Vegetable Storage Guide
How To Store Fruits And Vegetables
Reprinted with permission from CSACookbooks.com courtesy GrowingForMarket.com.
Apples
— Shelf Life: 5-26 weeks
Coldest part of the fridge. Softens after some months, but
fine for cooking after that.
Basil, all types
— Shelf Life: 2-5 days
Cut stems in vase with water on countertop is best, or in the
warmest part of the refrigerator. Excessive cold blackens the
leaves.
Beans (snap)
— Shelf Life: Up to 7 days
Refrigerator; keep in the bag. Wash just before using. Must be
dry before storing.
Beets
— Shelf Life: Roots: 5 weeks; greens: 5 days
Best in fridge, but OK in basement. Separate greens – must be
refrigerated. Wash greens just before cooking.
Broccoli
— Shelf Life: 1 – 2 weeks
Refrigerate in coldest part of fridge.
Brussels Sprouts
— Shelf Life: Keeps 3-4 weeks
Coldest part of the fridge.
Cabbage
— Shelf Life: Refrigerated up to 4 months
Best anywhere in the fridge. Can be stored in a very cold
basement if needed, but not ideal.
Carrots
— Shelf Life: 3 months, properly stored
Coldest part of the fridge. Best to store dry (in a bag). If they
are too wet they will start to sprout or rot. Out of the bag
they begin to go flaccid. Cellar only with great care.
Cauliflower
— Shelf Life: 1 – 2 weeks
Refrigerate in coldest part of fridge.
Chives
— Shelf Life: 4 – 7 days
Dry, loose in a plastic bag in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
Wash just before using.
Cilantro
— Shelf Life: 3 – 14 days
Washed, drained and then refrigerated. In a sealed Tupperware,
with a paper towel or cloth underneath
to help regulate the moisture.
Corn (sweet)
— Shelf Life: Best to eat immediately, but will
retain sweetness up to 4 days Coldest part of the fridge.Typically
loses sweetness during storage.
Cucumbers
— Shelf Life: 3-10 days
Refrigerate.
Dill
— Shelf Life: 3 – 14 days
Washed, drained and then refrigerated. In a sealed Tupperware,
with a paper towel or cloth underneath
to help regulate the moisture.
Eggplant
— Shelf Life: 7-10 days upon refrigeration
On counter until ripe and sof t (and a little wrinkly) — this is
sweetest and most tender. Then put in fridge.
Garlic
— Shelf Life: Best flavor when eaten within 6 weeks,
but can keep up to 4 months. Pantry.
Greens (including lettuce, spinach, and swiss chard)
All greens should be washed and drained before storing in
the refrigerator. Longest shelf life is had by placing greens
on top of a paper towel or clean cloth inside of a lidded Tupperware
container. Whole heads store longer and better than
cut leaves.
Green Beans/String Beans
— Shelf Life: 3- 10 days
Refrigerator – loose and dry.
Kohlrabi
— Shelf Life: 1 – 6 weeks
Coldest part of fridge, loose and dry in plastic bag.
Leeks
— Shelf Life: 5 – 30 days
Coldest part of fridge, loose and dry in plastic bag.
Melons (honeydew, cantaloupe)
— Shelf Life: Up to 2 weeks
(after ripe) in fridge
On counter until ripe. Refrigerating will slow or stop the ripening
if necessary. Cantaloupe smells ripe from the stem end
when perfect.
Mint
— Shelf Life: 2-5 days
Cut stems in vase with water on countertop is best, or in the
warmest part of the refrigerator. Excessive cold blackens the
leaves.
Mushrooms
— Shelf Life: 3 – 10 days
Loose in open container in fridge; never in closed plastic bag.
Nectarines
— Shelf Life: Once ripened and refrigerated: 3 – 5
days
On countertop, loose and separated on platter, until just sof t.
Fruit should sit on its shoulders. Once ripe, eat within 12
hours or refrigerate.
Onions (dry skin)
— Shelf Life: 2 – 20 weeks
Pantry or basement.
Onions (green and spring)
— Shelf Life: 3-14 days
Must be refrigerated.
Parsley
— Shelf Life: 4 – 21 days
Washed, drained and then refrigerated. In a sealed Tupperware,
with a paper towel or cloth underneath to help regulate
the moisture.
