The best vegetables are the freshest you can buy, so it is wise to use vegetables in season. They are at their best and they are also a bargain in season.

Most vegetables should be stored in the vegetable crisper section of your refrigerator. Unripened tomatoes (technically a fruit) should be stored at room temperature until they have ripened, and may then be refrigerated. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, and squash should be stored in cool, dry well ventilated places.

The most common error in the preparation of vegetables is over cooking them. They should be cooked in the least amount of water possible and should be crisp tender to the taste. This means the vegetables are tender enough to pierce with a fork, but they are still crisp to bite. Vegetables should never be mushy.

Frozen vegetables are of very high quality as they are processed and frozen at the peak of their ripeness. Cooking instructions are on the packages. Follow the instructions exactly on cooking times and you will have an example of crisp tender.

Canned vegetable need only be heated in the liquid in which they were packed.