I am often asked how I store fresh fruits and vegetables. So when at a recent photoshoot, I had a huge bowl of produce begging for attention, I knew we had content and information to share. Now, this is not typically how I would store these beauties but again, the camera was doing her job, but afterward, proper storing would happen. In this blog post, I have compiled my personal experience and suggestions, as well as research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farmer’s Almanac, various food manufacturers, and food scientists.
You may have your own way of prepping and storing, but when writing this blog, I took a more conservative approach as my first consideration is food safety. I typically leave refrigerated produce unwashed in its original packaging or wrapped loosely in a plastic bag. The exceptions would be mushrooms and herbs, which are noted below. If you frequent the farmers’ market for your greens, you may find sand or dirt (SO fresh!). Simply rinse and dry well, wrap in a paper towel before placing them in a plastic bag. Fruits and vegetables stored at room temperature should be removed from any packaging and left loose.
In my guidelines listed below, I am assuming your produce is ripe and ready to eat. Some items, like apricots and avocados, will ripen faster in a paper bag on the countertop. The bag traps ethylene gas, which is released by the produce and acts as a maturing agent. Want to speed the process up even more? Simply, place an apple in the bag.
The US Food and Drug Administration recommends washing all fruits and vegetables under cold running water before preparation. Once fruits and vegetables are cut, chopped, or cooked, they should be refrigerated in covered containers or frozen in freezer containers. Avoid leaving cut, peeled, and cooked fruit and vegetables at room temperature for more than two hours. Fresh fruits and vegetables vary widely in their storage times, from a few days to several weeks. Very few can be safely stored at room temperature for long, and most must be kept in the refrigerator. Bruises and mold are signs of spoilage…toss!
The fruits and vegetables listed below are items I “typically” purchase weekly and remember, the below are guidelines that work for my family.
Enjoy!
| Apples | Refrigerator: 3 weeks |
| Bananas | Countertop: 5 days Ripe bananas can be frozen for baking, the skins will blacken, but the flesh will be fine. |
| Peaches | Refrigerator: 5 days To ripen, keep at room temperature in a paper bag until soft and slightly fragrant. |
| Pears | Refrigerator: 5 days To ripen, keep at room temperature in a paper bag until soft. |
| Pomegranates | Refrigerator: 3 weeks (whole) 3 days (seeds) |
| Tomatoes | Countertop: 3 days To ripen, keep at room temperature in a paper bag. |
| Asparagus | Refrigerator: 3 days Trim the ends before wrapping the spears in a damp paper towel, then in a plastic bag. |
| Avocados | Refrigerator: 3 days To ripen, keep at room temperature in a paper bag until soft. |
| Bell peppers | Refrigerator: Green/1 week Red, yellow, orange/5 days |
| Celery | Refrigerator: 2 weeks |
| Cucumbers | Refrigerator: 5 days |
| Garlic | Pantry: 2 months, makings sure air can circulate around the bulb. |
| Mushrooms | Refrigerator: 1 week in a paper bag |
Citrus Fruits
| Grapefruit | Countertop: 1 week Refrigerator: 3 weeks |
| Clementines | Refrigerator: 5 days |
| Oranges | Countertop: 3 days Refrigerator: 2 weeks |
| Limes | Refrigerator: 3 weeks |
| Lemons | Refrigerator: 3 weeks |
| Tangerines | Refrigerator: 1 week |
Greens
| Herbs | Refrigerator: 3 days (basil, cilantro, chives, tarragon) 5 days (parsley, minty) 2 weeks (rosemary, thyme) Wrap the bunch in a damp paper towel before bagging |
| Kale | Refrigerator: 3 days |
| Lettuce – bagged or clamshell | Follow the expiration date on the packaging as bacteria can develop. |
| Lettuce – head | Refrigerator: 5 days Iceberg can last for 2 weeks. |
Root Vegetables
The beauty of root vegetables is that many of them will keep for a long time.
This is especially true of veggies like potatoes, onions, and garlic. Make sure
root vegetables are in a cool, dark place with air circulation.
| Carrots | Refrigerator: 2 weeks |
| Onions | Pantry: 2 months Whole, make sure air can circulate around the bulb Refrigerated: 4 days, cut |
| Potatoes, red, russet, Yukon gold, and other varieties | Pantry: 3 weeks |
| Sweet Potatoes | Pantry: 2 weeks in a paper bag |
Products I use to help keep my produce fresh!
Love this helpful information!
Loved the swimsuit section! Awesome!!