The Complete A-Z Guide to Keeping Produce Fresher for Longer

I don’t know about you, but I’m not overly fond of shopping at the grocery every single day. Who has time for that? And unless you happen to grow all of your own produce in your garden (certainly can’t do that in Ohio 😒), then you need to know some tips and tricks for keeping it fresh in between your grocery trips. I recently read a report from CNBC that stated that the average American household wastes $1,500 in food per year! That’s a lot of food in the trash! I’m totally guilty of having to throw stuff away, especially produce. Thankfully, I’ve learned and read a lot of tips and tricks on how to store produce, thus prolonging its life. I have compiled a list (in alphabetical order) of some of the best tricks and tips that I have personally tried or read about. 

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General Refrigerator Storage Tips:

First, we should discuss some general tips. The health and organization of your refrigerator is vital to the shelf-life of what you put inside of it. You should never over-pack your refrigerator because air flow is crucial when it comes to keeping things fresh. There are also proper places to store particular items; the appliance companies didn’t decide to label shelves and drawers just to have control over your refrigerator. I’m totally guilty of keeping my milk in the door of the refrigerator (it’s just so handy there), but that’s really not where it should go. You should not store items that are sensitive to temperature fluctuations in the doors, but instead put them on a middle shelf or inside a drawer where temperatures are more consistent. Most of your produce is going to be temperature sensitive and thus should be stored in one of the designated drawers. Plus, a lot of these drawers are able to control the level of moisture and for most produce- moisture is the enemy. 

One of the most important things that you want to consider when organizing your refrigerator is eliminating any chance of cross-contamination. You never want to store produce with raw meat. Actually, you never really want to store anything with raw meat except other raw meats. I have a divider in my meat drawer that I use to divide the pre-cooked meat and the raw meat. Meat should be stored as close to the bottom of your refrigerator as possible for two reasons. 

1. First, the temperature is going to be consistent in the bottom of your refrigerator and you definitely do not want any major temperature fluctuations when it comes to storing meat.
2. If the meat were to leak, anything under the meat could be contaminated and thus should be thrown out. Having it as close to the bottom as possible will help eliminate the chance of contaminating other foods in your fridge.

Some items will need to be prepped before storing in the refrigerator, especially produce. I know that it can be a pain in the arse, but unless you want to shop for fresh produce every time that you need it, you’re going to have to prep it for storage. These prepping methods will differ from item to item and I will go through the more popular items and describe the best storage tips for each item, but across the board- you should remove any and all rubber bands and ties.

One of the other most important storage tips that I can pass along is ROTATE, ROTATE, ROTATE! Do NOT go to the grocery, buy new foods and stick them in the front of your pantry or refrigerator. You want the oldest (non-expired) items in the front where you can see them, especially if you have duplicates of that item.If you don’t happen to use an item before it expires, simply throw it out, but I guarantee you that you will waste less if you’re making sure to stick your newer items behind the older ones. Think of a grocery store- you’d never see them stock the new shipments in front of what is already on the shelf. Another tip to take away from grocery stores is to try and have your pantry and refrigerator organized like a grocery. That will allow you to know where everything is and know how much of it you have in stock. Make it neat, display the label. Then you know what you’re working with. 

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Alright, let’s get to produce. First thing first, have you ever heard of Ethylene?? Ethylene is a gas that some fruits and veggies produce as they ripen. Some fruits and veggies are bigger culprits than others and some items are more sensitive to ethylene than others. You do not want to store items that are big producers of ethylene with the items that are sensitive to ethylene as it will cause foods to prematurely ripen. Here is a chart of ethylene-producers and ethylene-sensitive produce. Keeping these two groups of items away from one another will prolong the life of your produce.

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Apples: 

Keeping apples in a cool, dark place will keep them fresher for longer. Apples can be stored in the refrigerator or the countertop, but will last longer in the refrigerator. For sliced apples, spritz with lemon juice before storing to keep the apples from browning. If you notice one bad apple, dispose of it immediately. One bad apple can spoil an entire bunch. I feel like that’s advice your grandma would give you. 

 

Asparagus: 

To keep asparagus fresh and crisp, trim the woody stems off and place in a glass or jar with an inch or two of fresh water. Cover the tops with a plastic bag. Replace the water if it becomes cloudy.

 

Avocados:

If you need an avocado to ripen, leave it out on the counter. If you want to delay an avocado from ripening, sticking it in the refrigerator can prolong its life by about 2 weeks. If you are trying to keep a sliced avocado from browning, spritz it with lemon juice or coat it in olive oil and store it in an airtight container (or wrap well with plastic wrap). I’ve also read that you can store a sliced avocado with onion chunks and it will keep from browning. 

Bananas:

Bananas are one of the biggest ethylene-producing foods. You might as well just keep these bad boys away from all of the rest of your fruits and veggies to prevent any pre-ripening (including other bananas). Really the only tip to prolong the life of your bananas is to wrap the top stem of the bananas in foil or plastic wrap. That will help delay the bananas from browning. Also, do not store bananas (or any other fresh produce) too closely to a gas stove. The heat paired with the natural gas has been shown to speed up the ripening process.However, if you need bananas to ripen in a hurry, simply place them in a brown paper bag. By sitting trapped in the ethylene gas that they’re producing, they will ripen quicker. 

