I used to throw away a bag of cilantro every single week. I would buy it for one taco recipe, use a handful, and watch the rest turn into green slime in the crisper drawer by Thursday. It felt like a small tax I just had to pay.

Turns out I was storing my fresh herbs completely wrong. The fix is stupid simple, and it costs nothing.

Treat leafy herbs like cut flowers

The method that finally worked for me is the jar method. You basically stand your herbs up in water the same way you would a bouquet.

• Trim the bottom of the stems with scissors
• Put them in a jar with an inch of water
• Cover the top loosely with a plastic bag
• Stick it in the fridge door, not the back

Cilantro and parsley will happily sit like this for two to three weeks. Change the water every couple of days and snip off any yellow leaves when you see them.

Basil is the odd one out

Do not put basil in the fridge. It hates cold and the leaves will go black and sad within a day. Keep basil in a glass of water on the counter like a houseplant, and it will sometimes even grow roots if you leave it long enough.

What not to do

The biggest mistake I made for years was washing herbs before storing them. Wet leaves rot fast. Wash right before you use them, not when you get home from the store.

Also skip the fancy herb keepers unless you really want one. A tall drinking glass and a plastic bag do the exact same job for zero dollars.