Fresh Produce Storage Tips
If you’ve ever had food spoil in your refrigerator and experienced the frustration
of not having what you need to prepare a recipe or the guilt of wasting food you
will appreciate our fruit and vegetable storage tips.
Knowing how to store produce properly will extend the shelf life of your fruits
and vegetables, and save you time and money. Your lettuce won’t wilt in the crisper
drawer and you won’t store incompatible items in the same area of the refrigerator
or pantry if you read these helpful fresh produce storage tips.
Apple Storage – Store in cool, dry place or refrigerate. Apples
may seem crisper when they are chilled. Don’t store near carrots; the ethylene gas
apples release can turn carrots bitter (1-2 months).
Artichoke Storage - Refrigerate (2-3 days).
Asparagus Storage - Store unwashed, standing the stalks upright
in an inch of water and cover them with a plastic bag, or wrap the stem ends in
wet paper towel and seal in a plastic bag (3 days).
Avocado Storage - If not soft, ripen in warm, humid place. Do not
refrigerate unless necessary (until ripe).
Beets Storage – Cut off greens two inches above crown before storing
them. Place unwashed beets in an airtight container or close plastic bag in the
refrigerator (up to 3 weeks).
Bell Peppers Storage - Refrigerate or store in cool, moist area
(1-2 weeks).
Bok Choy Storage - Keep bok choy refrigerated (32-36°F), storing
in a perforated plastic bag. Wash and chop bok choy. Stir-fry with ginger and garlic,
adding soy sauce to the pan just before serving.
Broccoli, Broccolini Storage – Store unwashed in closed
plastic bag (4-5 days).
Cabbage and Brussels Sprouts Storage - Refrigerate in closed plastic
bag (1-2 weeks).
Carrots Storage – Remove tops, wash. Refrigerate in closed plastic
bag. If your carrots get limp, you can refresh them by soaking them in ice water
for 30 minutes. Don’t store next to apples, which emit ethylene gas and make carrots
bitter (1-2 weeks).
Cauliflower Storage – Refrigerate in its wrapper or in a closed
plastic bag, stem side down (2-5 days).
Celery Storage – Store washed in a closed plastic bag. Celery is
susceptible to freezing so don’t store in the back of the refrigerator where it
is coolest (1-2 weeks).
Corn Storage - Refrigerate if unable to use immediately. Do not
husk until ready to cook.
Garlic Storage - Store whole bulbs in an open container away from
heat and light. Individual cloves that separate from the bulb may only last 1 week
(up to 8 weeks).
Leeks Storage – Keep in an airtight container or closed plastic
bag in the refrigerator. Don’t trim them until you are ready to use them (7 days).
Lettuce/Spinach Storage – Keep lettuce in a plastic bag or covered
container with a paper towel to absorb any extra moisture. Refrigerate spinach in
plastic bag (2-5 days).
Mushrooms Storage – Take them out of their package and put them
in a paper bag in your refrigerator (5 days), or place them on shallow tray covered
by a moist paper towel (2-3 days).
Onions Storage – Store uncut onions in a cool, dry place with good
air circulation (1 month). Once onions are cut, wrap them in plastic and store in
the refrigerator (3 days).
Oranges Storage – Room temperature (3-4 days) or refrigerate (2-3
weeks).
Pears Storage – Ripen at room temperature, then refrigerate, unwashed
(1-2 weeks).
Potatoes/Yams Storage – Do not refrigerate. Keep in a cool, dry
and dark place. Cut off green spots on potatoes before cooking.
Strawberries Storage - If the berries still have green "caps" they
may taste sour. Discard any bruised berries. Refrigerate, spread on tray, uncovered.
Wash just before serving. Very perishable.
Tomatoes Storage - Tomatoes lose flavor when stored in the refrigerator.
Store them instead in a cool cupboard. They will keep longer if stored stem side
down.
Corn Storage - Refrigerate if unable to use immediately. Do not
husk until ready to cook.