Sometimes the trickiest part of grocery shopping can be putting it away—especially if you’re like us and buy a lot of fresh produce! Do tomatoes go in the fridge or in the pantry? What about avocados, oranges, garlic, and melons? If you’ve found yourself plagued by questions like these, fear not! We are here to help with good-to-know tips and handy lists of common fruits and veggies and where to store them. Before we start though, we must first let you know that this list is for uncut fruits and veggies that are already ripe.
First, let’s start with some basic tips:
- We’re starting with a whopper—don’t store fruits and veggies together. Many fruits let off ethylene gases, which can increase the rate of spoilage for your vegetables.
- Don’t pack your vegetables into the fridge too tightly. If they’re too close to one another, they will deteriorate quicker.
- Be sure to trim off the leafy ends of your vegetables, but leave an inch or so on the end, so they don’t dry out.
- If you’re not storing your produce in the refrigerator, remove all the packaging, and store them loosely.
- If you’re refrigerating your produce, store it unwashed in the original packaging or in a loose plastic bag.
Now that we’ve got the basics down pat, let’s look at some common fruits and vegetables and where to store them.
Common Foods to Refrigerate:
- Apples
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Berries
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cherries
- Citrus
- Corn, Unshucked
- Ginger
- Grapes
- Herbs
- Leafy greens
- Melons
- Mushrooms
- Potatoes, New & Fingerling
- Summer Squash
- Zucchini
Common Foods Not to Refrigerate:
- Bananas
- Garlic
- Potatoes, All Others
- Stone Fruits (Except Cherries)
- Sweet Potatoes/Yams
- Tomatoes
- Winter Squash
Hopefully this list will help you in the future to keep your produce in peak condition! Do you have any produce storage tips? Leave them in the comments below!
