There are quite a few contradicting ideas out there about how you should store your produce. Some keep their apples in the pantry instead of the fridge, some refrigerate whole pineapple, and others are fully against storing tomatoes anywhere but on the counter. But in some cases, it’s not just a matter of personal preference——your produce will last longer and taste better if it’s stored one way over another. To help settle the debate once and for all (and help you reduce food waste), we put together instructions for storing some of the most controversial pieces of produce and included helpful lists so you’ll know where to store all your fresh produce.
Tomatoes
We know there are differing opinions out there about where to keep your tomatoes, but (trust us) they belong in your pantry or on your counter. When you store tomatoes in the fridge, they take on a mealy texture and lose some of their flavor. Whether you bring them home from the store or pull them off the vine in your backyard, tomatoes will stay juicier and tastier if you leave them out of the fridge.
Citrus Fruits
Leave your lemons on the counter, and you’ll have to restock sooner. Lemons, limes, and oranges all do best in the fridge because the cooler temperature prevents them from drying out. They’ll keep for up to two weeks when chilled and about one week at room temperature. If you’re not a fan of cold fruit, you can leave your lemons out on the counter for a couple hours before eating them. Additionally, you’ll be able to squeeze out some extra juice if you reduce the chill first.
If you’ve ever brought home a container of mushrooms and left them on the counter for a few days before using them, you might be surprised to learn that they belong in the fridge. Except for morel mushrooms, which you should keep on the counter, unwashed mushrooms belong in the fridge in a paper bag, which will keep them from quickly going bad. If you want to leave them in their original container, remove the plastic wrap from the top first to help prevent them from becoming slimy after a day or two.
Squash
When it comes to storing squash, it all depends on which type you brought home. Winter squash, like acorn and butternut squash, should stay out of the fridge and be kept in a cool, dry place for up to two months (though once it’s cut, leftovers should go into the fridge). Zucchini and summer squash, on the other hand, should go in the fridge where they’ll last up to four days. Make sure you clear out some extra space in your fridge before bringing in that bumper zucchini crop!
Fortunately, most fruits can go either way. Apricots, avocados, star fruit, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, kiwis, mangoes, papayas, peaches, nectarines, plums, and pears can all be stored on the counter or in the fridge. However, they won’t ripen in the fridge, so we recommend storing them on the counter until they’re ripe, then moving them to the fridge if you’re not ready to eat them yet. If you use them as soon as they’re ripe, there’s no need to put them in the fridge at all. Storing fruit in the fridge won’t make it last forever. In most cases, it’ll buy you a couple of extra days to make that avocado toast or peach crisp.
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Produce to Keep in the Fridge
Skip the counter. These fruits and veggies will stay fresh and last longer if you keep them in the fridge:
Asparagus
Beans
Beets
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Fennel
Greens
Leeks
Mushrooms
Okra
Peas
Peppers
Root Vegetables (Turnips, Rutabagas, Parsnips)
Spinach
Summer Squash/Zucchini
Apples (They’ll do best in the crisper drawer.)
Berries
Cherries
Cranberries
Grapefruit
Grapes
Lemons/Limes
Oranges
Pineapple
Rhubarb
Watermelon
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Produce You Shouldn’t Store in the Fridge
The list of fruits and veggies you should keep out of the fridge is surprisingly short! Here are the seven that keep best at room temperature:
Onions
Potatoes
Winter Squash (like Butternut and Acorn)
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Bananas
Persimmons
Produce That Can Go Either Way
Some fruits and veggies can be stored both ways, either depending on your preference or how soon you plan to eat them. We mentioned that most of the fruits on this list can be ripened on the counter and then stored in the fridge, but there are a few other special cases:
Corn (Leave it out of the fridge if you’re eating it within a day. Otherwise it can be refrigerated for up to seven days.)
