Mushrooms

How to select

Choose mushrooms that are smooth and firm. While mushrooms should feel dry, they shouldn't be dried out. 

How to prepare

• Rinse mushrooms under running water and pat dry with a paper towel. 
• Trim any tough stems. 
• Some mushrooms (i.e., shiitake) require that the stem be completely removed. 
• Gills can be removed from mushrooms like portabellas or kept for additional flavor.

How to store

• Mushrooms can be refrigerated for up to one week. 
• Keep in original packaging or a porous paper bag. 
• Freezing cooked mushrooms can make them last up to one month, but fresh mushrooms should not be frozen.

Peak season

Spring, fall

Ways to use

• Add texture and flavor to any stir fry. 
• Throw some mushrooms into a pasta or soup recipe. 
• Substitute portabella mushroom caps for hamburger patties at your next BBQ. 
• Use equal parts ground beef and mushrooms when making tacos to add nutritional value and save money.

Fun facts

• Mushrooms are not plants but rather fungi like yeasts and molds. 
• Most of a mushroom's life cycle occurs underground. 

Nutrition info and facts

Mushrooms are a good source of copper and B vitamins niacin, pantothenate, and riboflavin. Mushrooms are low in sodium and fat-free.

1 cup mushroom slices/pieces = 15 calories, 2 g protein, 2 g carbs, 60 mg phosphorus, 223 mg potassium