How you store fruits and vegetables will have a great impact on their flavor and texture when you serve them. Almost everything can be stored in the refrigerator except for bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, lemons and limes. These items should be kept in a cool, dry area, but will experience strange changes if kept at too cold a temperature. Garlic and onion should also be kept at room temperature (or colder) in a well-ventilated area.
Something too good is that almost all fruits and vegetables can also be stored in the freezer, except for some herbs and lettuce. Freeze everything into small pieces in leaf trays and place the frozen pieces in airtight containers or plastic freezer bags for later use.
It is not always practical to plan your meals in advance, but there are strategies to ensure that your fruits and vegetables stay as good as possible for longer. Follow the tips and guidance below and you may be surprised how long it really takes.
Apples - Apples are ethylene gas producers so store away from other produce. They can be stored on the counter for up to a week or in the fridge for more than a week.
Avocados – Ripen on the counter then store in the refrigerator.
Bananas – Keep green bananas out of the refrigerator and let them ripen on the counter or a banana hanger.
Berries – Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries are delicate and should not be washed until ready to eat. Keep in refrigerator in dry, covered containers.
Cherries & Grapes – Store in refrigerator, unwashed, in their packaged plastic containers or plastic bags until ready to wash and eat.
Citrus fruit – Extend the shelf life of clementines, grapefruit, lemons, limes and oranges by storing them in the crisper drawer or in a mesh bag in the refrigerator.
Melons - Store cantaloupe and honeydew loose in the refrigerator, even before they’re cut. Watermelon can be kept in a dark, dry place away from other produce. Keep cut melon in the fridge.
Stone fruit – Keep nectarines, peaches and plums in a paper bag on the counter until they are ripe then move to the refrigerator where they’ll last a few more days.
Tomatoes – Always store at room temperature as the refrigerator will make them rot quickly. Keep loose in a bowl away from sun or heat (like the stove).
Broccoli & Cauliflower – Broccoli and cauliflower are best kept in separate refrigerator drawers away from other produce.
Celery – Store in the refrigerator.
Corn – Store in the refrigerator inside their husks.
Cucumbers – Store at room temperature. Can be kept in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days if they are used soon after removal from the refrigerator.
Eggplant – Store at room temperature. Can be kept in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days if they are used soon after removal from the refrigerator.
Leafy green vegetables – Greens like lettuce, collards, chard, kale, and spinach should be stored in the refrigerator.
Onion family – Store garlic and onions in a cool, dark and dry space but separate from other foods because of their strong odors.
Mushrooms – Keep unwashed in the refrigerator. Moisture makes them slimy.
Peppers – Store at room temperature. Can be kept in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days if they are used soon after removal from the refrigerator.
Root vegetables – Store carrots, beets, and radishes in the refrigerator. Store potatoes, sweet potatoes and winter squashes in a cool, dark and dry place like a pantry or cellar.