Apricots
Avocados
Cantaloupe
Carambolas (Star Fruit)
Figs (They should be used right away, but can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
Honeydew Melon
Kiwi
Mangoes
Papayas
Peaches and Nectarines
Pears
Plums
While putting most of your produce in the fridge will help you save it for a few extra days, you can stretch your fruits and veggies even further by freezing or canning them. Almost every fruit or vegetable is a good candidate for one or the other (or both). So if you find yourself with more zucchini than you can eat in three days, start clearing out some space in your freezer. Don’t forget to wash them thoroughly before eating, and it’s a good idea to keep your fruits and veggies stored separately.
Most vegetables prefer a cool, humid environment (around 45-50°F and 95% humidity), while fruits generally do best in a slightly warmer setting (about 50-60°F with 85-90% humidity). Investing in storage units that allow you to control temperature and humidity can drastically extend the life of your produce.
A lot of produce keeps well in the refrigerator, while some items like potatoes, onions, and garlic are best left at cool room temperatures. And then there's ethylene gas (PDF), which some fruits—such as apples and bananas—naturally release.
Most vegetables, like carrots, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage and celery should be stored in a plastic bag or container in the crisper of your fridge. Mushrooms are best stored in a paper bag. Vegetables should be stored in a different part of the fridge than fruit. This will prevent them from ripening too fast.
TOMATOES. Keep your tomatoes juicy, tasty and ready for your next Tomato and Ricotta Pizza by storing them at room temperature rather than in the fridge.
Refrigerate fruits and vegetables in perforated plastic bags to help maintain moisture yet provide air flow. These bags are available in most produce aisles, are green and have a slightly rough texture. Un-perforated plastic bags, the clear white ones, can lead to the growth of mold or bacteria.
Where is the best place to store strawberries? Unless you plan to use the strawberries right away, it's best to store them in your refrigerator to preserve freshness. Unrefrigerated, berries will last only a few days; stored in the fridge, they could last up to a week.
Yes!Experts agree, the refrigerator is THE best place to store apples, providing the ideal conditions for apples because they need very cold and humid storage. In fact, apples stored in the refrigerator will stay fresh for up to 10 times longer than fruit stored at room temperature.
Locations with 8-10 hours of direct sunlight each day are ideal for most vegetables. The more sun exposure the better. Watering and Water Sources: The location of your garden or planting containers should be near a clean water source to make watering convenient and easy.
If you're looking for produce that will last you a while, root vegetables are where it's at. These include carrots, parsnips, turnips, beets, radishes, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, yams, and regular old potatoes. What's great about these varieties is that, in many cases, you don't even need to keep them in the fridge.
Yes, but only as a last resort. The reason why refrigeration should only be used for tomatoes reaching their shelf life is because it change the flavor and texture. A chilled tomato should always be given the chance to come back to room temperature, which is where its natural flavor and texture shines.
While plenty of Americans with small-scale farms or chicken coops at home leave their eggs out on their counter, the FDA recommends always keeping your eggs refrigerated.
Peeled onions can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks, while diced or sliced onions will only last for 7–10 days (4). Avoid storing whole, unpeeled onions in the fridge, as they easily absorb moisture. Doing so may cause them to become mushy and spoil faster.
Ziplock polythene bags are good for some vegetables like green chillies, lady's finger, mint leaves, curry leaves, etc. Make sure that the vegetables aren't moist when you seal it inside. Cotton bags don't do much good. Tomatoes stay fresh outside if you keep on netted trays by sprinkling water once in a while.
There's no need to wash your produce when you bring it home. In fact, washing produce immediately leads to creating an environment where bacteria can thrive and can shorten the shelf-life of your produce. Instead, store unwashed fruits and vegetables until you're ready to eat them.
General storage tips — Some produce can be stored in the refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below or on the counter. Refrigerate all produce that is purchased pre-cut or peeled.
As a general rule, raw food should always be stored below everything else in the fridge, so cooked food should be kept above it if you have both in your fridge. This is mainly to prevent the raw food, meat in particular, from dripping down onto any other ingredient, which could cause food poisoning.
Introduction: My name is Mr. See Jast, I am a open, jolly, gorgeous, courageous, inexpensive, friendly, homely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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