How to Keep Fruits & Vegetables Fresh As Long As Possibleby Jim WangEmailPrint

806 EmailLast year, my lovely wife and I joined an organic CSA (community supported agriculture) farm. Each week, wed get a bounty of vegetables and fruit that we had trouble finishing. We mistakenly got a full share, thinking we could handle it, but a full share is meant for a family of four. We only had a family of two and we werent vegetarian either! Each week wed struggle to eat all these vegetables, many of which were new to us.We didnt rejoin the CSA this year, not even a half share, because we were a little burned out last year.On the plus side, we ate a ton of vegetables and we learned how best to store our haul to make it last as long as possible. A lot of this information is taken from a variety of sources, some of which weve long forgotten, and its amazing how much misinformation is out there. Ultimately, the key is to eat things as quickly as possible but through smart storage practices, you can make things last a little bit longer.We actually joined a CSA with friends and have a half share!The list below is first grouped by where you should store them, followed by a huge list alphabetized by the fruit or vegetable (that you can download).

Understanding EthyleneBefore we start, a quick chemistry lesson. Ethylene is a colorless, odorless gas that is produced by some fruits and it helps them ripen (or age). Some produce a lot more of the chemical, like apples and pears, than others so a lot of tips revolve around segregating these producers. As an aside, ethylene is what commercial growers use to ripen some fruits after harvest.You probably know this trick to help ripen bananas faster put bananas in a paper bag. Thats because the bag traps the ethylene and that helps ripen the fruit. You can expand this strategy by taking fruits that produce more ethylene, like apples, and putting them in with those that dont produce as much, like tomatoes and bananas. The apples help the tomatoes and bananas ripen. Also, that saying one bad apple spoils the whole bunch is in part caused by ethylene. When a plant or fruit is damaged, it releases more ethylene which, in turn, ripens the other fruits faster! (the damaged area also attracts bugs, which then discover the feast).Which fruits produce the most ethylene? Apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, cantaloupe, figs, honeydew, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, and tomatoes comprise the short list of produce that are a significant source of ethylene. You will want to keep these fruits away from other fruits and vegetables, and certainly not store them in the same enclosed space, unless you want them to ripen faster.Where to Store Fruits & VegetablesThere are basically three places you should store your fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator, on the countertop, or in a cool dry place (not as cold as the fridge, but certainly not someplace warm). When in the fridge, there are three ways to store something exposed, in a plastic bag, or in a paper bag. In general, the stuff that you put inside bags will want a more humid environment while the exposed ones do better in dryer climates. Ever notice water condensation inside a plastic bag? You can avoid that by putting a few holes in it. That water isnt good for the produce, it promotes mold.If all else fails, I generally try to store the fruit or vegetable the same way the grocery store does it. Asparagus is stored in a tray of water. Bananas hang out on the counter. Its not a perfect system but if you arent sure how to store them, it doesnt hurt to copy the grocery store.Store in RefrigeratorIn general, you do not want to wash fruits and vegetables until right before you use them. If you do wash them, make sure to dry them before storing. Water promotes mold and mold is bad. Theres a subset on this list that you absolutely cannot wash, like berries, simply because you cant get it dry enough!Here are the items you will want to store in a fridge: Artichokes Beets Brussels sprouts Cabbage Cantelopes Celery Cherries Grapes Green beans Honeydew Melons Lima beans Leafy vegetables Leeks Mushrooms Okra Spinach Sprouts Summer squash Yellow squash ZucchiniStore After RipeningAlmost every one of these produce a lot of ethylene, so wait until they ripen before putting in the fridge: Avocados Nectarines Peaches Pears Plums KiwiStore in WaterHerbs and asparagus are best stored as you would flowers snip off the ends and stand them upright in some water. If youve ever watched asparagus in the fridge, the cold dry air sucks the moisture out of each stem. The stem will shrivel, wrinkle, and if you try to cook and eat it, its like eating a stem. If you want to keep it fresh, store them as you would display flowers trim the end and stand it up in a shallow cup of water.Store in Paper BagMushrooms and okra are best stored inside a paper bag, because a paper bag prevents light.Do Not Wash, Store in Plastic Bag

