Food writers have spilled plenty of digital ink on the subject of herb storage, and many people swear by their own specific methods. I myself have tried nearly every method myself, from the basic “shove ’em in a bag with a paper towel” method all the way up to a fully contained vacuum-sealed glass container. Here’s what I can say: Whatever you do, so long as it maintains a balanced moisture level in a semi-contained environment, you can extend the life of your herbs by a week or more. Many of the methods out there manage this with varying degrees of success, but I’ve found none that are quite as elegant and efficiently contained as this glass herb keeper, which has become a permanent fixture in my fridge.
This herb keeper looks like a mix between a terrarium and a French press. It has an inner basket attached to the lid by a central metal rod, which you pull up in order to access the herbs. To load it, remove the insert, place the herbs inside the basket, trimming the stems so they can fit (trimming the stems also helps them absorb water better). Then you fill the bottom of the glass vessel with a few centimeters of water before placing the herb basket back inside. Vents on the lid to allow for modest air circulation, and an anchoring clip will hold the keeper halfway open for hands-free access.
This glass herb keeper is an upgrade from DIY storage methods in a few ways. It’s about as tall as a carton of milk, and I can easily keep track of it wherever it gets shoved in the fridge; no more losing track of a baggie full of parsley only to rediscover it decomposing into slime. It’s also a tidy, self-contained system that’s easy to clean. I mostly use it for delicate herbs, like parsley, cilantro, dill, tarragon, and mint, but I’ve also seen people use them for more substantial produce like scallions, kale, or asparagus.
Photo by Travis Rainey
Then there’s its performance. I tested this herb keeper side by side with other herb storage methods, like storing them in plastic bags and putting them under vacuum seal. I found the herbs in this container outlasted most everything. To my surprise, the herb keeper’s results were on par with vacuum-sealed herbs, which is another excellent, albeit more expensive method. In general, you can expect things to stay sprightly and fresh for up to two weeks before, which should be enough time to get use them. After a couple weeks, though, things may get a little funky in there. It’s also a good idea to keep track of the water level to make sure it doesn’t run dry.
If you regularly find yourself throwing out shriveled bunches of barely used cilantro, or feel a bit dissatisfied by the shabby DIY herb-keeping methods you’ve become accustomed to, a dedicated herb keeper might be a welcome addition to your refrigerator.