Homemade Fruit And Veggie Wash

I usually grocery shop in the morning. After lunch (and when Miss C is down for her nap), I clean my produce with my homemade fruit and veggie wash.

I either use a large mixing bowl or fill my (clean) sink with cold water and wash my fruits and veggies. All the dirt and chemicals are washed off the produce, leaving only delicious, healthy food to enjoy.

Here’s what I do:

Fill a large bowl (2/3 of the way full) or a sink with water.

Add 1/2 cup to 2 cups of white vinegar, depending on the size of bowl / sink used.

Add 1 – 2 tbsp lemon juice.

Add your produce to the water and wash clean.

You can also add 1 – 2 tbsp of baking soda for extra cleaning power (and the reaction between the vinegar and baking soda is great entertainment for children!).

Soak for 5 – 10 minutes, then rinse well with clean water. Make sure to rinse well, so there is no vinegar taste. Pat dry with clean towels and store in your fridge. Please do not wash mushrooms using this method as they will absorb all the water.

I wash berries in a bowl and swirl them gently with my hands, just for a minute or so. Then the berries are rinsed well and patted dry using a clean dishtowel or paper towels. Blackberries and raspberries are more delicate, so I leave those to air dry.

Delicate greens (spinach, lettuce) are washed the same way as the berries and are patted dry with clean towels (or you can use a salad spinner if you have one).

Enjoy your ready-to-eat fruit and veggies.