How to Store Fruit, Vegetables and Herbs So They Stay Fresh Longer

Fresh produce is one of the most rewarding parts of cooking and also one of the most frequently wasted. Strawberries turn moldy two days after purchase, cilantro becomes slimy, avocados go from rock hard to brown in what feels like an hour, and lettuce wilts in the drawer. Much of this waste comes from storing produce in the wrong place or the wrong way. Fruits and vegetables are still alive after harvest: they breathe, lose water and continue to ripen. Understanding their needs helps them last much longer. This guide explains where to store common fruits, vegetables and herbs, and how to keep them fresh and flavorful.

Why produce spoils

Several processes cause fruits and vegetables to deteriorate:

• Respiration: Produce continues to "breathe" after harvest, using up its sugars and slowly losing flavor and texture. Cold temperatures slow respiration.
• Moisture loss: Leafy greens and herbs wilt as they lose water. High humidity helps keep them crisp.
• Ripening: Many fruits continue to ripen after picking, becoming softer and sweeter until they eventually overripen and spoil.
• Microorganisms: Mold and bacteria grow on damaged or overly moist produce.
• Chilling injury: Some produce, particularly tropical and subtropical fruits, is damaged by cold temperatures, becoming mealy, discolored or flavorless.

Ethylene: the ripening gas

Ethylene is a natural plant hormone released as a gas by some fruits. It speeds up ripening in the fruit itself and in nearby produce. Some fruits produce a lot of ethylene, while some vegetables are particularly sensitive to it.

Store high ethylene producers away from sensitive vegetables, for example in a separate crisper drawer or on the counter. You can also use ethylene to your advantage: to speed up ripening of a hard avocado, pear or peach, place it in a paper bag with a banana or an apple.

Where to store common produce

In the refrigerator

These items keep best in the fridge, usually in the crisper drawers:

• Leafy greens and lettuce, in a container or bag lined with a paper towel.
• Broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.
• Carrots, beets and radishes, with their leafy tops removed.
• Celery, wrapped in foil or in a container with water.
• Green beans, peas and asparagus. Asparagus can be stored upright in a jar with a little water, covered loosely with a bag.
• Cabbage, whole, which keeps for weeks.
• Mushrooms, in a paper bag or in their original container, not sealed plastic.
• Berries, grapes and cherries, unwashed until just before eating.
• Ripe stone fruits, pears and avocados, to slow further ripening.
• Apples, which keep much longer in the fridge than on the counter.
• Citrus fruits, which last for several weeks in the fridge, though they are juicier at room temperature.
• Corn on the cob, in its husk, eaten as soon as possible.
• Cut fruits and vegetables, in airtight containers.

On the counter

These items keep better or ripen properly at room temperature, away from direct sunlight:

• Tomatoes, stem side down, until ripe. Cold temperatures make them mealy and dull their flavor. Very ripe tomatoes can be refrigerated for a short time to prevent spoilage, then brought back to room temperature before eating.
• Bananas, ideally hanging or separated.
• Unripe avocados, stone fruits, pears, mangoes, kiwis and melons, until ripe.
• Whole melons before cutting.
• Pineapple, for a day or two, then refrigerate once cut.

In a cool, dark, dry place

• Potatoes and sweet potatoes, in a paper bag, basket or box with ventilation, away from light to prevent greening. Light-exposed potatoes develop green patches containing solanine; cut away green parts before cooking.
• Onions, shallots and garlic, in a well-ventilated place. Keep onions away from potatoes, as they can make each other spoil faster.
• Winter squash, such as butternut and acorn squash, which keeps for weeks or months whole.

Keeping leafy greens crisp

Leafy greens are among the most commonly wasted foods. To keep them fresh:

1. Remove any damaged or slimy leaves.
2. Wash and dry the greens thoroughly, using a salad spinner. Excess water encourages rot.
3. Line a container or bag with a dry paper towel or clean kitchen towel.
4. Add the greens loosely and cover with another towel.
5. Close the container and store it in the crisper drawer.

Prepared this way, many greens last up to a week. Hardy greens like kale and cabbage last even longer.

Storing berries

Berries are delicate and spoil quickly because of mold. To make them last:

• Do not wash berries until just before eating, as moisture speeds up mold.
• Remove any moldy or crushed berries immediately.
• Store them in a single layer in a container lined with a paper towel, loosely covered.
• Some cooks rinse berries in a solution of one part vinegar to three parts water, then dry them very thoroughly before storing. This can slow mold growth, but drying well is essential.