Parsnips
— Shelf Life: 3 months
Coldest part of the fridge. Best to store dry (in a bag). If they
are too wet they will start to sprout or rot. Out of the bag
they begin to go flaccid. Cellar only with great care.
Peaches
— Shelf Life: Once ripened and refrigerated: 3 – 5 days
On countertop, loose and separated on platter, until just sof t.
Fruit should sit on its shoulders. Once
ripe, eat within 12 hours or refrigerate.
Peas (English)
— Shelf Life: 1 – 3 weeks, but sweetest eaten
within 1-4 days after harvest
Refrigerator, keep in the bag. Shell as soon as pods sof ten.
Peas (Snow, Sugar Snap)
— Shelf Life: 3 – 14 days
Coldest part of fridge.
Peppers (Green – Sweet)
— Shelf Life: 1 – 5 weeks
Refrigerate, loose and dry.
Peppers (Hot)
— Shelf Life: 1 – 5 weeks
Refrigerate, loose and dry.
Peppers (Red – Sweet)
— Shelf Life: 3 – 21 days
Refrigerate, loose and dry.
Plums
— Shelf Life: Once ripened and refrigerated: 3 – 5 days.
On countertop, loose and separated on platter, until just sof t.
Once ripe, eat within 12 hours or
refrigerate.
Potatoes (Irish)
— Shelf Life: Up to 4 months in fridge, 6
weeks in pantry
Pantry, cellar or warmest part of the fridge. Very cold temperatures
lead to increased sugar/sweetness; nice for some
people, unexpected for others. New potatoes, on the other
hand, must be refrigerated.
Potatoes (sweet)
— Shelf Life: 5 weeks – 8 months, depending
on variety and previous handling
Hate refrigeration: NEVER in fridge. Basement or Pantry. Ideally
at 55 – 65F, but tolerates up to 80F or higher.
Pumpkins
— Shelf Life: 3 – 8 weeks
In a cool basement (55 -65F) or pantry. Hate refrigeration.
Radishes
— Shelf Life: 1 – 5 weeks
Washed, drained and then refrigerated, in a Tupperware, with
a paper towel or cloth underneath to help regulate the moisture.
Raspberries
— Shelf Life: 1-3 days
Must be refrigerated in coldest part of fridge. If storing in a
plastic container, pack loosely. Okay to store
in an open container. Wash only before eating/using: excessive
or premature washing leads to fungal
growth.
Rhubarb
— Shelf Life: 5 – 21 days
Store loose and dry in a plastic bag in any part of the refrigerator.
Rosemary
— Shelf Life: 1 – 2 weeks
Do not wash! Store dried, loose in a bag in any part of refrigerator.
Squash, Summer (ALL)
— Shelf Life: 3-10 days
Refrigerate.
Squash, Winter (Acorn, Buttercup, Delicata, Hubbard,
Kabocha)
— Shelf Life: 3 – 8 weeks
In a cool basement (55 -65F). Hate refrigeration.
Squash, Winter (Butternut, Spaghetti)
— Shelf Life: 3 weeks
– 4 months
In a cool basement (55 -65F). Hate refrigeration.
Strawberries
— Shelf Life: 1-3 days
Must be refrigerated in coldest part of fridge. If storing in a
plastic container, pack loosely. Best to store in an open container.
Wash only before eating/using: excessive or premature
washing leads to fungal growth.
Tomatoes, Big Slicing
— Shelf Life: Once ripened and refrigerated:
3 – 5 days
Countertop, loose and separated on platter, until just soft.
On shoulders as per peaches and nectarines.
Tomatoes, Cherry
— Shelf Life: In refrigerator: 7 – 10 days
Assuming they arrive ripe, eat within 12 hours or refrigerate.
If underripe, store in open container on
counter until fully ripe.
Tomatoes, Plums
— Shelf Life: In refrigerator: up to 10 days
Store loose on counter, separated from each other, until ripe.
Use or refrigerate within 24 hours.
Turnips
— Shelf Life: 2 – 7 weeks
Loose and dry in any part of the refrigerator.
Watermelon
— Shelf Life: 3 – 5 weeks
Counter storage will not help ripening, but much more tolerant
of pantry, fridge or basement storage than other melons.
1 Comment
Lorna Schenk · July 25, 2015 at 2:41 pm
The lettuce and celery is fantastic!