Fruit and Vegetable Storage

Tips 

• Buy apples in the fall, except for the Anna variety, which is summer-picked. 
• Keep at the lowest temperature in the fridge, preferably in a non-sealed plastic bag. 
• Rinse apples before eating, and it’s best to eat them with the skin. 
• Avoid leaving cut apples in the fridge, as they brown. To prevent browning, sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice on them. 

Tips 

• Ripe avocados are best stored in the refrigerator. 
• If bought unripe, keep at room temperature and then refrigerate once ripe. 
• To speed up ripening, store in a perforated bag at room temperature alongside other fruits like bananas. 

Tips 

• Do not refrigerate bananas; a cool, shady spot is best. 
• In winter, bananas may look ripe but can be hard. Leave them out until soft, even if brown spots appear on the skin. 

Tips 

• Basil will turn brown in the fridge within a few days and may rot outside. 
• Dip the tips of the leaves in a jar of water (like a bouquet) and place it in a bright spot in the kitchen. Cover the leaves with a perforated plastic bag for the first day. In a few days, the basil will grow roots and stay fresh for about a month. 

Tips 

• Green or green-cheeked bell peppers can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. 
• Cut the green stem down to the "shoulder height" of the fruit. 
• To extend the storage life of bell peppers, store them in a perforated plastic bag with a paper towel inside to soak up moisture. 

Tips 

• You can buy pre-packaged broccoli that slows decay and preserves nutritional value. 
• If you buy broccoli without packaging, transfer it to a bag without holes, close it with a rubber band, and poke two holes using a paper clip or toothpick. 

Tips 

• Store carrots in the fridge in a perforated plastic bag; this helps them last longer than other vegetables. 

Tips 

• Store cherries in their original packaging in the fridge at the lowest temperature. 
• For a longer shelf life, place them in a sealed container before refrigerating. 

Tips 

• Orange citrus fruits (like oranges and tangerines) are more cold-resistant than yellow and green fruits like grapefruits and lemons. 
• Mandarins have the shortest shelf life, so keep them in the fridge and eat them soon after purchase. 

Tips 

• Wrap cucumbers in paper towels and place them in closed but not airtight plastic bags. 
• Remove any remaining flowers attached to the cucumbers before storing them in the refrigerator. 
• Consume cucumbers that have been refrigerated for a long time right after taking them out of the fridge. 

Tips 

• Buy eggplants if you plan to use them soon. 
• Wrap refrigerated eggplants in absorbent paper and pack them in a perforated plastic bag. 

How to Select 

• Choose medium-sized, lightweight eggplants with a shiny black-crimson color. 
• Large, heavy eggplants with a matte texture tend to be bitter. 

Tips 

• Store garlic in a dry, warm place, away from direct sunlight. 
• Avoid consuming garlic with black spots. 

Tips 

• In season (May-November), store grapes in their original packaging in the fridge for about two weeks if they look fresh. 
• If grapes are soft or damaged, consume them soon after removing any bad ones and soaking in water with a bit of soap, then rinsing. They can be refrigerated after drying completely in a clean, closed container for 3 days. 
• Storage or imported grapes available in winter can last for several days in the fridge. 
• Rinse grapes before storing. 

Tips 

• Wrap leaves in a paper towel and return them to the original packaging. 

Tips 

• Store in a perforated bag in the refrigerator, preferably closed. 
• Don’t store it next to apples. 
• You can also store lettuce leaves separately: rinse under running water, dry thoroughly, and store in a plastic container lined with absorbent paper. 
• For chopped lettuce, rinse and dry the leaves before cutting. Place in a plastic bag without holes, squeeze out air gently, and seal with a rubber band. 

Tips 

• In winter, no need to refrigerate. 
• Store unripe mangoes outside until they ripen, then refrigerate. 
• Once ripe, they can be stored in the fridge for about a week. 

Tips 

• Large pieces of cut melon can be stored in closed plastic containers.
• rinse the skin before cutting. 

How to Select 

Round (Galia) melon: 

• Full netting on the skin. 

• Yellow or green skin, not orange. 

• A strong aroma typically indicates a shorter shelf life. 

• Shake the melon; if you hear a watery sound, it’s not good. 

Oval (Pineapple) melon: 

• Orange skin indicates high-quality fruit. 

• Full netting on the skin. 

Tips 

• Peach season runs from late April to September. If you buy peaches after September, taste before purchasing. 
• For the best flavor, eat peaches when they’re soft. 
• Peaches bought at the start of the season (April-May) should be refrigerated until soft; those bought at the end of the season should sit out for a few days until they soften, then be refrigerated. 

Tips 

• Leave pears out until they are slightly soft, then store them in the fridge. 

Tips 

• Excessive storage can reduce the juiciness of the fruit. 

Tips 

• To preserve for several weeks post-purchase, store in the fridge in a perforated or open bag. 

Tips 

• Store potatoes outside the fridge in a dark place without washing them. 
• Sprouted potatoes are still edible; just remove the sprouts and peel before use. 

Tips 

• If there’s sand on the roots, wash only the dirty part (not the leaves), cut off the bottom, dry thoroughly, and return to the packaging. 
• To prevent browning tips, cut about 4 inches off the top of the leaves and close the bag with a rubber band. 
• Wrap in a paper towel, return to the plastic bag, and seal with a rubber band to maintain quality. 

Tips 

• Transfer strawberries to flat baskets in one or two layers rather than deep boxes. 
• Avoid freezing strawberries. 

Tips 

• Remove the stems and any blemishes from the tomatoes before storing them in the refrigerator. 
• To prolong the shelf life of tomatoes in the fridge, pack them in a perforated plastic bag and wrap them in a paper towel to absorb moisture. 

Tips 

• Dark-green zucchinis can last about two weeks in the fridge; yellow zucchinis should not be refrigerated for more than a week. 
• Remove the attached flowers before storing. 
• Wrap zucchinis in paper towels and pack them in closed but not airtight plastic bags. 

How to Select 

• Look for firm and shiny zucchinis. 
• Buy yellow zucchinis close to when you plan to eat them.