• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Hello Nest

The Art of Making a Home

  • Green Cleaning
    • Air Fresheners
    • Bathroom
    • Bedroom
    • Kitchen
    • Laundry
  • Natural Living
    • Homemade Recipes
    • Essential Oils
    • Plants & Flowers
    • Zero Waste
    • Organizing & Simplifying
  • DIY & Decor
    • Candle Projects
    • Holiday Projects
    • Sewing Projects
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

Guide to Produce: How to Store Produce to Last Longer

10 · May 11, 2021 · Lindsey Johnson · 11 Comments

How to store produceRaise your hand if this has ever happened to you – you head to the market and are completely won over by all the gorgeous, seasonal produce. Pretty soon your cart is brimming with yummy fruits and veggies. You get home, stash everything in the fridge and then forget about half of what you bought. Before long most of it isn’t fit for human consumption, and your garbage or compost pile is full of wasted produce. Anyone? Yeah, me too.

If you’re getting excited about spring foods, it’s great time to think about how to store produce. Let’s make it last as long as possible so we can enjoy every bite! Here are 12 tips on properly storing all types of fruits and vegetables.

What to put in the fridge

Food to Keep In The Fridge1. Berries

Berries of all kinds require refrigeration. They are more apt to spoilage than other fruits. Be sure to sort through and remove any that are smashed or bruised because when one goes bad, the others will shortly follow. You can soak them in a bowl of cool water mixed with a little white vinegar to help halt any mold. Just be sure to let them air dry completely before storing them. Line a plate or their packing container with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.

broccoli

red bell pepper2. Vegetables

Green beans, peas, zucchini, yellow summer squash, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, corn, cucumbers, celery, bell peppers and root vegetables (not potatoes) should be kept chilled.

Guide to Vegetable Storage3. Leafy greens

Leafy greens can be stored several ways, but there are some shortcuts that will help you eat and not waste them. Some advice says to store them on the stems unwashed. I do that sometimes if I know I want to use the stem too. Other times, I remove the leafy part, wash well, dry in a salad spinner, and store in a container with a paper towel to absorb moisture. If you buy big tubs of salad greens, stick a paper towel inside to absorb moisture and help them last longer. If you go crazy and buy way too many greens (it happens) you can wash them, spin or pat dry and pack into a freezer proof container or bag to use in smoothies or soups.

beets4. Root vegetables

Root vegetables will keep for a really long time when stored properly. I keep mine in the vegetable drawer of my fridge, as I do with most of my produce. If you buy root veggies with their green tops still attached, cut them off and treat the greens as described in #3. The greens will keep for 3-5 days, maybe longer depending on how fresh they were when you bought them. The roots will keep for weeks, if not months, if keep relatively dry and cold. If you  have a basement that is really cool, dark and dry, they will keep there too. I keep beets and carrots in plastic perforated bags.

Keep Veggies in the Fridge 5. A Trick for Asparagus + Herbs

Most herbs need to be kept in the fridge. Leafy herbs like cilantro and parsley (not basil – we’ll get to that) can be kept in a glass of water, lightly covered. Asparagus likes to be stored the same way. It will last a lot longer kept in a glass of water. Trim the ends and place the whole bunch in a few inches of water. If you don’t have the space or don’t want to do that, trim the ends and wrap in a damp paper towel.

See also
Eat Healthier All Week Long With This Fail-Proof Sunday Meal Prep Plan

More fridge food tips

  • Use the veggie and fruit drawers. They are designed to keep the proper temperature and humidity levels for optimum storage.
  • Don’t pack your fridge too tight with too many items – the air needs to circulate to keep it cold.
  • Check to see that things aren’t spoiling. If you see something on the verge, use it, or remove it to keep the rest of the items from spoiling.

What to keep on the countertop

tomatoes6. Tomatoes

You probably know that tomatoes should never go in the fridge unless they are cut. Why? The cold temps affect the texture of the tomatoes and turn them mealy. Let them sit at room temperature and you’re good.

7. Basil

Basil doesn’t keep for long after it’s been cut. It should be stored on the counter in a temperate area (not too cold or hot), in a glass of water. Refrigeration turns the leaves black, as does excess moisture. To keep it longer, puree in a blender or food processor with a little olive oil or water and freeze in an ice cube tray. You can also turn it into pesto, which keeps for longer.

blood oranges8. Citrus

Citrus, as I have heard for years now, is best kept on the counter. However I just read a compelling article on The Kitchn where they tried out the Cooks’ Illustrated test of putting lemons in a sealed plastic bag with the air removed. They kept for a month vs. one week. So that one is up to you. I use citrus fast enough that I keep it on the counter and I feel like it’s easier to juice them when they are at room temp.