Storing fresh herbs

Herbs fall into two groups, and they need different care.

Soft herbs such as parsley, cilantro, mint, dill and basil:

• Trim the stems and place the herbs in a jar with an inch or two of water, like a bouquet of flowers.
• Cover them loosely with a plastic bag and refrigerate them, except basil.
• Basil prefers room temperature. Keep it in a jar of water on the counter, away from direct sunlight. Cold temperatures turn its leaves black.
• Change the water every few days.

Hardy herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano:

• Wrap them loosely in a slightly damp paper towel.
• Place them in a container or bag and refrigerate.

Chives are best wrapped in a damp towel in the fridge.

Freezing herbs and produce

When you cannot use produce in time, freeze it:

• Herbs: Chop and freeze them in ice cube trays covered with olive oil or water, ready to drop into soups and sauces.
• Ripe bananas: Peel, slice and freeze for smoothies and baking.
• Berries and chopped fruit: Spread them on a tray, freeze until firm and transfer to a bag.
• Vegetables: Blanch most vegetables briefly before freezing to preserve color and texture.
• Ginger: Freeze whole; it is easy to grate straight from the freezer.

Reviving wilted produce

Slightly wilted vegetables can often be revived:

• Leafy greens, lettuce and herbs: Soak them in ice water for 15 to 30 minutes until crisp again.
• Carrots and celery: Trim the ends and stand them in cold water in the fridge for a few hours.
• Soft vegetables: Use them in soups, stir-fries, sauces or roasted dishes, where texture matters less.
• Overripe fruit: Turn it into smoothies, compotes, jams, crumbles or baked goods.

General tips for longer-lasting produce

• Buy only what you need and choose produce at the right stage of ripeness for when you plan to eat it.
• Handle gently to avoid bruising, which speeds spoilage.
• Do not wash produce before storing, unless you dry it thoroughly.
• Remove rubber bands and tight packaging, which can trap moisture.
• Check produce regularly and remove anything spoiled before it affects the rest.
• Keep the fridge at 40 °F (4 °C) or below and adjust crisper drawer humidity settings.

Seasonal produce lasts longer

Fruits and vegetables bought in season are usually fresher, because they travel shorter distances and spend less time in storage before reaching the store. They often last longer at home too. Farmers markets are a good source of very fresh produce, and many growers are happy to tell you how to store what they sell. In winter, sturdy vegetables like cabbage, carrots, beets, winter squash, onions and potatoes keep for weeks when stored correctly, making them excellent staples. In summer, delicate produce like berries, stone fruit and tender herbs is at its best but needs to be eaten within a few days, so buy smaller amounts more often.

A quick reference for the week

When unpacking groceries, a simple rule of thumb helps: if it was refrigerated in the store, refrigerate it at home; if it was displayed at room temperature and is not yet ripe, leave it on the counter until it is. Leafy and crunchy vegetables go into the humid drawer, fruits into the dry drawer, and anything you have cut goes into an airtight container on a shelf where you will see it.

Frequently asked questions

Should tomatoes be refrigerated? Ripe tomatoes taste best stored at room temperature. Refrigeration can make them mealy. Very ripe tomatoes can go in the fridge for a day or two to prevent spoilage; let them return to room temperature before eating.

Why do my herbs go bad so quickly? Moisture, cold and lack of water cause herbs to wilt or rot. Store soft herbs in water like flowers, keep basil at room temperature and wrap hardy herbs in a damp towel.

Should potatoes and onions be stored together? No. Onions release moisture and gases that can make potatoes sprout or spoil faster. Store them separately in cool, dark, ventilated places.

How do I ripen an avocado faster? Place it in a paper bag with a banana or an apple at room temperature. The ethylene gas speeds up ripening.

Can I keep cut fruit and vegetables? Yes, in airtight containers in the refrigerator, usually for a few days. Squeeze lemon juice on cut apples and avocados to slow browning.

The bottom line

Produce lasts longer when you store it according to its needs. Keep most vegetables, berries, apples and ripe fruit in the refrigerator, ripen tomatoes, bananas and stone fruit on the counter, and store potatoes, onions and garlic in a cool, dark, ventilated place. Separate ethylene-producing fruits from sensitive vegetables, keep greens dry and wrapped, store herbs like flowers and freeze what you cannot use in time. With these habits, your fruits and vegetables will stay fresh and flavorful longer, and less of them will end up in the trash.