On this blog, we focus on scales for weighing produce. However, we also like to consume fresh produce and are always looking for ways to prolong the freshness of our favorite fruits and vegetables. We all like fresh produce, but how can we keep it fresh longer? “How you store fruits and vegetables will impact how fresh your produce will stay,” says Erin Palinski, RD, a registered dietitian in private practice in northern New Jersey. Below are some food storage tips for common fruits and vegetables from Everyday Health. Click the Everyday Health link to read the entire article.
Apples: At room temperature for up to seven days or refrigerated in a plastic bag if you won’t eat them that quickly.
Bananas: At room temperature, both ripe and unripe.
Grapefruit: At room temperature for one week or refrigerated for up to two or three weeks.
Peaches: At room temperature in a paper bag if unripe; remove from the bag when ripe and eat within a day or two.
Strawberries: Refrigerated for one to three days without washing.
Oranges: At room temperature for a day or two or refrigerated for up to one or two weeks.
Broccoli: Refrigerated for three to five days.
Carrots: Refrigerated, stored in a plastic bag with the green tops cut off.
Iceberg lettuce: Refrigerated in a plastic bag after rinsing and drying.
Tomatoes: At room temperature, out of direct sunlight — they quickly lose their taste if refrigerated.
Another important point mentioned in the article is the following regarding storing your produce in one bowl:
Don’t pile all your fruits and veggies together in one bowl — they can cause each other to spoil. “Keep quick-ripening vegetables away from foods like avocados, cantaloupe, tomatoes, pears, and apricots,” says Palinski. “These items emit ethylene, a gas that can cause nearby vegetables to spoil more quickly.” Most apples also emit this gas.