“All produce should go in the fridge”—& Other Vegetable Myths

Artist extraordinaire James Grasdal is putting the finishing touches on the 13^th book in the Superman Duffy comic series—MYTHCONCEPTIONS. Which, you may have guessed has a little something to do with common “myths.” I love myths! So for this year’s A to Z Blogging Challenge, I’m going to “bust” as many of them as I can—every day (except Sundays) on the blog, throughout April.

Not familiar with the A to Z Challenge? Get the details here, and then hang on, because I’m about to blow your mind with my myth-inspired posts. P.S. Comment on the blogs throughout the month for a chance to WIN a complete set of the Superman Duffy comics, including lucky #13, MYTHCONCEPTIONS.

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MYTH: All produce should go in the fridge.

The other day, my mom put tomatoes on the kitchen counter. Of course I swooped them up and put them in the fridge—because they’d go bad otherwise, right? Um. Apparently that’s a myth.

While it’s true that MOST produce stays fresher for longer in therefrigerator, some vegetables, such as tomatoes, potatoes, and onions are best left OUT of the cold. According to the latest research, onions can go in the pantry (out of their supermarket bag), potatoes do best in a cool, dry place, and putting tomatoes in the fridge could actually cause them to lose some of their flavour. Yikes!

I already busted the myth that eating carrots will improve your eyesight, but I found a whole bunch of other vegetable myths that need busting—especially with gardening season right around the corner.

MYTH: Big, round tomatoes are best.

Not necessarily! Don’t be afraid of oddly-shaped tomatoes. There are many varieties of tomato plants and tomatoes come in all shapes and colours—even green and white zebra stripes!

MYTH: Baby carrots are a different kind of carrot than the large ones.

Ha. I can see why people think that—the carrots my grandma grows are HUGE. But “baby” carrots are actually just long, skinny, regular carrots that have been cut. They look different because the protective skin is removed before they’re shipped out, making them ready-to-eat.

MYTH: All cauliflower—regardless of colour—tastes the same and is equally as nutritious.

Did you know that cauliflower can be orange? And purple? It’s true—and not only can those different coloured cauliflower varieties each have a distinctive flavour but their nutritional value is ALSO different. For instance, orange cauliflower has more beta-carotene than white. Green cauliflower has slightly more Vitamin C and Vitamin A—not to mention a milder taste. Cool, right?

MYTH: Sprout potatoes should be tossed.

Not exactly. Storing potatoes in a cool, dry place will help keep potatoes from sprouting, but if you have a spud that’s starting to grow “sprouts” it’s still edible. Whew! Just peel those sprouts out and you’re good to go. Erm…as long as the sprouts haven’t grown too much. Otherwise your potato will not taste great.

MYTH: Thin asparagus is best.

Actually, it’s how green the asparagus is that determines the best flavour—thickness really doesn’t matter. But, it’s best to use asparagus up within three days of purchase. Not a problem in my house—I love asparagus!

And there you have it—more myths about vegetables BUSTED! I don’t know about you, but I’m learning a lot on the #AtoZChallenge. I hope you are too! I’ve gotta jet, but I’m back tomorrow debunking myths about a very important resource: WATER. You won’t want to miss it!

~ Chase Superman Duffy