A healthy portion of the American income goes towards purchasing groceries every week. Fresh produce should not be stored together in a refrigerator with other perishable foods, as they will start to spoil. Items that should not be stored together include meat, dairy, produce, and bakery items. Some fresh foods are better off not being kept together. Basil, for example, should not be stored with apples.
The ethylene gas that apples give off will make the basil rot faster. When you go grocery shopping, you may be tempted to buy fresh fruits and vegetables to eat later in the week. However, if you’re not careful, you may spoil some of your groceries. Here are four fresh foods that you should never store together,
Fresh Foods You Should Never Store Together
10. Tomatoes hate the fridge
If you’ve ever stored tomatoes in the fridge, you’ve probably noticed that they lose their flavour and become mealy. This is because tomatoes hate the cold – they spoil more quickly when refrigerated.
Tomatoes are best stored at room temperature, where they will last for up to a week. If you need to store them longer, put them in a paper bag in the fridge. They’ll last for up to two weeks this way.
There are some other fruits and vegetables that you should never store together with tomatoes, including avocados, bananas, and cucumbers. These foods give off ethylene gas, which makes tomatoes spoil more quickly.
9. Ripen avocados next to bananas
Avocados and bananas are two of the most common fresh fruits found in grocery stores. While they have many similarities, there are a few key differences that you should be aware of when storing them.
Avocados should be stored at room temperature and eaten within a few days. You can still use them in recipes like guacamole or smoothies if they are overripe.
Bananas should also be stored at room temperature but can last up to a week. If they start to brown, they are still edible but will have a different flavour than when they are yellow.
8. Don’t let onions and potatoes mingle
Onions and potatoes should not be stored together. Onions release a gas that can make potatoes spoil faster. Instead, the two foods should be kept in separate fridge areas, ideally in different drawers.
7. Break up your bananas
The next time you go grocery shopping, look at the produce section and see if you can spot items that should never be stored together. Believe it or not, some of your favourite fresh foods don’t do well when they’re kept close to one another. Here’s a list of some of the most common offenders, Apples and pears: These two fruits give off a gas called ethylene, which causes other produce to spoil faster.
Potatoes and onions: The gases these vegetables give off can make each other spoil faster. Tomatoes and cucumbers: These two veggies release a lot of water, which can cause spoiling. Bananas and avocados: Bananas produce ethylene gas, which will cause avocados to brown faster.
6. Separate your apples and oranges
Sometimes, we can’t just all get along. That’s the case with apples and oranges—trusted fruit bowl staples in still life paintings but frenemies in fridge life. Fruits give off a gas called ethylene, the ripening agent that will lead to faster spoilage of the produce around it, says author and chef Matthew Robinson of The Culinary Exchange. Store apples in the fridge if you want to extend their shelf life.
5. Give your berries a bath
When it comes to storing your fresh foods, there are some cardinal rules that you should never break. One of those rules is never to keep apples and oranges together. Apples produce ethylene gas, which can make oranges rot faster.
Other ethylene-producing fruits include bananas, pears, and tomatoes. If you have to store apples and oranges together, keep them separate from the other fruits.
4. Bag your root veggies
Root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and beets should be stored in a cool, dark place like a pantry or cellar. However, these vegetables will last longer if stored in a paper or plastic bag. The gases that vegetables produce can cause them to spoil quickly. By bagging them, you reduce the amount of air that comes in contact with the vegetables.
3. Squash and pumpkins don’t go with apples and pears
When you’re stocking your fridge with fresh fruits and vegetables, there are some combinations you should avoid. For example, don’t store apples and pears together – they’ll spoil faster than if they were stored separately.
The same goes for squash and pumpkins – they emit ethylene gas, making others produce spoil faster. Instead, stick to storing fruits and vegetables separately to make sure they stay fresh for as long as possible.
2. Treat herbs like fresh flowers
When it comes to grocery shopping, many people feel overwhelmed. With so many different foods, it’s hard to know which ones can be stored together and which ones can’t. Here is a list of some fresh foods you should never store together; herbs should be treated like flowers. Please keep them in a vase of water with a plastic bag over the top of the vase. Make sure the herbs are entirely covered in water.
Lettuce should be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Make sure the lettuce is dry before putting it in the bag. Celery should be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Celery will stay fresh for up to two weeks if kept cold and moist. Tomatoes should be stored at room temperature on a countertop or windowsill.
1. Cucumbers stand alone
Did you know that cucumbers should never be stored together with fresh fruits? The ethylene gas that cucumbers release can cause fruits, like apples and bananas, to ripen too quickly. This means they’ll lose their flavour and nutritional value.
Instead, store your cucumbers in the fridge alongside vegetables like carrots and celery. These vegetables don’t produce ethylene gas, so that they won’t affect the flavour or quality of your cucumbers.
