08/07/2026
🥬 **LET’S TALK ABOUT CLEANING YOUR VEGETABLES!** 🥦
With recent foodborne illness outbreaks involving fresh produce, it’s a good reminder that how we handle our fruits and vegetables matters!
🧼 **Here’s the right way to wash fresh produce:**
✔️ Wash your hands with soap and water before handling produce.
✔️ Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly under **clean, running water**.
✔️ Gently rub firm produce with your hands while rinsing.
✔️ Use a clean produce brush for firm vegetables such as potatoes, cucumbers, and carrots.
✔️ Remove damaged or bruised areas before eating.
✔️ Keep fresh produce away from raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs to prevent cross-contamination.
🚫 **Skip the soap, bleach, or household cleaners!** Produce should not be washed with these products.
💡 **One important reminder:** Washing produce can help remove dirt and some germs, but it **does not make recalled or contaminated produce safe to eat.** Always check current food-safety recalls and follow instructions from the CDC and FDA.
🥗 Fresh vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet — we just want to make sure we're handling them safely!
**A few extra minutes of proper food prep can make a big difference. ❤️**
— Beyond the Scale by Becki
📌 **SAVE this post** so you have these produce-washing tips handy!
