Many people have a hard time keeping sprouts fresh. We receive calls about this quite often here at Nature Jim’s. Here’s a few quick tips to keep those delicious sprouts as fresh as possible so you can enjoy them whenever you’d like.
Inspect the sprouts before purchasing to ensure they are fresh. If the ends are an orangish or dark, yellowish color or you notice any pooling of a colored liquid, leave them on the store shelf.
Tip: Bean sprouts are best when purchased in a plastic bag. If your grocery store does not store and sell them this way, we recommend that you ask for this.
Keep them cold, under 40°F (they thrive best at 34–36°F) for a longer shelf life. A best-case scenario is 14 days for most sprout varieties, but if they’re not kept cold, they can go bad in as little as 2 to 3 days.
Tip: Sprouts are very delicate and you must be diligent about keeping them cold. They should go almost immediately from the store to your refrigerator, instead of sitting in the car while you finish your errands. Under the wrong conditions, spouts can go bad as fast as ice cream melts.
Tip: Sprouts should not be frozen.
Keep the sprouts dry. When you get them home, use paper towels to gently pat dry before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If there’s still excess water on them, store the sprouts in a plastic bag with a few holes. Your refrigerator will remove the excess water. Once they are dry, reseal them in a fresh, airtight container and return to the refrigerator.
