I may never eat fruit again. I mean it. Not after what flew out of my organic waste bin the other day.

Let me back up.

Here in California, we’re now required to separate our organic waste from the rest of our trash. It’s good for the environment. It’s good for the planet. And I’m all for it—or was until  the other day.

Like a lot of people, we keep a small organic waste container on our kitchen counter. It’s convenient. Just lift the lid, toss in your apple core, banana peel, strawberry tops, and you’re done. When the container is full, toss the contents into a larger receptacle for collection.

Only this time, when I lifted the lid, a cloud of fruit flies flew straight up into my face. I felt like I was in the middle of a horror movie. I slammed the lid down, and immediately started swatting at the creepy little things that had escaped.

When I was finished, I thought…. where do these fruit flies come from anyway? Seriously!  Where?

I wash my fruit, of course. Usually. Most of the time. Okay, sometimes I just give it a quick rinse if it looks clean.

But does this mean, those pieces that I didn’t wash thoroughly had fruit flies on them? Have I been EATING FRUIT FLIES?

So I did what any disgusted-but-curious person would do. I googled it.

Turns out, fruit “flies” don’t fly in from your garden. They hitchhike into your house on the very fruit you pick up at the store or farmer’s market. Their eggs are tiny—practically invisible—and they can already be on the surface of that apple or those grapes when you bring it home. Once they’re in your house, if they catch a whiff of fermenting fruit or anything organic, they multiply. Fast.

That little countertop bin? It’s basically their favorite vacation resort.

So, am I eating fruit flies? Probably not the actual flies, but the eggs? Ugh. Yeah, Probably.  Maybe?

So I’m starting a new ritual at our house; soaking fruit in vinegar water. It’s the recommended way to clean fruit. Who knew that just running cool water over fruit wasn’t good enough?

I didn’t.

I’m looking at all of the fruit I bring into our house with suspicious eyes now. I definitely don’t want a repeat of the other day!

How to Properly Clean Fruit at Home: (According to Google)

1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
2. For almost all fruits (even those with skins you won’t eat), rinse them under cool, running water. No need for soap—just water and friction are usually enough to remove most surface dirt and residues.
3. For fruits with thicker or rougher skins (like apples, melons, or cucumbers), gently scrub with a clean produce brush.

4. To help remove more bacteria, pesticides, and potential fruit fly eggs, soak fruit in a homemade vinegar solution:

   • Mix 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water in a large bowl.

   • Soak fruit for 5–10 minutes.

   • Rinse thoroughly with fresh water afterward to remove the vinegar taste.

   This works especially well for berries, grapes, apples, peaches, and nectarines.

5. Dry fruit with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel to remove any remaining moisture—moisture encourages mold and spoilage

6. Store your clean fruit properly:

   1. Berries: In a paper-towel-lined container, loosely covered.

   2. Apples, citrus: In the fridge crisper.

   3. Bananas: Room temp, away from other fruits to slow ripening

🍓 Quick Tips:

• Wash fruit just before eating if you want it to last longer.

• If you’re washing in bulk for meal prep, make sure everything is completely dry before refrigerating.

• Organic or not—all fruit should be washed.