How to store fruit in fridge

Fruit always tastes better when it is fresh and the most efficient way of keeping it fresh is to understand the principles of storing fruit in fridge. Once you know the secrets to how to store fruit and which fruits should be stored in the fridge, you will find it is much easier to grab a healthy snack whenever you want.

Of course, it can help to choose the right fridge. If ours is older or not energy efficient you may want to discover the range of Hoover refrigerators and find the one that best suits your needs!

Choosing The Right Approach To Home Preservation Of Fruit And Vegetables

The first step in home preservation of fruit and vegetables is deciding which items can be kept in the fridge and which should be stored in a dry and dark cupboard.

The simplest approach to how to preserve fresh fruit is to look at the type of fruit or vegetable and decide if it is ripe or not. As a general rule ripe fruit can be kept in the fridge. In other words, once it has ripened store it in the fridge and keep the fridge at the right temperature.

In contrast, root vegetables are better off kept outside of the fridge in a dark space or a root cellar.

Why Store Fruit In The Fridge

Most fruit is expensive to buy which is why you will want to know how to preserve fresh fruit for as long as possible. The fridge offers a cool environment that prevents bacteria from growing and spoiling the fruit.

In short, the same process that allows fruit to ripen on your counter will continue after they are ripe, causing them to rot. Putting them in the fridge interrupts this process and helps to keep all your fruit fresh. It doesn’t matter if you are looking at whole fresh fruit or how to preserve fresh fruit salad, the fridge is your best friend.

Fridge Storing Techniques

The secret to successfully storing fruit in the fridge is to place it in sealed containers. This allows it to enjoy the coolness without picking up aromas from other foods. Of course, it is also a good idea to use the Care+Protect Universal Fridge Odour Absorber which allows you to eliminate unpleasant odours and maintain the aroma of your food. The solid gel inside this odour remover is made with ingredients of plant origin to ensure it is allergen-free, odourless, and fragrance-free.

In order to minimize issues with the fruit stored in your fridge, it is a good idea to keep it clean. It may be time to discover the Care+Protect range of products for fridges to keep these appliances clean and hygienic at all times.

Final Fridge Storing Tips

Your fridge is the best place to store your fruit because of the temperature-controlled environment. However, you do need to store fruit in a sealed container or bag and it is best to keep it at the top of the fridge.

This prevents it from being contaminated by other food sources as there is nothing above it. It also reduces the risk of frost on the fruit, which can happen if the bottom part of your fridge gets too cold, especially if you have a fridge freezer with a freezer under the fridge.

Now you know how to preserve fruit in the fridge it is time you started doing it!

There are quite a few contradicting ideas out there about how you should store your produce. Some keep their apples in the pantry instead of the fridge, some refrigerate whole pineapple, and others are fully against storing tomatoes anywhere but on the counter. But in some cases, it's not just a matter of personal preference——your produce will last longer and taste better if it's stored one way over another. To help settle the debate once and for all (and help you reduce food waste), we put together instructions for storing some of the most controversial pieces of produce and included helpful lists so you'll know where to store all your fresh produce.

We know there are differing opinions out there about where to keep your tomatoes, but (trust us) they belong in your pantry or on your counter. When you store tomatoes in the fridge, they take on a mealy texture and lose some of their flavor. Whether you bring them home from the store or pull them off the vine in your backyard, tomatoes will stay juicier and tastier if you leave them out of the fridge.

Leave your lemons on the counter, and you'll have to restock sooner. Lemons, limes, and oranges all do best in the fridge because the cooler temperature prevents them from drying out. They'll keep for up to two weeks when chilled and about one week at room temperature. If you're not a fan of cold fruit, you can leave your lemons out on the counter for a couple hours before eating them. Additionally, you'll be able to squeeze out some extra juice if you reduce the chill first.

If you've ever brought home a container of mushrooms and left them on the counter for a few days before using them, you might be surprised to learn that they belong in the fridge. Except for morel mushrooms, which you should keep on the counter, unwashed mushrooms belong in the fridge in a paper bag, which will keep them from quickly going bad. If you want to leave them in their original container, remove the plastic wrap from the top first to help prevent them from becoming slimy after a day or two.

When it comes to storing squash, it all depends on which type you brought home. Winter squash, like acorn and butternut squash, should stay out of the fridge and be kept in a cool, dry place for up to two months (though once it's cut, leftovers should go into the fridge). Zucchini and summer squash, on the other hand, should go in the fridge where they'll last up to four days. Make sure you clear out some extra space in your fridge before bringing in that bumper zucchini crop!

Fortunately, most fruits can go either way. Apricots, avocados, star fruit, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, kiwis, mangoes, papayas, peaches, nectarines, plums, and pears can all be stored on the counter or in the fridge. However, they won't ripen in the fridge, so we recommend storing them on the counter until they're ripe, then moving them to the fridge if you're not ready to eat them yet. If you use them as soon as they're ripe, there's no need to put them in the fridge at all. Storing fruit in the fridge won't make it last forever. In most cases, it'll buy you a couple of extra days to make that avocado toast or peach crisp.

Skip the counter. These fruits and veggies will stay fresh and last longer if you keep them in the fridge:

1. Asparagus
2. Beans
3. Beets
4. Bok Choy
5. Broccoli
6. Brussels Sprouts
7. Cabbage
8. Carrots
9. Cauliflower
10. Celery
11. Cucumbers
12. Eggplant
13. Fennel
14. Greens
15. Leeks
16. Mushrooms
17. Okra
18. Peas
19. Peppers
20. Root Vegetables (Turnips, Rutabagas, Parsnips)
21. Spinach
22. Summer Squash/Zucchini
23. Apples (They'll do best in the crisper drawer.)
24. Berries
25. Cherries
26. Cranberries
27. Grapefruit
28. Grapes
29. Lemons/Limes
30. Oranges
31. Pineapple
32. Rhubarb
33. Watermelon

The list of fruits and veggies you should keep out of the fridge is surprisingly short! Here are the seven that keep best at room temperature:

1. Onions
2. Potatoes
3. Winter Squash (like Butternut and Acorn)
4. Sweet Potatoes
5. Tomatoes
6. Bananas
7. Persimmons

Some fruits and veggies can be stored both ways, either depending on your preference or how soon you plan to eat them. We mentioned that most of the fruits on this list can be ripened on the counter and then stored in the fridge, but there are a few other special cases:

1. Corn (Leave it out of the fridge if you're eating it within a day. Otherwise it can be refrigerated for up to seven days.)
2. Apricots
3. Avocados
4. Cantaloupe
5. Carambolas (Star Fruit)
6. Figs (They should be used right away, but can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
7. Honeydew Melon
8. Kiwi
9. Mangoes
10. Papayas
11. Peaches and Nectarines
12. Pears
13. Plums

While putting most of your produce in the fridge will help you save it for a few extra days, you can stretch your fruits and veggies even further by freezing or canning them. Almost every fruit or vegetable is a good candidate for one or the other (or both). So if you find yourself with more zucchini than you can eat in three days, start clearing out some space in your freezer. Don't forget to wash them thoroughly before eating, and it's a good idea to keep your fruits and veggies stored separately.

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