Storing Vegetables and Fruit Properly

Don’t let your fresh vegetables and fruit go bad before you eat them. Protect your investment! Here are a few tips to get the best value:

In the grocery store:

• If you shop weekly or less often, choose vegetables and fruit that will last. Sturdy choices like potatoes, carrots, onions, root vegetables and apples all store well.
  
• Extend the time that fruits are good by choosing varying levels of ripeness, and using the fruits as they ripen.
  

At home:

• Refrigerate vegetables and fruit separately. Fruits give off ethylene gas, which causes vegetables to spoil, so keeping them separate will help extend the life of your veggies.
  
• Ripen peaches, kiwi fruit, mangoes, pears and avocados on the counter and then store them in the refrigerator. To help fruits ripen on the counter, place them in a loosely closed paper bag. The ethylene gas produced by the fruit helps it ripen. Adding a ripe apple or banana to the bag speeds the process.
  
• Berries, cherries, grapes and pineapples don’t ripen once they’re picked. They are best stored in the refrigerator and eaten as soon as possible.
  
• Bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, onions and cucumbers are best kept at room temperature.
  
• Asparagus, green or wax beans and summer squash should be eaten quickly or added to casseroles, soups, sauces or other dishes and/or frozen for later.
  
• Lettuces and other greens should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten quickly.

To ripen fruits such as peaches, kiwis and pears, put them in a paper bag with a ripe apple and keep them on the counter. Ripe fruits smell sweet and “give” to gentle pressure when squeezed.

Links:

Eating Well With Canada's Food Guide

Translated Versions of Canada's Food Guide

Dietitian Services @ Healthlink BC

Canadian Produce Marketing Association:
Home Storage Guide for Fresh Fruits & Vegetables