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How to store vegetables

Like most people, you probably buy food for several days at a time, which means you face the problem of making sure your fresh veggies stay fresh for as long as possible.

And not all vegetables are created equal, which means there is no one best way to store them all. Fresh vegetables like lettuce cannot be handled in the same way as root vegetables like potatoes or carrots. In addition, certain practices, such as peeling or washing, can lengthen or shorten its life, depending on several factors. Storing certain vegetables together can also affect how long they last. Here you will find everything you need to know to store your vegetables for maximum freshness.

Cool, dry and dark place

Some vegetables stay fresh longer in a cool place or at room temperature, away from moisture, heat, and light. In some cases, this could be a kitchen cabinet (not located directly next to your oven) or it could mean a dedicated pantry. The ideal temperature for your pantry is between 50 and 70 F (although 50 to 60 F is better).

By the way, the reason for keeping your pantry dark is that if these veggies are exposed to light, they think they're outside and will start to sprout.

Vegetables to store in your pantry include:

Onions

shallots

Garlic

Hard squash like winter, acorn, spaghetti, and walnuts

All kinds of potatoes (including yams and sweet potatoes)

Rutabagas

These items will keep for at least a week in your pantry, and even longer, like a month or more, if the temperature stays between 50 and 60 F.

And unless you practice meticulous climate control in your home year-round, that means vegetables stored in your pantry will generally last longer in colder months than when it's hot.

Note that although you should store the onions and potatoes in the pantry, do not keep them side by side. Potatoes sprout faster if stored close to onions.

In the fridge

Does your refrigerator have vegetable drawers? Most do, and some of them even allow you to adjust the humidity, usually by opening (less humidity) and closing (more humidity) small air vents in the drawers. And while the low humidity setting is better for some fruits, when it comes to vegetables, you should go for high humidity (in other words, close the vents). The temperature in your refrigerator should be between 33 and 40 F. 1

Asparagus has a fairly short shelf life, even when refrigerated. You'll know when your asparagus is starting to run out when the stem tips start to look dry and wilted. Asparagus will keep 2-3 days in the crisper, but see below for a way to extend this significantly.

Eggplant, celery, bell peppers, peas, artichokes, zucchini, and cucumber will last up to a week in the refrigerator.

Summer squash, yellow squash, and green beans for 3 to 5 days.

The broccoli will last 3-5 days.

Brussels sprouts will last 3-5 days.

The cauliflower will last 1 week.

Carrots, parsnips, turnips, beets, and radishes can be stored in a plastic produce bag and will last 2 weeks.

The same goes for lettuce and other leafy greens, which will last anywhere from 3 days to a week depending on how delicate the leaves are.

The mushrooms will last 3-5 days and should be refrigerated in a paper bag.

The ears of corn must be stored in their leaves; they will last between 1 and 2 days.

On the counter

While there are countless fruits, such as stone fruits, citrus, and bananas that should be stored on the counter, the only vegetables you should keep there are tomatoes. 1

What's that? Have you heard that tomatoes are technically a fruit? In fact they are. And, technically, so are bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, corn, and eggplants. But since tomatoes are prepared and served like other vegetables, rather than the way we use fruits like apples, bananas, and pears, we include them here.

In any case, keep your tomatoes on the counter, out of direct sunlight. The refrigerator will return its grainy texture.