Berries:

Most berries do best if you wait to wash them until use. Wetness encourages molding. However, strawberries will actually last longer if you wash them in vinegar water (10 parts water to 1 part vinegar). If you wash berries in vinegar, be sure to dry them extremely well and then store them in a sealed container that is lined with paper towels. 

 

Broccoli (& Cauliflower):

Broccoli is very perishable. It should be kept in the refrigerator and not washed prior to storage. I’ve found that keeping it in an open plastic bag with a dry paper towel will prolong the freshness of the broccoli for about one week. Consider freezing this veggie as it will not last much longer than that. I’ve also read that wrapping in foil will work.

 

Brussels Sprouts:

Supposedly, Brussels sprouts on the stalk will stay fresher for longer than those that have been cut ( I cannot testify to this). Store Brussels fresh, unwashed and untrimmed in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator. They tend to lose sweetness with age, but will usually stay fresh for at least one week. Simply remove the outer leaves, revealing the fresher insides before preparing. 

Carrots:

For fresh carrots, remove the leafy greens before storing. Even if you want to use the leafy greens for later, it’s best to remove them from the carrots and store separately. Carrots (and baby carrots) do well if you store them in a water bath in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.

 

Cantaloupe (& Honeydew):

If your melon is not quite ripe, leave on the countertop for a day or two. Once the melon has ripened, refrigerate the whole melon for up to 5 days. For cut melon, cover the surfaces and refrigerate in an air-tight container. If possible, leave the seeds intact- it will keep the melon fresher for longer.

 

Celery:

Most recipes only require one or two ribs of celery. In order to keep celery fresh for longer, wrap ditch the plastic grocery bag as soon as you get home and wrap the entire bunch in foil. Celery will lose less moisture when it is kept whole and will stay fresh in your crisper drawer for up to 3-4 weeks.

 

Cherries:

Avoid washing cherries before storing them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Wash them with cold water just before eating or preparing. Consider freezing cherries as they freeze well and maintain a lot of their sweetness after frozen. To freeze: spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, then place in a freezer bag or container for storage.

 

Cucumbers:

I’ve read conflicting advice on the best way to store cucumbers. Personally, I follow this rule of thumb when it comes to cucumbers (and generally all produce)- if I purchased the produce and it was refrigerated, I refrigerate it at home and vice versa if it was not refrigerated when purchased. If I have picked a cucumber from my garden, and there tend to be a lot, I have found that storing them on the countertop keeps them fresh for longer. If you have a cut cucumber, wrap in plastic wrap so it will minimize the moisture and slow the process of decay. Keep towards the front of the refrigerator where it is warmer.

 

Corn:

Theoretically, you can store corn (in its husk) in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. BUT… that’s pushing the limit. Corn is one of those items that pretty much needs to be eaten or cooked after brought home. If you plan on using it for later, wrap it tightly in a plastic bag to keep from drying out. Corn will lose its sweetness and become incredibly starchy the longer it’s stored. If you need to store for more than two days, consider cutting the kernels off of the cob and freezing them.    

 

Dates:

Fresh dates will store at room temperature for about 45 days or in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. To store, place in a well-sealed container and place in a cool cabinet or the refrigerator. Dates can also be frozen for up to 5 years. Who knew?

 

Eggplant:

Eggplant is highly sensitive to ethylene and should therefore be kept away from high ethylene producers like bananas. Eggplants are best kept at room temperature in a cool, dry place and out of direct sunlight. 

 

 

Figs:

Figs are one of the most perishable produce items and should only be bought a day or two in advance. They can be stored at room temperature, but storing in the refrigerator can keep them fresher for a little longer. If storing in the refrigerator, keep on a plate or a in a shallow bowl and wrap with plastic to avoid any unnecessary bruising. When ready to use, wash under cool water and pat dry.

 

Grapes:

To keep grapes at their freshest, store unwashed in a plastic (open) bag in the back of the refrigerator. Grapes will usually keep fresh for 1-2 of weeks. Grapes also freeze really well.

 

Green Beans: 

Store unwashed green beans in a plastic bag in the refrigerator with a dry paper towel to soak up the moisture. Replace the paper towel as it gets moist. Beans will last 1-2 weeks stored this way. Green beans also freeze really well. To freeze- rinse beans in cool water and trim (also cut to desired length), dry thoroughly. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until just firm and then store in a freezer bag or container. 

 

Herbs:

For leftover herbs, consider freezing in olive oil (in an ice cube tray) and storing in a plastic freezer bag for later use. For herbs like cilantro, sage and parsley, trim the bottoms and place in a glass or jar with fresh water and cover with a plastic bag. Replace water as needed. For green onions, do NOT trim the bottom and store in a jar with fresh water, also covering in plastic. For herbs like mint, thyme, rosemary and sage (can rub oil on leaves to prolong even more) keep in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator with a dry paper towel. Store all herbs on their stems (do not remove the leaves).

