How to make green beans last longer

Green beans are one of the vegetables that lose freshness the fastest at home. They often seem to spoil for no reason, when in reality the problem is almost always how they are stored. Contrary to what many people think, green beans remain active even after being harvested, and that changes everything when it comes to preservation.

We start there: even after harvest, green beans continue to breathe. They lose water and react to temperature and to the environment around them. The warmer it is, the faster they lose freshness, and while cold slows this process down, it does not eliminate it completely. That is why keeping green beans in the fridge helps, but it is not enough if the conditions are not right.

The problem is rarely time; it is humidity. When green beans wilt quickly, the most common cause is not that they are old, but a lack of humidity. Air that is too dry inside the fridge makes them lose water rapidly, leaving them limp and dull in just a few days. To avoid this, green beans should be stored in the vegetable drawer, inside a perforated bag or in a container with kitchen paper. The goal is not to seal them completely, but to create a balance that prevents both drying out and excessive condensation.

Storing them properly is just as important as buying them fresh. Even green beans that have just arrived can lose quality quickly if they are poorly stored. When they are left loose in the fridge or kept in fully sealed bags, deterioration speeds up. Small adjustments in how they are stored make a real difference in how long they last.

When they start to wilt, transforming them is the best solution. If green beans are no longer in the ideal state to be eaten raw or sautéed, that does not mean they are lost. You can transform them, which is the most effective way to extend their use. Quickly blanching them and storing them with olive oil, vinegar and herbs completely changes the situation. They gain flavour, keep for several days in the fridge and no longer depend on immediate consumption. Instead of being a vegetable you need to use up quickly, they become a ready-to-use ingredient.