Nutritionists, dietitians, doctors and authors of fad diet books agree that fresh fruits and veggies are way good for you and that you probably need to eat lots more of them. But fresh produce spoils rather quickly, presenting storage challenges.
In general, a refrigerator set at 35 degrees to 50 degrees provides good storage for small quantities of fruits and vegetables.
Vegetable or crisper drawers provide slightly warmer storage. If moist storage is necessary, use plastic bags to hold in moisture.
Here are some storage guidelines:
● Asparagus
How to store: Trim 1 inch from bottom of stem. Wrap in wet paper towel. Store in plastic bags in refrigerator.
How long: 2 to 4 days
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● Green beans
How to store: Pods become tougher as beans mature. Store in perforated plastic bags in warm part of refrigerator (crisper).
How long: Up to 1 week
● Broccoli
How to store: Store in refrigerator in airtight plastic bags.
How long: 4 to 5 days
● Cabbage
How to store: Store in refrigerator, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.
How long: Up to 3 weeks
● Cauliflower
How to store: Store in perforated plastic bags in refrigerator.
How long: Up to 10 days
● Cucumbers
How to store: Store slicing cucumbers in plastic bags in crisper.
How long: Up to 2 weeks
● Eggplant
How to store: Does not keep long but may be stored in crisper.
How long: Up to 1 week
● Lettuce
How to store: Head, semi-head and leaf lettuce can be stored in perforated plastic bags in refrigerator.
How long: Up to 2 weeks
● Cantaloupe
How to store: Store at room temperature until fully ripe. Cut melon should be stored in refrigerator in airtight plastic bags.
How long: 2 or 3 days
● Onions (dry)
How to store: Keep ventilated during humid weather. Don't use plastic bags. Don't store under the sink with potatoes, which emit a gas that will spoil onions.
How long: 3 to 4 months
● Green onions
How to store: Cut off roots; trim tops, leaving 3 to 4 inches of green. Store in plastic bags in refrigerator.
How long: Up to 1 month
● Parsley
How to store: Store in plastic bags in refrigerator.
How long: Up to 10 days
● Sweet peppers
How to store: Store in crisper in plastic bags.
How long: Up to 3 days
● Sweet corn
How to store: Short storage life. Refrigerate in plastic bags.
How long: No more than 2 days
● Sweet potatoes
How to store: Because of their high sugar content, they don't keep as long as other root vegetables. Store under sink.
How long: 1 to 2 weeks
● Tomatoes
How to store: Don't refrigerate. Let them ripen on the kitchen counter. Mature green tomatoes with whitish-green skin can be kept by wrapping each tomato in newspaper and checking for ripeness weekly.
How long: 3 to 5 weeks (if green)
