Store Your Basil to Keep it Fresh

Did you know that around 12% of emissions from the average Ontarian’s diet is from avoidable household food waste? So before you can enjoy your basil, let’s learn how to properly store it to keep it fresh for longer.

Basil is a culinary herb of the mint family. Because of its really fresh taste you can use it to season your salads, tomatoes and multiple summer meals. Although it is estimated that there are 50 to 150 species of basil, the most common one is sweet basil.

Step 1

Get some basil from your local grocery store, farmer’s market, or CSA!

Step 2

Bring it home, and whatever you do, DON’T PUT IT IN THE FRIDGE

Step 3

Get a mason jar that is large enough to hold your bunch or bunches of basil, and add about 1” of water to it.

Step 4

Put your basil in the jar, and make sure that none of the basil leaves are under water.

Step 5

Leave the jar out on your counter, and enjoy fresh basil for weeks!

Putting basil into the fridge will immediately turn it black, and submerging any of the leaves in water will do the same.

Step 6

After a couple of weeks, your basil stalks will start to grow roots! Feel free to plant the basil in a pot with soil, and give it a second life! Water regularly and enjoy!