Cabbage (red, green, napa, Savoy)

Halve head through stem, then trim and remove outer leaves; chop, slice, or shred leaves and keep in an airtight container for one or two days.

Celery

Rinse, dry, and chop or slice stalks and keep in an airtight container for a week or two; save the tender inner leaves in a separate bag for salads and garnishes.

Crucifers (broccoli and cauliflower)

Separate head into florets; peel stalk and cut into pieces. Refrigerate separately in airtight containers. Use within a week.

Fennel

Trim stalks and reserve frilly fronds in a plastic or paper bag (add to salads, pasta, and soups); chop or slice bulb and keep in an airtight container, wrapped in a damp paper towel (or rub with a cut lemon), for two to three days.

Fresh Herbs (mint, cilantro, parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme)

If using within a few days, store washed and dried herbs in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. To make them last longer, trim an inch from stems and stand bunches upright in a glass or jar with a couple inches of water; secure a plastic bag over the top. Leave on the counter where you can snip off what you need as you go; change the water after a week (the herbs will keep for another week).

Leafy greens (kale, collards, Swiss chard, spinach)

Strip leaves from tough stems, then wash and dry and cut into ribbons or tear into bite-size pieces; refrigerate in a plastic bag (saving chard stems and storing them separately for sautéing). These greens will keep for as long as a week; you can revive them with a quick stint in an ice-water bath (same for lettuces).

legumes (green beans, snap peas, snow peas)

Rinse and dry, then snap stem end to remove, and pull off strings; keep beans or peas in a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer up to two or three days.

Lettuces (romaine, red or green leaf, mâche, Boston/bibb)

Separate leaves, wash and gently spin-dry, then store in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer for a few days (or as long as leaves appear fresh). Wait until ready to serve to tear or cut into bite-size pieces.

Root vegetables (carrots, radishes, turnips, parsnips, beets)

Remove any intact tops right away, leaving an inch attached; wash and dry tops, then refrigerate in plastic bags for a day. Beet and turnip greens are good sautéed with garlic, while radish and carrot tops can be added to salads.

• You can peel and chop, slice, or grate carrots, turnips, and parsnips; refrigerate in an airtight container for two or three days.
• Soak radishes to remove dirt and grit, then drain on paper towels before refrigerating, three or four days.
• Beets are easier to peel after cooking, so just scrub them well; refrigerated, they’ll last at least a week.

Summer squashes and zucchini

Slice, chop, or shred up to three days ahead; refrigerate in an airtight container.

Winter squashes (butternut, acorn, kabocha)

If you plan to eat it within a few days, cut squash into slices or cubes (peel butternut; kabocha and acorn squashes have edible skins) and keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Martha Must

When I will be using butternut squash in a soup or pie filling, I like to roast the whole (unpeeled) squash for deeper flavor on a rimmed baking sheet at 425°F for about 45 minutes or until very tender when pierced with a knife; when cool, peel off the skin and discard the seeds, then put the flesh in an airtight container and refrigerate for a week or freeze for up to three months.