Best way to store fruit & veggies

[Yael]

Hey guys,

Since we saw a dietitian we are buying heaps more fresh fruit & veggies, but I also seem to have the problem with storing them... So i thought i would ask your advice about what is the best way to store certain things - i.e. in the fridge or out of it, in what kind of containers.

I have 2 fruit bowls, 1 is a wire one that i mainly keep the apples in, and the other is a big shallow dish that i put the softer stone fruit etc in... but it still seems to get bruised and then makes the others go bad around them.... Oh well, at least the worms in our worm farm get a good feed each week.

What fruit do you store in the fridge? Do you keep it in the veggie crisper? Do you leave stuff in the plastic bags or out? We have 2 veggie compartments, so i normally put the softer stuff like tomatoes in 1 side with the cucumbers & zucchini, and the carrots etc in the other. I did hear that if you put 1 piece of paper towel in the container with the cucumbers it absorbs the water that they sweat and then they don't go gross and mouldy so quickly - it has seems to increase their shelf life.

What about strawberries & mushrooms - how to you store them? I saw on ebay these plastic tuppaware type containers, but they did this special vacuum seal. I wasn't sure if it was worth buying them as they were a bit $$, but if the fruit keeps for heaps longer than i guess it is worth it.

In the pantry i normally have the potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions & garlic on the bottom shelf, but still sometimes the potatoes grow roots..

So, teach me your food storage tips

I normally do a big fruit & veg shop once a week, but some things i only buy once every 2 weeks etc.

[LucaJack'sMum]

I keep half my fruit in the fruit bowl (eg half the apples, half the pears, half the stone fruit etc) and the other half in the crisper of the fridge until we need them.
I normally keep my veges in the crisper in plastic bags exept mushrooms that stay in a paper bag, but will be very interested to see others tips to store them also!

[nic]

Yael,
There was a thread only a few months ago about fruit and veg storage, but i can't find it??
Anyway, in the aisle with the alfoil/clingwrap/plastic ziplock bags, there is a pack of vegie bags that keep your fruit or veg fresher for longer. I thought it was a gimmick, but after my nan saying she buys them and they really work, i thought i would give them a go too.

I can't remember the name of them, and I've run out of them so can't check the cupboard either! I'm going to try to go shopping this arvo, so will try to remember to check them out

Nic

[Astrid]

We have some Tupperware fridge storers. Whilst I am a bit slack with using them and tend to place most food in the crisper, I have found them useful for the veg that we grow. They keep cucumbers for ages. They do take up shelf space which is a pain, but they do stack nicely.

[nic]

Ok, the bags I got are called 'Fresh and Crisp' there is 10 in a pack, and they have zip ties included, i threw away the docket, but i think they were around $3-$4 for the pack.
I did notice something else there, didnt get the name of it, but it was some sort of 'disc' that you throw in your crisper to keep the fruit/veg fresh. I think it was around $6 and lasts for a few months i think it said

Nic

[AngelPunks]

I swear by the fridgesmart containers from tupperware - a bit expensive to start out with but well worth it in the end.

I get my F&V at the farmers market so I know it is farm fresh but the fridgesmart allows me to keep the stuff longer, also allows me to cut up the veges etc into useable chunks so I'm not having to do the prep work just before cooking!

[*Ash*]

We also have the FridgeSmart containers from Tupperware. They definately keep f & v fresher for longer. They are a bit exxie though. And I don't always use them because they do take up a lot of room in the fridge. Also, I never store tomatos in the fridge anymore.I keep them in a bowl on the kitchen bench.

[*Ang*]

I swear by the fridgesmart containers from tupperware - a bit expensive to start out with but well worth it in the end.

We are the same. I use a large container for my carrots, cucumber and celery sticks and then put into two smaller containers whatever other vegies I have purchased which is usually broccoli and cauliflower (I cut up into chunks before putting into container so so easy from a cooking perspective), mushies, pumpkin and capsicum. They keep the vegies fresh for so much longer. If I have strawberries I will also put them into one of these containers. I keep vegies all in one crisper and fruit in other.

On the fruit side I simply have a large plastic bowl that I put in my crisper filled with apples, pears and whatever other seasonal fruit we purchase. The fruit tends to get eaten pretty quickly in our household so I dont need to store it specially. I also put bananas in the fridge just because otherwise I find they ripen too quickly.

In my pantry I have one of the large tupperware vegetable storers where I put my sweet pot, potato and onions. It also does keep them longer too. As you can tell I am a tupperware fan.

[Astrid]

In my pantry I have one of the large tupperware vegetable storers where I put my sweet pot, potato and onions. It also does keep them longer too. As you can tell I am a tupperware fan.

I have one of those and I find that the potatoes sprout quicker in them than in the bag. Not sure what is going on there.

[Miss J]

I love my Tupperware fruit and vegie keepers too - keeps things soo much longer. I've taken one of the crisper drawers out of my fridge and put the tupperware things there instead.