Wishing you a Fourth of July filled with pride, honor, and lots of fun!

Are you guilty of buying fresh produce only to have it spoil a few days later? You're not alone: Studies have found that Americans throw away a fourth of all the produce they buy! Here are some tips to help keep your fruits fresh as long as possible.

• Fruits such as avocados, tomatoes, mangoes, melons, apples, and pears will ripen quicker if they’re left sitting out on your countertop.
• Keep your other fruits away from bananas. They emit gases that will speed the ripening of any fruits that are nearby.
• Fruits such as grapes, citrus, and berries should always be refrigerated.
• Refrain from washing berries until you are ready to eat them. You want to store them in a dry and covered container.
• To extend the freshness of lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruit, store them in your crisper drawer or in a mesh bag in your refrigerator.
• Once fruits are fully ripe, you can refrigerate them to help them last a little longer. However, for the best flavor, you want to return them to room temperature.
• One of the worst things you could do for a fruit is to store it in an airtight bag. The lack of air flow speeds up decay.

The Kitchn's Guide to Storing Fruits and Vegetables [The Kitchn]
Keep Fruits & Vegetables Fresher Longer [American Heart Association]
Spoiled Rotten – How to Store Fruits and Vegetables [Vegetarian Times]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Gemma Billings

Want to tune out and get turned on to a great place? Come to the Mellow Mushroom in Adams Morgan. Founded by a couple of friends who wanted to open a great place to go with friends, the Mellow Mushroom is just that – a great spot for a day or night out with friends. If you like beer, you’ve come to the right place, with a large variety of brews by the bottle and on tap to complement a full bar. The munchies and salads are tasty, but Mellow Mushroom is all about the pizza. Specialty pies like the Thai Dye and Maui Wowie are terrific, and you can also make your own pizza from a list of fresh ingredients. There are also hot calzones and cold or hot hoagies on the menu, something for everybody. And it’s all available for takeout. Having a party? Let Mellow Mushroom be your laid-back caterer!

Mellow Mushroom
2436 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 2000
(202) 290-2778

www.mellowmushroom.com
www.yelp.com/biz/mellow-mushroom-washington-2

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr bryan…