Produce Storage 101
Mountain Bounty Farm founder John Tecklin prepares organic greens for CSA subscribers. Photo courtesy of Mountain Bounty Farm
With a little prep, your fruits and veggies will stay fresh longer, taste better, and give you more value.
It’s a familiar story — you open the fridge, ready to grab fresh produce, only to find cucumbers and salad greens reduced to a mushy, unrecognizable mess.
Whether your fruits and vegetables come from a local farmers’ market, your own home garden, a CSA box, or the grocery store, you can benefit from some simple refrigeration tricks to save you money on the season’s abundant produce, reduce food waste, and ensure you are well-prepared for summer barbecues or an impromptu weekend brunch.
Know your refrigerator produce bins.
Most refrigerators come with different bins, or drawers, designed to store certain types of food.
Medium- to high-humidity storage (closed vent): Wrap cabbages, root vegetables, cauliflower, cucumbers, and Brussels sprouts in a slightly damp paper towel or dishcloth and loosely place it in a plastic bag to extend freshness. And don’t be shy about using the entire vegetable. “Cut edible greens from carrots, beets, kohlrabi, and radishes,” says Becky Ahmadi, CSA manager at Mountain Bounty Farm in Nevada City. “Store in a plastic bag and incorporate into recipes.”
Low-humidity storage (open vent): For eggplant, okra, bell peppers, chiles, green beans, or summer squash, tuck a dry paper towel into an open container, plastic bag, or clamshell packaging. Don’t prewash mushrooms. Simply bundle them up in a dry kitchen cloth or open-top paper bag, and store on a refrigerator shelf. Citrus fruits can be combined in a mesh bag in the refrigerator for longer lives or left at room temperature for up to one week.
With whole or leafy tender greens, it’s a more delicate dance. The goal is to absorb excess moisture from pre-packaged salad mixes, romaine lettuce, kale, radicchio, or spinach. Remove rubber bands or twist ties and inspect for any deteriorating leaves. Store leafy greens (loosely and unwashed) in a plastic storage container, lined and topped with dry paper towels and a snap-on lid. Greens purchased in a bag or clamshell can remain in their original packaging; just slip a dry paper towel inside and store in a closed-vent crisper drawer.
Send these for a swim.
Lightly trim asparagus, herbs, and edible flower stems at a 45-degree angle. Store in a jar or glass containing an inch of water and refrigerate.
Some alone time, please.
Produce such as apples, pears, green bananas, avocados, squash, melons (excluding watermelon), stone fruits, and tomatoes emit ethylene gas, which can shorten the life of neighboring fruits and vegetables.
“Leave stone fruits out on the counter in a single layer until they reach your desired level of ripeness,” says Farmer Al, as he’s known, from Frog Hollow Farm in Walla Walla, Wash., a supplier of organic fruits for local CSA boxes. “Then, put fruit in the fridge and pull out as needed, understanding that some pieces of fruit may ripen faster than others.”
Be berry careful.
Keep berries unwashed, with stems attached. Remove any decaying berries, then store in their original container, lined with dry paper towels. Cover loosely — berries need airflow and don’t like being crowded. For best results, eat a handful right away (for quality control, of course).
Close up your cut vegetables.
Raw and sliced ginger, red onion, potatoes, cucumbers, celery, and radishes all can be stored in a wide-mouth glass Mason jar filled with water and sealed with a lid. This is a great method for make-ahead meals, charcuterie boards, and quick snacks.
Properly storing fresh produce keeps it crisp, flavorful, and budget-friendly. No more soggy veggies — just the crunchiest salads, the juiciest fruits, and more time to savor summer’s sweetness.
Honorable Mentions
Here are a few more tips for ensuring top-quality produce:
- Aim to buy local and in-season, fresh produce.
- Check your refrigerator’s user manual for proper crisper drawer settings.
- When in doubt, wash fruits and vegetables right before using.
- Toss paper towels lining produce storage into your composter or garden soil.
- Free up refrigerator space by storing sweet potatoes, hard squash, and plain ol’ russets in a dry, cool place.
- Shop like a European. Purchase produce with shorter lifespans frequently.
- Check your local grocers for eco-friendly produce storage options.
- Store veggie scraps in a container in the freezer, then use them to make the best soup stocks.
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