sweet potatoes9. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes and other varieties should never go in the fridge. Their starches convert into sugar and while you may not think that sounds like such a bad thing, I don’t want my mashed potatoes (unless they are orange) to taste sweet. There is also evidence that storing potatoes in the fridge can also cause carcinogens to form.

garlic and onions10. Onions + garlic

Onions and garlic should also be stored somewhere cool and dark, not in the fridge. Also, store onions away from potatoes. If there’s a dark corner on your kitchen counter, cool. If not, stick them in the pantry or basement. The same goes for winter squash.

banana11. Bananas

Bananas are best ripened at room temperature. They can be refrigerated, but the skins do turn black fairly quickly and it’s not ideal. Better to keep them at room temp and when they are too ripe to eat, make banana bread!

What to ripen on the counter + then refrigerate

pineapple12. Melons + tropical fruits

Some fruits and veggies are fine ripening on the counter, but need to be refrigerated after ripened. These include melons, which can turn rubbery if they are refrigerated, avocados, kiwi fruit, stone fruits (except for cherries – those should be refrigerated), pineapple, papaya and other tropical fruits.

Good Rule of Thumb

It might go without saying, but it’s a good reminder anyway – if you’ve cut into a fruit or vegetable, store it in the fridge.

Have you learned any tricks about storing produce? Is there anything I forgot to mention?

10

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Organizing & Simplifying food waste, organization, storage, store produce

More Posts from Organizing & Simplifying

  • No-Fail Meal Plan: Prep a Week of Dinners in an Hour

  • 6 Morning Routine Hacks for Back to School - Hello Nest

    6 Morning Routine Hacks for Back to School

  • How to pack light + smart - HelloNest.co

    No-Fail Plan: 10 Ways To Pack Smart

  • 6 Tips For Creating an Organized + Efficient Home Office Space

    6 Tips For Creating an Organized + Efficient Home Office Space

  • 7 DIY Ways To Organize Your Closet

  • 15 Free Printables To Organize Your Life


Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Angela Taormina says

    March 5, 2014 at 2:35 pm

    LOVE your blog. Amazing content and incredible imagery. I look forward to it very much. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Lindsey Johnson says

      March 5, 2014 at 9:46 pm

      Thank you, Angela!

      Reply
  2. Lindsey Johnson says

    March 5, 2014 at 9:46 pm

    Great ideas, Lori!

    Reply
  3. Teresa says

    August 28, 2015 at 9:02 am

    In the end, I do what I want based on how I like things to taste. I refrigerate my bananas because I really enjoy eating cold bananas and it keeps fruit flies out of my kitchen. The peel turns brown, but it stays firm inside. The banana just looks less appealing. I also refrigerate nearly everything if it’s over 80 degrees since I don’t use a/c and it will ripen too quickly or rot on my counter (if it’s 90+ outside, my potatoes will go bad in less than a week, so I just buy smaller quantities and refrigerate for a few days). And in the winter, I am much more likely to leave things on the counter to ripen.

    Reply
  4. margo says

    August 28, 2015 at 4:23 pm

    Thank you for the helpful list…….one thing I would add is keep apples in the fridge unless it is really cool in the kitchen, no one likes an apple that isn’t crisp and juicy.

    Reply
  5. Mirna says

    September 3, 2015 at 2:50 am

    I keep bananas at room temperature, and cover the top (where they’re joined together) with aluminium foil. Don’t know why, but they last longer! Otherwise they turn brown pretty quickly, especially in the summer time…

    Reply
  6. outlook.com says

    April 24, 2017 at 11:06 pm

    I never leave potatoes in the fridge

    Reply
  7. skype.com login says

    April 24, 2017 at 11:07 pm

    Onions + garlic -> Just leave it in a dry place

    Reply
  8. Niken says

    August 20, 2017 at 12:20 pm

    I always has problems keeping the vegetables last. Thanks for the tricks!

    Reply
  9. bloxorz says

    July 13, 2018 at 12:10 am

    Interesting, very wonderful

    Reply
  10. red ball 4 says

    March 14, 2019 at 2:51 am

    I am not very good at writing, after I saw this very good website

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Get updates + more!

Get the exclusive content you crave straight to your inbox.

Featured DIY

16 Products That Make Green Cleaning a Breeze + Our Favorite DIY Cleaning Recipes

How To Clean Your Essential Oil Diffuser

How To Clean A Wooden Cutting Board

How to care for leather boots in winter

Fix Scuffs and Salt Stains with 3 Simple Boot Care Solutions

9 Holiday Room Sprays To Make Your Home Feel Festive

More

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Hello Glow
  • Hello Veggie

Copyright © 2023 · Seasoned Pro