Definitely dont wash these until right before you use them. When you store them, keep them in the plastic bag: Broccoli Carrots Cauliflower Chard Corn Cranberries Green onions Lettuce Peas RadishesDo Not Wash, Store in Single Layer

Dont wash these before you put them in a fridge and, if you can, store in a single layer. If you wash them, the skins will get soggy and itll accelerate spoilage. The argument for storing them in a single layer is because when they do start to go bad, the juice that leaks out can accelerate the decline of other berries. Storing in a single layer reduces the amount of damage while permitted air flow. Blackberries Blueberries Raspberries StrawberriesStore on the CountertopWhen storing on the counter top, try to keep it at room temperature. Avoid sunlight and cooking surfaces, which can increase the ambient temperature. If you want it to ripen, then you can leave it in the sun. If you can, move them around every so often so they arent resting on the same point. This is especially important for tomatoes. Apples Bananas Tomatoes Basil Cucumbers Eggplant Ginger Grapefruit Jicama Lemons Limes Mangoes Oranges Papayas Peppers Persimmons Pineapple Plantains Pomegranates WatermelonStore in Cool, Dry Dark PlaceMany root vegetables are best stored in a cool dry dark place, which is whyroot cellarswere so popular back in the days of yore. One thing to keep in mind is that air circulation is important because of ethylene buildup. You may have heard the advice that you shouldnt store onions and potatoes, thats because of ethylene. Acorn squash Butternut squash Garlic Onions Potatoes Pumpkins Shallots Spaghetti squash Sweet potatoes Winter squashAlphabetized Master ListOrganizing the list by where, as opposed to by what might not be the best approach if you have a fruit or vegetable and just want to know where you should put it. Heres a list alphabetized by the fruit/veg (download as a PDF here): Acorn squash cool, dry place Apples on the countertop Artichokes in fridge Avocados in fridge after ripening Bananas on the countertop Basil on the countertop Beets in fridge Blackberries in fridge, single layer, do not wash Blueberries in fridge, single layer, do not wash Broccoli in fridge, in plastic bag Brussels sprouts in fridge Butternut squash cool, dry place Cabbage in fridge Cantelopes in fridge Carrots in fridge, in plastic bag Cauliflower in fridge, in plastic bag Celery in fridge Chard in fridge, in plastic bag Cherries in fridge Corn in fridge, in plastic bag Cranberries in fridge, in plastic bag Cucumbers on the countertop Eggplant on the countertop Garlic cool, dry place Ginger on the countertop Grapefruit on the countertop Grapes in fridge Green beans in fridge Green onions in fridge, in plastic bag Honeydew Melons in fridge Jicama on the countertop Kiwi in fridge after ripening Leafy vegetables in fridge Leeks in fridge Lemons on the countertop Lettuce in fridge, in plastic bag Lima beans in fridge Limes on the countertop Mangoes on the countertop Mushrooms in fridge Nectarines in fridge after ripening Okra in fridge Oranges on the countertop Onions cool, dry place Papayas on the countertop Peaches in fridge after ripening Pears in fridge after ripening Peas in fridge, in plastic bag Peppers on the countertop Persimmons on the countertop Pineapple on the countertop Plantains on the countertop Plums in fridge after ripening Pomegranates on the countertop Potatoes cool, dry place Pumpkins cool, dry place Radishes in fridge, in plastic bag Raspberries in fridge, single layer, do not wash Shallots cool, dry place Spaghetti squash cool, dry place Spinach in fridge Sprouts in fridge Strawberries in fridge, single layer, do not wash Summer squash in fridge Sweet potatoes cool, dry place Tomatoes on the countertop Yellow squash in fridge Winter squash cool, dry place Watermelon on the countertop Zucchini in fridge