Eating healthy is by no means an easy task, but it is entirely possible with a little know-how and effort. A problem that often arises for people who start eating more whole foods is product spoilage. After a few days, or even a few hours for certain grocery products, your food risks spoiling.
So how to solve this problem? Fruits and vegetables have been proven to be good sources of energy, nutrients, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals (1). Produce is essential to a healthy diet and to eat it you need to know what to do with it to keep it fresh. Here’s how to make products last longer.
Where should I store my products?
The main issue when it comes to storing fresh produce is where you choose to store it: in the refrigerator, on a counter, or elsewhere. Location can really make all the difference when it comes to how long your food lasts.
Foods that should be kept on your counter are those that have yet to ripen. Some produce (usually fruit) can be purchased before it is ripe, so you will need to put it on your counter until it is ready to eat. From this point on, it’s a good idea to eat them immediately or store them in the refrigerator for a few more days. Here are examples of products you may want to leave out of the refrigerator (2):
- Tomatoes
- Lawyers
- Bananas
- Pears
There are also certain vegetables that you should store in a cool, dry space like a pantry, including (2):
- Onions
- Garlic
- Potatoes
- Winter squash
These types of products cannot be stored in the refrigerator because when exposed to moisture, their texture and flavor can deteriorate.
Any other products should be put in your refrigerator. This particularly concerns fruits and vegetables that are already ripe or cut into pieces.
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Do not store these foods together
Ethylene is a gas released by most fruits and vegetables that causes produce to ripen (3).
“The more ripe an ethylene-producing fruit or vegetable is, the more gas it produces. So if other produce is nearby, the gas will also cause them to ripen faster,” says MyFitnessPal registered dietitian Katherine Basbaum.
Most fruit trees produce large amounts of ethylene, among a host of other products. Here are some ethylene-producing fruits and vegetables (3):
- Apples
- Pears
- Apricots
- Lawyers
- Cantaloupe
- Nectarines
- Papayas
- Peaches
- Bananas (fully ripe)
- Peppers (fully ripe)
- Tomatoes (fully ripe)
The above products should not be stored with ethylene-sensitive fruits and vegetables, including (3):
- Carrots
- Parsnip
- Broccoli
- Cucumbers
- Asparagus
- iceberg lettuce
- Squash
- Herbs
- Apples
Lower temperatures help reduce sensitivity to ethylene (3). You will want to store these ethylene-sensitive foods in the refrigerator, in a crisper drawer. Ethylene-producing fruits and vegetables should be bagged and stored in a separate crisper.
About the expert
Katherine Basbaum, MS, RD is the food data curator at MyFitnessPal. She received her master’s degree in nutrition communications from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University and completed her dietetics internship at UVA Health, where she also works as a nutrition advisor for cardiology patients.
4 tips to extend the life of products
Now that we’ve covered where to place certain products and what types of products not to store together, let’s dive into more specific tips and tricks on how to make products last longer.
#1: Remove Tops from Root Vegetables
Root vegetables like carrots, beets, and radishes all have leafy tops that tend to rot quickly, so if you don’t plan to eat the leafy tops, it’s a good idea to cut them off immediately after purchasing (4). Go ahead and then store the hulled root vegetables in the refrigerator.
#2: Use your crisper drawer
Don’t place produce on refrigerator shelves: crisper drawers are there for a reason! Putting produce in vegetable drawers helps protect it and retain humidity for longer (5). This ultimately helps maintain freshness for longer periods of time. Be sure, however, that when using crisper drawers, you separate fruits from vegetables, as well as ethylene-producing items from ethylene-sensitive items.
#3: Keep Fresh Herbs Upright
If you buy fresh herbs, don’t leave them in the produce bag you bought them in. Instead, treat herbs like flowers: cut off the ends a little and put them in a cup, then cover them with a bag of fruits and vegetables (5). This will keep the herb stems alive, so you have the freshest ingredients to use.
#4: Wash the Leafy Greens
Basbaum recommends rinsing leafy greens under cold water, drying them with a paper or kitchen towel, wrapping them in a clean towel to absorb excess water, and storing them in a sealed container (6). This leads to optimal freshness for leafy greens, perfect for salads, stir-fries and everything in between.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): How to Make Products Last Longer
How to store cut fruits and vegetables?
Pre-cut or packaged products are best stored in the refrigerator (7). This also applies to fruits and vegetables that you may have cut yourself.
Should I wash my products before storing them?
Aside from leafy greens, most produce will stay fresh longer if stored without rinsing (4). It’s probably best to wash your products just before using them.
Which products generally deteriorate more quickly?
“Soft fruits (like berries) as well as fresh leafy vegetables tend to spoil more quickly than other, heartier fruits and vegetables,” says Basbaum (8). You may want to eat these products within a few days of purchase.
What types of containers are best for preserving freshness?
“Glass, stainless steel, and ceramic containers are good choices for storing produce because these materials are nonreactive and nontoxic, can be easily sanitized, and keep food fresh,” says Basbaum (9). Plastic containers are also fine, but Basbaum recommends checking that they are dishwasher safe and BPA-free.
The essentials
With so many different types of produce and storage methods, it can seem difficult to consistently eat fresh, whole foods without waste. But learning how to properly store your fruits and vegetables doesn’t have to be complicated.
Start small: choose a few products that you buy often and apply the tips described above. Over time, you will become more comfortable with which foods should be refrigerated, which are best placed on the counter, and how to keep ethylene-sensitive foods fresh longer.
Ultimately, making products last longer isn’t just about preventing food waste: it’s also about getting the most nutritional value from your food and making healthy eating more convenient and sustainable. A little planning and care can go a long way in helping you meet your health goals while saving money and time in the kitchen.
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