This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com
With everyone trying to minimize the frequency of visits to the grocery store, I have been trying to make my fresh foods last as long as possible.
One type vegetable that rapidly deteriorates in the fridge is bean sprouts. I bought a bag from the market, and wanted it to last until the following week so I can use it up. Many stores don’t even carry bean sprouts, and the ones in my area just carry pre-bagged sprouts so you cannot just buy a handful.
What normally happens is I leave the bean sprouts in the original packaging, and in about three days, they turn to mush. This time, I will experiment using various methods to make the bean sprouts last for at least a week to 10 days.
Can you freeze bean sprouts?
Yes, bean sprouts can be frozen, but that doesn’t mean they will retain their texture. I have bought stir fry vegetable mixes from the frozen vegetable section, and the bean sprouts always come out mushy. As soon as the bean sprouts thaw, they become mushy. That is why I did not try freezing among my experiments.
Methods I tried to make bean sprouts last longer
Paper towels
Allow bean sprouts to dry out a little by spreading them out on paper towels. Leave them alone for 30 minutes- by this time most of the moisture from the bag is gone.
Wrap a handful of bean sprouts in new paper towels, and fill a Mason jar with wrapped sprout bundles. Seal and store in the refrigerator.
Lemon water
I had read about this method in a cooking forum a while ago, but never got to try it.
Mix water, lemon slices and some lemon juice in a Mason jar. Add your bean sprouts. Seal and refrigerate.
Salt water
Add a half teaspoon salt to some water and place in a jar. Store your bean sprouts in the salt water.
I left the three jars in the fridge for 10 days.
Results
On the 10th day, I checked on the three jars and found all of the beans sprouts were in good shape.
Here is a photo of all the results:
Of all three methods, the sprouts in the paper towel in an airtight container had the best texture – they still had a good amount of crunch left in them.
The lemon water and salt water sprouts absorbed the flavor of their respective water solutions. The lemon water sprouts were lemony, and the salt water sprouts were salty.
I used the bean sprouts in a pad thai recipe and they all tasted good.
I still had some sprouts left after using some in a recipe and so far they have lasted 14 days!
However, I am not waiting any longer as I need to use them for stir fry ramen.
All in all this experiment was a success and I may experiment with these various methods to lengthen the life of other vegetables.
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About the author:
Bernie Carr is the founder of Apartment Prepper. She has written several books including the best-selling Prepper’s Pocket Guide, Jake and Miller’s Big Adventure, The Penny-Pinching Prepper and How to Prepare for Most Emergencies on a $50 a Month Budget. Her work appears in sites such as the Allstate Blog and Clark.com, as well as print magazines such as Backwoods Survival Guide and Prepper Survival Guide. She has been featured in national publications such as Fox Business and Popular Mechanics. Learn more about Bernie here.
