Author: Rosen Chang
With summer in full swing, it calls for sizzling barbecues, good conversations, and a table piled high with fresh, colourful produce. From juicy peaches to vibrant peppers, this is the season when fruits and vegetables are at their peak, bursting with flavour and ready to be shared. Summer gatherings often mean buying in bulk, whether it’s baskets of berries for dessert or heaps of greens for a big, fresh salad. When you have leftover produce, keeping it fresh for as long as possible ensures it tastes just as delicious on day three as the day you brought it home. Proper food storage isn’t just about convenience, it’s a smart way to reduce waste, save money, and keep your meals tasting their best.
It All Starts at the Grocery Store
Choosing high-quality produce is the first step to making it last. For leafy greens, look for deep, vibrant colours with minimal limp or yellowing leaves. For picking root vegetables, cabbage, squash, or onions, choose ones that feel heavy for their size and are free of blemishes or soft spots.
Not Everything Belongs in the Fridge
Although it may be intuitive that most produce should go into the fridge, some fruits and veggies like potatoes, onions, and garlic, prefer a cool, dark, and dry spot on the counter or in the pantry. Putting them in the fridge can alter their taste and texture, often for the worse.
Keep it Sealed
For produce that should be refrigerated, keeping it sealed helps it last longer. Use ziploc bags, reusable silicone bags, or airtight containers to hold in moisture and block out air. The produce bags from the grocery store work too, don’t toss them! Sealed storage also protects delicate items from dehydrating and ethylene gas, which can speed up ripening (and rotting).
Airflow is Key
Fruits and vegetables need air circulation to stay fresh. Avoid sealing room temperature produce like bananas, potatoes, or onions in plastic bags (even if they came in one). Take them out to give them room to breathe. This applies for the fridge too! Even though you should seal refrigerated produce, overcrowding your fridge is not a great idea. Cold air needs space to move in order to keep everything evenly chilled.
Understanding Ethylene Gas
Some fruits (apples, pears, bananas) naturally release ethylene gas which accelerates ripening. This can be useful for fruits that need to be ripened faster but also cause trouble. Ethylene-sensitive items like lettuce, leafy greens, cabbage, and broccoli spoil faster when stored near the gas-emitting fruits. The best way to keep food fresh longer is to store ethylene-producing fruits separately from ethylene-sensitive items, whether in or out of the fridge.
Extra Tips
- Fresh fruits like avocado, mango, peaches, and pineapple should be left at room temperature to ripen. Once ripe, move them to the fridge to reduce spoilage.
- Check your produce regularly. Remove any mushy or moldy pieces, they’ll cause nearby produce to go bad faster.
- Remove rubber bands or twist ties as soon as you get home. These can bruise or break the produce where they’re wrapped, leading to faster spoilage.
- “Best before” does not mean unsafe after the date – use sensory cues (look, smell, taste) to judge freshness. Trust your senses when it comes to freshness. If something looks off or smells funky, toss it out.
With a little extra care, your summer produce will stay just as vibrant and delicious as the day you brought it home – good for your taste buds, your wallet, and the planet. Save the table below for reference when you are sorting your grocery shop!
| Produce | Storage Method | Tips |
| Apples and Pears | Fridge (crisper drawer) | Keep away from other produce; releases ethylene gas |
| Bananas | Counter | Keep away from other produce; releases ethylene gas; refrigerate to slow browning |
| Citrus (oranges, lemons, limes) | Counter or Fridge (crisper drawer) | Store in the fridge to extend life. Remove any moldy citrus promptly to prevent spoilage. |
| Berries (strawberries, blueberries, etc.) | Fridge (in container with paper towel) | Don’t wash until eating; optional vinegar bath to prevent mold |
| Peaches, nectarines, mangoes | Counter to ripen → then fridge | Keep in a single layer to avoid bruising |
| Avocados | Counter to ripen → then fridge | Store with banana to ripen faster; refrigerate once ripe |
| Carrots | Fridge (submerged in water) | Peel and cut first for easier access and freshness |
| Celery | Fridge (submerged in water) | Wrap in foil to retain crispness |
| Tomatoes | Counter (out of sunlight) | Fridge can make them mealy; only refrigerate if overripe |
| Garlic | Cool, dark place (pantry) | Use a breathable container; avoid fridge |
| Onions | Cool, dark place (pantry) | Store away from potatoes to prevent sprouting |
| Potatoes | Cool, dark, well-ventilated space | Keep away from onions; avoid fridge (alters flavour/texture) |
| Broccoli | Fridge (unwashed, in bag) | Wrap in damp paper towel or perforated bag |
| Mushrooms | Fridge (paper bag) | Avoid plastic (traps moisture and causes slime) |
| Leafy Herbs (Cilantro, Parsley and Dill), Asparagus, Green Onion | Jar with water + plastic cover | Trim stems and change water every few days (Like flowers) |
| Leafy Greens (spinach, kale, etc.) | Fridge (in container or bag) | Wrap in paper towel to absorb moisture |
| Chard, Collard Greens and Kale | Fridge | Revive limp greens in an ice water bath |
| Beets and Radishes | Fridge | Can keep for a few days at room temperature if you’re limited on storage |
| Ginger | Fridge | Extra ginger can be frozen |
| Hard Cheeses | Fridge (in container) | Can dry out if left exposed; cut off moldy areas when they arise |
| Eggs | Fridge (in original cartons) | Do not place them in the refrigerator door |
This campaign is made possible thanks to the generous support of GFL Environmental.
