Lunch Box Lowdown Tip

The health benefits of fruits and vegetables are amazing, but the bacteria and pesticides can put a damper on the nutritional benefits. Rinsing our fruit and veggies with water alone removes only 25% bacteria. That would be like our children only rinsing their hands with water after using the bathroom. Yuck.

Here is the lunch box lowdown-

After a shopping trip, using a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar to every 1 pint water. Set fruit and vegetables in the bowl and then rinse with cool water and place on clean towel to air dry (it need not be an old Christmas kitchen towel). This removes surface wax, pesticides and 98% of bacteria. Be sure to wash fruits with a peel also, like oranges and bananas, to prevent cross contamination.

The vinegar smell doesn't stick around long at all, if that is a concern. Actually the smell makes me crave Salt and Vinegar Potato chips, so I try to hurry and fill my belly with the fruits I've just washed before I cave into that temptation.