The Right Way To Store Fresh Produce Together

Some flavors are practically meant for each other, as evidenced by the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. On the other hand, some ingredients should be kept far apart. That is, at least until you start cooking. Before you begin haphazardly storing your fresh produce, it's important to know which ingredients shouldn't be stashed away together. Improper pairings lead to quicker wilting and unsavory odors. And you don't want your brand new raspberries smelling like onions, right?

In order to store vegetables to last longer in the fridge and avoid running to the grocery store for replacements, take note of which fruits and veggies can share a shelf. This comes down to identifying which foods emit high amounts of ethylene and which items absorb it. Tree fruits like apricots, apples, and pears produce ethylene gas as they ripen. Produce that is ethylene-sensitive — like broccoli or carrots that can get soft and lose their natural flavors in the presence of the gas — should be kept separate from those that produce any significant amount of ethylene.

While a colorful bowl of fruit might sound like a charming centerpiece, think twice before stacking that still life of lemons and limes on the dining table. Citrus can be stored together, but fruits like lemons, limes, apples, and avocados — which do the work of producing ethylene while also being highly reactive to it — should never be heaped into a bowl.

Generally, produce of the same kind plays well together. Berries can be stored together as can salad greens and root vegetables. But unfortunately for ethylene-producing melons, they shouldn't be mingling with any other fruit. Utilize your fridge drawers for your produce to easily house like-minded fruit. It's also crucial to properly prepare your produce before tucking it away. Remove the stems from root vegetables, and try to resist cutting and peeling most fruits and veggies. Keeping them whole helps lengthen their lifespan.