How to store fruit and vegetables so they last
Updated · 6 min read
Fresh produce is the food most often thrown away, usually because it was stored in the wrong place. A few simple rules - where each thing goes, what to keep apart, and when to wash - make it last days or even weeks longer.
Fridge, counter or cupboard?
| Where | What goes there |
|---|---|
| Fridge, high-humidity drawer | Leafy greens, broccoli, carrots, celery, cucumbers, green beans, peppers |
| Fridge, low-humidity drawer | Apples, pears, grapes, ripe stone fruit, berries |
| Counter, until ripe | Tomatoes, bananas, avocados, peaches, plums, mangoes, kiwi |
| Cool, dark cupboard | Potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, winter squash |
Once counter fruit is ripe, the fridge slows it down - a ripe avocado or peach keeps a few extra days there. Bananas' skins darken in the fridge, but the fruit inside is fine.
Keep these apart
Some fruits give off ethylene, a natural gas that speeds up ripening in anything nearby.
- Give off a lot: apples, bananas, avocados, tomatoes, pears, peaches and plums.
- Spoil faster near them: leafy greens, broccoli, cucumbers, carrots and herbs.
- Potatoes and onions should be stored apart too - together, potatoes sprout and onions soften sooner.
The trick works the other way as well: put an unripe avocado in a paper bag with a banana and it's ready a day or two sooner.
How long it usually lasts
| Produce | In the fridge, roughly |
|---|---|
| Berries | 3–7 days |
| Leafy greens and salad mixes | 3–7 days |
| Broccoli and cauliflower | about 1 week |
| Mushrooms (in a paper bag) | about 1 week |
| Celery and peppers | 1–2 weeks |
| Grapes | 1–2 weeks |
| Carrots | 3–4 weeks |
| Apples | 1–2 months |
These vary with how fresh it was when you bought it - trust your eyes and nose.
Tricks that help
- Wash just before eating, not before storing - extra moisture speeds up mold, especially on berries.
- Greens: wrap in a dry paper towel inside a container or bag to soak up moisture.
- Herbs: parsley and cilantro stand in a glass of water in the fridge, loosely covered; basil does the same on the counter (the cold blackens it).
- Celery and carrots stay crisp wrapped, or standing in water in a container.
- Sort as you unpack: one moldy berry or soft potato spreads to the rest.
- Freeze what's about to turn: overripe bananas for baking, berries for smoothies, chopped onions and peppers for cooking.
More guides
- How to organize your fridge so food lasts longerWhich shelf is coldest, where raw meat belongs, what the crisper drawer settings do, and the right temperature - a simple fridge layout that keeps food safe and fresh.
- How to cut food waste at homeWhere household food waste really comes from, ten habits that cut it, and a simple way to track what you throw out so you can see it shrink.
- How long food lasts in the fridge and freezerA quick chart of how long meat, fish, leftovers, eggs and dairy keep in the fridge and freezer, based on USDA guidance, plus the rules that keep it safe.