Storing fruit and vegetables correctly

Fruit and vegetables are crucial for a healthy diet. Depending on the type you buy, you will need to store them in a particular way to keep them as fresh as possible and retain valuable vitamins. The right temperature, light conditions and humidity are key. Find out here how you should store your fruit and vegetables to provide the best protection for your large and small vitamin bombs.

What needs to go in the fridge and what is best stored at room temperature?

The full vitamin enjoyment is best retained by transferring the following fruits from the shopping bag into the fridge: grapes, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants, kiwis, apricots, pears, peaches, nectarines, cherries and plums. Pack the fruit in a paper bag to protect it from drying out in the fridge. The fruit can continue to breathe if the bag is left slightly open. Many types of vegetables also love the fridge. The ideal place for broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, kohlrabi, salad leaves, leeks, mushrooms, corn, spinach, radishes, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, Chinese leaves and peas is in the lower vegetable compartment.

But what suits one type of fruit or vegetable might not suit another. Fruit that does not belong in the fridge includes bananas, pineapple, oranges, melon, mangos, lemons, papayas and grapefruit. Vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, aubergines, cucumbers, onions, garlic and potatoes are not fans of the cold. In order not to damage the cell tissue, these varieties are best kept at room temperature. The ideal storage place for such produce is a dark pantry – or even a cupboard.

In general, our rule of thumb is that exotic fruit or vegetables like the heat; local produce, on the other hand, prefers a cooler environment.

Your Dole Team