Have you ever wondered if you were storing fruits and veggies properly? It’s hard to know which should be stored in the refrigerator or on the counter, or even both the fridge and the counter. While most fruits and vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator, it can actually harm certain fruits and vegetables and decay them much more quickly! Below you’ll find a few helpful tips for storing your produce! Click here for a detailed guided to keep on the fridge at home.

Countertop Storage

Bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, lemons, and limes should be stored on the counter in a cool, dry place. Mushrooms must also be stored in a dry place and should only be washed just before using. Cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, and sweet potatoes also live outside the refrigerator. Eggplant should be stored on the counter and used within a couple of days of purchasing. Whole melons should be kept at room temperature. Once melons are cut, the slices should be stored in the refrigerator!

Refrigerator Storage

When apples are stored in the refrigerator, they stay fresher longer. Asparagus is stored in the refrigerator and it’s recommended to wrap it with a moist paper towel for freshness. Fruits that are in bags or containers with vented holes like grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and cherries should be in the refrigerator as well. Fresh heads of lettuce should be washed, dried, and stored in a clean plastic bag with a few paper towels before placing in the refrigerator. Other foods that should be stored in the refrigerator include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, and fresh herbs.

First the Counter, Then the Fridge

There are several foods that should be placed on the counter to ripen and then be stored in the refrigerator. Avocados can become ripened one day and then rotten the next. In order to use avocados over a longer period of time, let them ripen on the counter and then store them in the refrigerator immediately. This should keep them for a couple of days! Other foods to let ripen on the counter include mangos, plums, peaches, pineapples, kiwis, and pears.