Do You Know How To Store Fresh Produce?

Did you know that fruits and vegetables give off the natural gas called ethylene? Ethylene can affect the other fruits and veggies that they are stored next to. You don’t need to buy special bags, but you do need to know which produce doesn’t play nicely with others. Here are some tips!

Apples – Do not wash until just before eating, keep them sealed in the plastic produce bag, in the refrigerator. They give off a lot of ethylene gas, so don’t store them next to anything else.

Asparagus– can last for a couple weeks if stored properly. When you get them home, cut off about half an inch on the ends. Put enough water in the bottom of a jar or wide drinking glass to cover the bottoms about 3/4″ to 1″ (you don’t want half the stalk to sit in water). Put a Ziploc baggie loosely down over the top of the stalks to keep some of the moisture around them. Store in the fridge!

Avocados – Keep them at room temperature.  If you need one to ripen quickly, put it in a brown paper bag along with a banana.  If it is ripe and you need to slow the ripening process, put it in the fridge.

Bananas – They produce more ethylene gas than any other fruit.  Keep them away from other produce, on the counter-top, away from other produce.  Once they are ripe you can stop the ripening process by putting them in the fridge, just be sure to put them in a sealed bag.  The skin will turn black, but the fruit will be fine.

Beans (snap, string or wax) – Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.  Do not wash until just before use.

Berries – You know when you buy berries and they look like they have a dusty layer one them? That is called bloom, and it serves as a natural preservative.  Never wash berries until just before use.  Pick through them and throw away any berries that are bruised or molding.  Store loosely in shallow containers, cover with plastic and keep them in the refrigerator.

Broccoli & Cauliflower – These need to be kept in their wrapping/packaging and kept in the fridge.  Do not wash until just before using.

Cabbage – Keep in the fridge, in a plastic bag. Do not wash until just before using

Carrots – Whole carrots?  Wash them thoroughly.  If they have green tops, cut off all but an inch.  Wrap them in a damp paper towel, seal in a plastic bag and store in the crisper drawer.

Celery – Give it a rinse, loosely wrap it in a paper towel, then tightly wrap the entire stalk in aluminum foil and keep in the crisper.  It will keep fresh and crisp for weeks.

Cherries – Store in the fridge in a plastic bag.  Do not wash until just before eating.

Citrus – Since citrus fruits have thicker skin, they are easier to store.  They’ll stay fresh for about 2 weeks in the fridge, about a week on the counter.  It doesn’t matter if they are near other produce.

Corn – Husks on? Store loose and uncovered in the fridge.  Husks off?  Wrap in foil and store in the crisper drawer. It will keep for 1 to 2 days.

Cucumber – Store in plastic bag in the refrigerator. Do not wash until just before use.

Eggplant – Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

Garlic – Store at room temperature. Whole heads will last 3 to 5 weeks, but once cloves are separated, they will last about 10 days.

Grapes – Do not wash until just before eating, as they also have a bloom.  Store them in the fridge, in the plastic bags they come in, or poke holes in a plastic bag to allow for air circulation.  They say they should last up to 2 weeks.

Jalapeno Peppers – Store in plastic bag, in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Kiwi Fruit – store at room temperature until ripe, then cover with plastic and refrigerate.  Will keep for about a week.

Lettuces, Leafy Greens & Spinach – Wash, wrap loosely in paper-towels, then bag it… paper towel and all.

Melons – Store at room temperature until ripe, then refrigerate. They will keep for about a week.

Mushrooms – Do not wash until just before using.  Pre-sliced? Store in the refrigerator in their original packaging. They will last for about a week. Whole?  Store loosely in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator

Onions – Store in a cool, dry place that has good air circulation.  (Store in the fridge if you don’t have such a place.) They will keep for 2 to 3 months.  DO NOT STORE WITH POTATOES.  (If next to each other they spoil faster. Who knew?)

Pears – If they aren’t ripe, store them at room temperature.  Once they ripen, place them in a plastic bag and store them in the fridge.  They will keep for about a week.

Peaches, Plums, Nectarines & Apricots – Store at room temperature until ripe, then store in plastic bags in the refrigerator until ready to eat.  They will keep from 3 to 5 days.  Do not wash until ready to eat.

Pineapple – Store at room temperature until ripe, then store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Potatoes – Store in a cool, dry, dark place that has good air circulation. They will keep for 2 to 3 months.

ONIONS.  (If next to each other they spoil faster.  Who knew?)  Sweet Potatoes keep at room temperature for a week or in a cool dark place for about a month.

Tomatoes – Store them in a cool, dry place.  Don’t store them in plastic bags as the trapped ethylene will make them ripen more quickly. Once ripe, you can put them in the fridge to slow the ripening process, but let them come to room temperature before using them.

Zucchini – Refrigerate in a plastic bag.  Do not wash until just before using.