How to Store Spinach: Best Way to Store Fresh Spinach to Keep it Crisp!

If you are looking for a solution to your slimy spinach problems, keep reading. In this post, we’ll cover exactly how to store spinach to keep it fresh. You’ll get the best tips and tricks for storing spinach. Plus, we’ll discuss our favorite products that help keep spinach fresh.

We’ll answer your burning questions such as have you ever noticed that fresh spinach doesn’t seem to last very long? After a few days, it can get slimy. And who wants to eat wet, smelly spinach?

How to Store Fresh Spinach

Before you store your spinach, it is important to make sure it is clean. Pick out and discard any leaves that are:

yellow or brown
slimy
wilted
don’t look fresh

Next, wash your spinach. It’s best to do this in a salad spinner. This will help save time and makes the process a lot easier.

The next and most important step is to dry your spinach.

Liquid causes spinach to get slimy. So make sure your spinach is completely dry before you store it.

After washing your spinach, lay it out flat to dry on a paper towel. Only put it away after you’ve confirmed that it is fully dry.

Now that your spinach is dry, let’s look at three ways to store spinach. With any of these methods, you’ll want to keep spinach in the refrigerator:

Paper Towels and a Plastic Bag. Wrap spinach in paper towels to absorb any moisture, place them in a bag, and remove the air. Then, store the spinach in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.
Paper Towels and a Plastic Container. This is a similar method as the one above. Line a plastic container with paper towels and dump them in the spinach. Place another paper towel on top. Then, seal with the lid and place the container in the fridge.
Plastic Bag. A third option is to place spinach in a plastic produce bag. Blow in some air to provide the spinach with carbon dioxide. Seal the bag and store it in your refrigerator.

The Best Way to Store Fresh Spinach

Now that you know about the three different ways to store spinach, you might wonder what is the best way to store spinach.

Each of those methods works well, but the best way to keep spinach fresh is to store it in a plastic container with paper towels.

The paper towels help absorb any moisture and the plastic container keeps any air from getting in. This method can help keep spinach fresh for up to 10 days. The other methods don’t keep spinach fresh for quite as long.

Of course, the best way to keep spinach fresh is to make sure it is washed and fully dry before you put it away. Remember to store the spinach in your refrigerator, not on the counter or in your pantry.

How to Store Spinach in the Fridge

As we mentioned earlier, the best way to store spinach is in the fridge and now we’ll dive into exactly how to store spinach in the refrigerator. Your refrigerator will maintain an optimal temperature around 37 degrees to keep the spinach fresher.

When you place your fresh spinach in the fridge, be sure to keep it away from ethylene-producing fruit! These are fruits like bananas, apples, melons, pears, and tomatoes. The ethylene from these fruits can cause spinach to wilt and decay too quickly. This is why you’ll often see your crisper drawers labeled with ‘vegetables’ and ‘fruits’.

Keeping your spinach in the crisper drawer of the fridge will also help it stay fresh longer. This drawer has a lower humidity level than the rest of the refrigerator.

Just remember to fully dry your spinach before storing it in the fridge. Water is the main reason spinach gets slimy and inedible.

What is the Best Container for Storing Spinach in the Fridge?

You can either use plastic containers or bags to store spinach in the fridge. Here are a few of our picks:

Rubbermaid FreshWorks Produce Saver Food Storage Container

Plastic containers are the best way to keep spinach fresh. This Rubbermaid container was specifically designed to extend the life of produce.

The FreshVent technology helps regulate the flow of gases. The Crisp Tray also helps reduce moisture.

Ecowaare Set of 15 Reusable Mesh Produce Bags

Produce bags are convenient, affordable, and easy to clean. Simply place dry spinach in a paper towel into the bag.

Seal it and place the bag in your crisper drawer. You can also use these bags to keep other produce items fresh.

How to Freeze Fresh Spinach

You can absolutely freeze fresh spinach, but the way you do this depends on how you plan to use it. Consider these questions before freezing fresh spinach:

Do you plan to use it within 6 months?
Do you plan to use it in a puree?
Do you want it to thaw as a whole leaf?

If you plan to use it within 6 month, then you can simply place the spinach in a freezer-safe bag and store it in your freezer.

Alternately, you can puree your spinach with water and store it in ice cube trays. Once the puree mixture is frozen, move it to a freezer-safe bag.

How to Blanch Spinach for Freezing

If you plan to keep your spinach frozen for longer than 6 months, you’ll want to blanch it first to preserve taste, flavor, and texture.

You might want to store spinach longer than 6 months if you have too much spinach to consume in that amount of time

To blanch your spinach, start with boiling water. Add your spinach to the boiling water for approximately 35-45 seconds, or until the stems are soft.
Immediately transfer the spinach to an ice bath (a large bowl of ice water) using a slotted spoon so you don’t transfer large amounts of hot water to the ice bath.
Let the spinach cool in the ice water for up to 2 minutes. Remove from the water and pat dry. Aim to remove as much water as possible from the spinach.
Transfer the spinach to a freezer-safe container for safe storage in your freezer!

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Store Spinach

Now let’s look at some of the frequently asked questions about storing fresh spinach.

How to Keep Spinach from Getting Slimy?

Make sure your spinach is completely dry before storing it. Putting away wet spinach will increase your chances of it getting slimy.

How Can you Make Spinach Last Longer?

If you’re wondering how to keep spinach fresh for longer, you need to store it properly. Remember the following things:

Use the tips that we have discussed above.
Wash and dry your spinach.
Place the spinach in a plastic container lined with paper towels.
Store the container in your refrigerator.

What is the Best Way to Wash and Dry Spinach?

Using a salad spinner is the best and most convenient way to wash the spinach. After spinning it, place the spinach on a paper towel to dry. You’ll want to place the spinach in a single layer to help it dry faster.

Can you Freeze Fresh Spinach?

Yes, you can freeze fresh spinach. To do this, blanch the spinach by placing it in boiling water for two minutes then moving it to an ice bath.

Dry the spinach before packing it in a resealable freezer bag. Squeeze all the air out before closing the bag and storing it in the freezer.

Can a Slice of Bread Keep Your Spinach Fresh Longer?

This trick for how to make spinach last longer seems surprising, but it does work. You can use slices of bread in your plastic container in place of paper towels. The bread helps soak up any moisture in the container and keeps the spinach fresh.

As we discussed earlier, moisture and water are what will cause your spinach to wilt and become slimy.

Final Thoughts on the Best Ways to Store Spinach

Now that you know how to keep spinach fresh, you won’t have to worry about it going bad after a few days.

These tips can help extend the life of your spinach. Plus, you’ll have more fresh spinach around to make healthy and delicious meals.

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