This Is The Worst Cilantro Mistake You're Making

There's nothing quite so disappointing as buying a bundle of fresh cilantro during your weekly grocery run and then, when you're all ready to make up a batch of awesome tacos or a bowl of guacamole, you're met with a limp, slimy pile of greenery in the bottom of your produce drawer. Unfortunately, it's just the case that most leafy herbs will be well on the road to death by the time you toss them in your fridge, but there are a few precautions you can take to slow the process.

The worst mistake your making when it comes to storing your cilantro? Leaving your cilantro in the grocery store's packaging and simply storing it in your produce drawer. That's a recipe for disaster and disappointment. 

What do you need to do instead? According to Food Network, the best way to store your cilantro to keep it fresher for longer is to remove the grocery store's rubber band and then place the cilantro upright in a jar filled with an inch of water. Cover the leaves with a baggy and then store your little cilantro bouquet on an uncrowded shelf in your fridge. Food Network claims that your cilantro will stay fresh this way for up to a month, so long as you change out the water on occasion.

There are a few other things that Food Network says you can do to keep your cilantro fresh for as long as possible. First things first, while at the store, look for the freshest cilantro available. Try to find a bunch that's vibrant green, without any browning or wilting. That's a clear sign that your cilantro is already on the downturn.

If you want even longer-term freshness, beyond the month you may see with the aforementioned jar hack, you can simply freeze your cilantro in a freezer-safe bag for later use in sauces and other similar recipes. You can also chop your cilantro and freeze it in an ice tray filled with oil or water. Then, when you need a bit of cilantro, it's as easy as reaching into your freezer, grabbing a cilantro ice cube, and dropping it into whatever you're cooking. While that might not be ideal for your next batch of guac, it'll certainly make whipping up your next tortilla soup or Mexican-inspired sauce just a little easier.