6 Things to Do as Soon as You Unload Your Groceries

Those plastic containers of basil, mint, rosemary and thyme you picked up in the produce aisle might seem like the perfect storage boxes, but Lily Diamond, author of Kale & Caramel: Recipes for Body, Heart, and Table, says that's not necessarily the case. She uses herbs in everything from salad dressing to face masks, and the first thing she does when she gets home with an array of fresh herbs is separate them into tender and hardy categories. Herbs with soft, pliable leaves like basil, cilantro and mint should be stored like a bouquet of flowers, Diamond says. Trim their stems and place them in a glass with water at the bottom. Cover them loosely with a plastic bag and set the glass in the fridge—except for basil, which should be kept (bag-free) at room temperature. Don't wash the leaves until you're ready to use them. Hardy herbs, such as rosemary and sage, can stay refrigerated in their plastic clamshell boxes but, Diamond notes, they'll last longer if you wash them, pat them dry, wrap them in paper towels and keep them in a resealable plastic bag in the fridge.