The Best Ways to Store a Cut Tomato
We're weighing the best ways to store cut tomatoes -- apart from in your stomach.
ByTaylor Schwartz
Published On
There are so many great conversations on the Hotline -- it's hard to choose a favorite. But we'll be doing it, once a week, to spread the wealth of our community's knowledge -- and to keep the conversation going.
Today: We're weighing the best ways to store cut tomatoes -- apart from in your stomach.
Blended into gazpacho or cubed for bruschetta, ripe tomatoes regularly take center stage on our dinner tables in August. For lunch (even breakfast, we won't judge) we opt for avocado toast and BLTs with thick, juicy slices of the vibrant fruit. But most of the time, we only slice half of the tomato and wonder what to do with the rest. We automatically think to save it for our next meal, but storing it is a task easier said than done.
Jacqueline Russo turned to the Hotline to tackle this kitchen conundrum. Though there isn't one surefire method, our community had some great tips on storing cut tomatoes (including our favorite option -- storing them in your stomach).
- But since tomatoes can develop a slimy texture after only a few hours in plastic wrap, trampledbygeese recommends placing the tomato cut side-down on a plate, covering it with a cotton cloth to deter fruit flies, and leaving it on the counter.
- Alternatively, rather than storing them as is, she also suggests turning leftover tomato halves into a small batch of salsa with the addition of shallots or onion, chili flakes, salt, and lime juice. A dollop of salsa can perk up any dish, and the leftovers can be stored in the fridge.
- Green thumb? Scoop out the seeds, dry them, and save them to plant next spring, as trampledbygeese does.
- Or simply eat it! As Editorial Intern Talia Ralph puts it: "No one ever said eating more tomato was a bad thing, right?"
Do you have a favorite method for storing cut tomatoes? Tell us in the comments or join in the conversation over on the Hotline!