Tips to store your Organic Fresh Produce
Tuesday, September 4th, 2018 | Shane Heaton
Storing your fresh fruit
When keeping fruit in the fridge, it’s best to store away from vegetables.
Apricots
Should be stored at room temperature. Once ripe store Apricots in the fridge in a sealed bag for up to 2 days.
Avocados
Should be left to ripen at room temperature for 1-5 days. Avocados are ready to eat when they yield to gentle pressure.
Blueberries
Should be stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to a week. Best when stored completely dry with spoiled berries taken out.
Blackberries
Can be refrigerated for 2-3 days. Best when dried before storing and spoiled Blackberries are removed.
Bananas
Best kept at room temperature, avoid refrigerating. They should last for about a week.
Cherries
Can be kept in the fridge for up to a week. Wash Cherries before eating and store in a covered container.
Grapes
Best stored in the fridge in a sealed bag for up to a week.
Grapefruits
Can be kept at room temperature and should have a subtle sweet aroma. Grapefruit are ready when firm yet slightly springy with gentle pressure.
Kiwifruit
To fasten ripening, store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks or in a paper bag with an apple or banana. Kiwifruit are ready once they yield to gentle pressure.
Lemons
Will stay fresh at room temperature for a week. Can be stored in the fridge for about 4 weeks.
Limes
Can be kept at room temperature for up to a week, or stored in the fridge in a loosely sealed bag for 10-14 days.
Mandarins
Should be stored in a cool, dry place for 1-2 weeks. Refrigerate any Mandarins not used in that time.
Mangoes – Green Skin
Should be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days to ripen. Once Mnagoes become fragrant and ripe store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Honeydew
Keep at room temperature until ripe. Once ready Honeydew Melon can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Nectarines
Ripen in a cool, dark place. Store unripe Nectarines in a paper bag for up to 2 days. Once ripe store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Peaches
Ripen in a cool, dark place. Store unripe Peaches in a paper bag for up to 2 days. Once ripe store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Pears – Green Skin
Store at room temperature for 3-7 days to ripen. Once ripe store in the fridge in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.
Plums
Once ripe store Plums in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Raspberries
Best stored in the fridge in a container for 1-2 days. Leaving them at room temperature causes them to perish quickly.
Strawberries
Best kept in the fridge in a container for 2-3 days. Leaving them at room temperature causes them to spoil quickly.
Storing your fresh vegetables
To gain the best storage life it’s best to store your produce separately.
Beans
Store in a plastic bag in the fridge. Should be consumed within 1-4 days of purchase, and washed prior to eating.
Broccoli
Must be kept refrigerated in a plastic bag or container, the closer to 0°C the better. Broccoli will spoil quickly if allowed to go over 5°C.
Carrots
Should be dried and stored in the fridge in a plastic bag. Can last up to several weeks.
Leafy Veggies
Should be kept in a plastic bag in the fridge to prevent wilting. Avoid moisture as the leafy greens will quickly decay.
Lettuces
Best kept cold and handled gently as Lettuces are highly perishable. Store in a moisture proof container at as close to 0°C as possible.
Onions
Can be stored in a cool, dry place for several weeks. Store in a lidless container, never in a plastic bag. Only refrigerate once Onions have been cut.
Potatoes
Should be stored in the dark in a cool, dry place. Can last for several weeks. Washed potatoes are best kept in the fridge but remove from plastic bags.
Pumpkins
Should keep for many weeks if kept in a cool, dry place. Once Pumpkin has been cut. store in the fridge with the seeds removed.
Swedes/Turnips
Are a very durable vegetable but are best kept in the fridge, preferably not in a plastic bag.