittle.
Hang Dry: Take a few spinach leaves, tie them together with string, and hang them upside down in a well-ventilated place to dry. After they’ve dried and crumbled, store them in an airtight bag or container.
How to store spinach for up to six months
Blanching and freezing the spinach is the best method to keep it for up to six months. Here’s how to blanch and preserve spinach leaves in the freezer:
- Fill up a pot with water and bring it to a boil.
- Prepare a bowl of iced water.
- Place the washed spinach in a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds to one minute.
- Drain and immediately put the spinach leaves in cold water (According to Master Class, this step helps to lock in the spinach’s flavor).
- Squeeze any remaining water out with your hands.
- Make small balls of blanched spinach, and place them in an airtight freezer bag.
- Place them in the freezer for up to six months (Use a marker to write the date of storage).
Before you put everything in the freezer, save a handful of blanched spinach leaves to create a delightful ten-minute side dish!
