Key Steps
Keep your fruit and veg fresh with these key steps. Learn more about avoiding food waste in our article: what is food waste and ways to reduce it at home.
Keep potatoes and onions in cool, dry places, away from direct sunlight.
Avoid waste by keeping overripe tomatoes, bananas, and avocados in the fridge.
Keep spices in airtight containers.
Preserve fresh herbs by freezing.
When it comes to fruits and veggies, you want to keep them fresh and avoid food waste. That comes down to learning how to store vegetables in fridge compartments, on counter tops, or in cupboards. The key is knowing how different produce needs to be stored.
Here’s our storage guide to some of the most common fruits and vegetables.
The process of how to store vegetables in fridges is the same as fruits: keep cut or sliced varieties in an airtight container, cut any spoiled parts off before eating, and use within a few days. If you don’t have a container, try a food wrap instead.
How to store potatoes
One of the most common vegetables, there are a few basic rules to storing potatoes:
Keep them in a dry place.
Do not store in the fridge.
Do not store in direct sunlight.
How to store onions
Like potatoes, onions are best stored in a cool, dry, dark spot but there are some exceptions:
Peeled onions can last up to 14 days if the fridge.
Sliced onions can be kept covered in the fridge for 7-10 days.
Always store peeled or cut onions in a sealed container to avoid bad smells.
If despite your best efforts, you still find your fridge smells of onion then follow our fridge cleaning tips!
How to store tomatoes
Where you store tomatoes depends a lot on the temperature of your home. Follow these top tips for best results.
Try to store unripe tomatoes outside the fridge as it can affect their taste. Look for a cool area of your home, ideally between 10-20 degrees Celsius.
If your home is too hot to keep tomatoes outside the fridge, avoid buying or picking unripe tomatoes as much as possible or cook them before eating.
Always keep ripe and overripe tomatoes in the fridge as the cold air can slow the ripening process.
Keep diced or cut tomato in a container in the fridge.
Bring refrigerated tomato back to room temperature before cooking or eating to improve the taste.
Store all tomatoes stem-side down to keep them fresher for longer.
How to store avocados
It’s become one of the trendiest fruits in recent times so follow these tips on how to store avocados:
Keep unripe avocados at room temperature.
Transfer ripe, whole avocados to the fridge to keep them fresh for 2-3 days.
Keep cut avocados in a container in the fridge and use as soon as possible.
Store your avocado with the pit. Brush cut avocado with lemon juice or olive oil to slow it’s ripening.
How to store bananas
Many people know that bananas should be stored on your counter to let them ripen but here are a few other tips you might not know:
Place bananas amongst other fruit to help speed up the ripening process.
Once ripe, eat your bananas in a couple of days.
Place ripe bananas in the fridge to help them last an extra couple of days.
Bake with overripe bananas to avoid waste – they’re great in muffins and breads.
How to store herbs and spices
Storage is key when it comes to preserving fresh herbs or keep spices. Follow these basic rules:
Keep spices in airtight containers in a dry place.
Whole spices can be stored for up to 2 years.
Ground spices can be stored for up to 6 months.
Freezing or drying is the best way to preserve fresh herbs.
From the best way to store fruit to how to store herbs and spices, you’re now equipped with plenty of tips to keep your favourite fresh foods in top shape. Pop them in your fridge or tuck them away nicely on your counters and enjoy them for longer!
Key steps
Keep your fruit and veg fresh with these key steps. Learn more about avoiding food waste in our article: what is food waste and ways to reduce it at home.
Keep potatoes and onions in cool, dry places, away from direct sunlight.
Avoid waste by keeping overripe tomatoes, bananas, and avocados in the fridge.
Keep spices in airtight containers.
Preserve fresh herbs by freezing.