Why Do We Wash Our Produce?

You’ve probably seen your parents wash fruit or veggies in the sink. Why is it important to rinse off your produce? When fruits and vegetables are grown and picked, they can come in contact with chemicals or other things that could make you sick to eat, like bacteria. These yucky substances are in the soil that the fruits and veggies were grown in, as well as on the surface of fruits and veggies. It is very important that when you are washing them off, you remove soil and scrub the food’s surface nice and clean. 

So, how do we wash them? Take a nice, big bowl (make sure it’s clean!) and place your foods inside. Get some warm water running from the faucet, and give them a nice, little massage. Start with the least dirty fruits and veggies, and work your way to the dirtiest ones. Once they are fresh and clean, take a clean towel and lightly dry them off. Now they are ready to cook with, which can also help reduce bacteria, or eat raw! 

When cutting, chopping, peeling, and cleaning different foods, it is also important to practice using different cutting boards, knives, and towels when working with them. This will be more of your parents’ job, but it’s good to watch and learn from them. If you have any questions or are concerned about the way your food looks, like if it has lots of dirt or yucky spots on it, make sure to tell your teacher or parents, and they will help you know if it’s safe to eat!

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