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Produce Tips

• Apples
• Asparagus
• Beets
• Blueberries
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Cranberries
• Cucumbers
• Greens
• Peppers
• Spinach
• Strawberries
• Sweet Corn
• Tomatoes

Produce Tips

Beets

Beets are one of the few vegetables of which we eat two parts - the root and the leaves.

Selection

Choose beets that are round, smooth, and firm. The color should be deep red: the main root should be slender. Fresh tops indicate fresh beets, although firm beets may be satisfactory even though the tops are wilted or decayed. Very large beets may be woody and fibrous and may not become tender even after long cooking.

Choose beet greens that look fresh and unblemished. They should have a good green and reddish color.

1 pound of beets without tops gives 2 cups of cooked beets. 2 to 3 1/2 lbs. are needed to make 1 quart of canned beets. 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb. will make 1 pint of frozen beets; 1 bushel (52lb) will make 35 to 42 pints of frozen beets.

1 pound of beet greens gives 4-6 cups of cooked greens. 1 to 1 1/2 lb. are needed for 1 pint of frozen greens; 15lb. for 10-15 pints of frozen greens.

Storage

Beets: Remove the tops 1 to 2 inches above the beet. Keep refrigerated in the vegetable crisper or in plastic bags or containers to prevent wilting due to to loss of moisture. Use beets within 1 to 2 weeks.

Greens: Wash greens thoroughly in cold water and drain well. Refrigerate them in the vegetable crisper or in plastic bags or containers to prevent wilting and loss of nutrients. Use within 3 to 5 days.

On this page:

• Selection
• Storage