 

Kiwi:

Store kiwi on the countertop until ripe and then place in an open plastic bag and move to the refrigerator once ripe. Ripe kiwi will last in the refrigerator for several weeks. You can also store unripened kiwi in the refrigerator for an extended period of time in a plastic bag, up to 6 weeks.

 

Lettuce (& Salad Greens):

With lettuce and salad greens, moisture is the enemy. Open the container or bag that it came in (if it came loose, place in a bag or container) and store it in the refrigerator with a dry paper towel to absorb the moisture. Replace the paper towel as it becomes damp. Stir the salad or lettuce around every couple of days if applicable.

 

Mangoes: 

Like most other melons, keep unripe mangoes on the counter for a day or two to ripen. If you want to speed up the ripening process, place in a paper bag. Once the mango is ripe, you can store the whole mango in the refrigerator. On the contrary, if you want to delay a mango from ripening, stick in the refrigerator before it is soft and ripe. Whole mangoes can last up to almost one week in the refrigerator.

 

Mushrooms:

For best results, packaged mushrooms should stay in the package. For fresh mushrooms, keep in a paper bag in the refrigerator. You want to keep mushrooms away from moisture, so do not store in plastic or glass which would increase the likelihood of moisture.

 

Nectarines, Peaches & Plums:

Storing ripe stone fruit in the refrigerator should keep them fresh for up to one week. To ripen, leave out on the counter for a day or two or to speed up the process, place fruit in a brown paper bag. If you want to extend the life of the fruit, place in the refrigerator before wipe. Avoid washing before eating or preparing.

 

Onions:

To keep onions fresh, store loose in a cool, dry and dark place. Do NOT store onions in the refrigerator because it will soften the onion’s texture. Do NOT store onions in a paper bag because it will increase the rate of sprouting and decay. Do NOT store root vegetables with onions because it will cause both to spoil faster. Basically, onions are the bully on the playground.

 

Papayas:

For a whole, uncut papaya, place whole fruit in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and it should last about one week. Papaya bruises easily, so keep that in mind when selecting a spot to store in the refrigerator.For cut pieces of papaya, wrap tightly with plastic wrap or foil or place in an airtight container. Once a papaya is ripe, it needs to be eaten rather quickly. If a papaya is overripe, the flesh will break apart instead of slicing.

 

Pears:

Pears are the oddball of the fruit community. Unlike other fruits, a pear will ripen from the inside out. So when a pear is soft on the outside, the inside will most likely be mealy and overripe. Pears can be stored in the refrigerator to slow the ripening process. Ripe pears will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 3-5 days versus an unripe pear will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about one week. If you want to speed up ripening, you can place a pear in a paper bag with a banana or apple. If you want to keep sliced pears from turning brown, spritz with lemon juice.

 

Pomegranates:

Whole pomegranates can either be kept at room temperature for one week or in the refrigerator for about two weeks. If you remove the seeds of the pomegranate, seal them in an airtight container for up to one week. While whole pomegranates can be left on the counter, once the seeds are removed- they need to be refrigerated. Consider freezing pomegranate seeds as they will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

Potatoes:

Do NOT store potatoes in the refrigerator. Do NOT store potatoes in a plastic bag. DO store potatoes in a cool, dry and dark place. While potatoes do not pair well with onions (onions will cause potatoes to sprout), potatoes are BFF’s with apples. Apples will actually keep potatoes from sprouting.

 

Roots (Ginger & Tumeric):

Usually recipes that include fresh ginger or turmeric never require more than a tablespoon or two. If you plan on using your root again soon, store in the refrigerator in a plastic bag with a dry paper towel to absorb the moisture. If you won’t be using your root any time in the near future, consider peeling (the back edge of a spoon is the most effective peeler for both) and throw into a plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to 3-4 months. When you need to use it again, simply take it out of the freezer bag, grate it and then place back into the bag and freezer.

 

Summer Squash (& Zucchini):

For Summer squash and zucchini, storing in the refrigerator in an open plastic bag (with plenty of ventilation) is the best way. Do NOT wash before storing. I have found that adding a dry paper towel inside the plastic bag to absorb moisture will help prolong the life of these two items. The skin of summer squash and zucchini are very sensitive to moisture and will mold and decay when moisture sits on the skin for too long.

Tomatoes:

Tomatoes are very delicate. Store tomatoes in a cool, dry place and NOT in the refrigerator. Preferably keep tomatoes in a single layer and out of direct sunlight. To ripen tomatoes, store stem side down until they are ripe. Fully ripe tomatoes will typically stay fresh for about one week. To keep sliced tomatoes fresh, store in an airtight container or bag. For tomato halves, store cut-side down on a paper towel inside an airtight container. Before eating or preparing a refrigerated tomato, allow it to come to room temperature first.

 

Watermelon:

Whole watermelon should last on the countertop for up to one week and in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. Cut watermelon should be stored in the refrigerator with plastic wrap or foil covering the cut sides of the watermelon so it will not absorb odors from the refrigerator. For bite-sized cut pieces of watermelon, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cut watermelon should be eaten within 3-5 days. The best way to store any melon is to try and cut only what you need first to avoid storing smaller pieces of melon that will go bad quicker.