The Best Way To Store Vegetables | NatureFresh Farms (2024)

We’ve all been there: making dinner when you reach for your fresh ingredients—only to find they’re not as fresh as when you brought them home.

So, what’s the issue?

It could be because you aren’t storing them properly.

Keeping Your Veggies Fresher Longer

Learning how to store your vegetables properly will help keep them fresher longer, and help maintain their delicious taste.

The first thing you should know about storing fruits and veggies: make sure you aren’t storing them together. Many fruits give off a gas that makes other produce spoil, so storing fruits and veggies in separate crisper drawers can help prevent your vegetables from ripening past their prime too quickly.

No two fruits and veggies are the same, and the same goes for storing them. So we’ve created this guide to help you keep your favorite NatureFresh Farms™ fruits and veggies—like Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Bell Peppers—fresh, so you always get the crisp, refreshing taste you love.

How To Store Tomatoes

The Best Way To Store Vegetables | NatureFresh Farms (1)
Keep your Tomatoes on your kitchen counter, uncovered and away from direct sunlight. This will allow them to continue to ripen and develop their flavor. Tomatoes will last between 3-4 days stored on a countertop.

Should you store Tomatoes in the refrigerator?

You should only keep Tomatoes in your fridge once they have fully ripened. This will help extend their life—ripened Tomatoes will usually last between 5 and 7 days in the fridge.

Storing unripe Tomatoes in the fridge actually stops the ripening process, leading to a less vibrant flavor and a dry, mealy texture.

Keep in mind that storing even ripened Tomatoes in the fridge will affect the flavor, so it’s best to keep them out of the refrigerator and enjoy them while they’re fresh!

How to store cut Tomatoes

To reduce bacteria and spoilage, after Tomatoes have been cut they should be stored in the refrigerator. To keep them fresh, store them cut-side down on a paper towel in a storage container. Cut Tomatoes will only last a couple days in your fridge, so make sure you use them up!

How To Store Cucumbers

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Unlike Tomatoes, Cucumbers should go straight into the refrigerator crisper drawer to keep them fresh and crisp. Cucumbers will last between 5 days and 1 week in the fridge as long as excess water and humidity is kept to a minimum, compared to just a day or two on the counter.

To help keep Cucumbers fresh longer, make sure they’re dry before you store them: excess water can lead to a spoilt Cucumber. Wrapping them in a paper towel and a loose plastic bag will help keep condensation and humidity at bay when you store them, preventing sogginess and deterioration.

How to store cut Cucumbers

If you use half of a Cucumber, cover the cut end with a piece of plastic wrap and loosely wrap it in paper towel and a loose plastic bag (keep it open at the top to encourage airflow!). This will help keep your Cucumbers dry as well as protecting them from ethylene gas produced by other fruits and veggies in your fridge.

How To Store Bell Peppers

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To keep your Bell Peppers tasting great longer, store them in your refrigerator crisper drawer. In the fridge, raw Bell Peppers will last between 1 and 2 weeks. Cooked Bell Peppers will typically last 3-5 days.

Just like Cucumbers, make sure your Bell Peppers are dry before you pop them into the crisper drawer. A wet Bell Pepper will quickly become soft, slimy, and moldy—not something you want to snack on!

How to store cut Bell Peppers

Partially-eaten peppers will last longer by storing them in a sealed container with the seeds and stems still attached. For cut Bell Peppers, store them in a sealed container or plastic bag with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Keep them in your crisper drawer—just don’t forget about them! Cut Bell Peppers will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Check out our graphic below to learn how to store your veggies so they stay fresher longer!
The Best Way To Store Vegetables | NatureFresh Farms (4)

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The Best Way To Store Vegetables | NatureFresh Farms (2024)

FAQs

The Best Way To Store Vegetables | NatureFresh Farms? ›

Most refrigerated produce stays fresh longer when sealed, whether in zip-top plastic bags, reusable silicone pouches, or containers with tight-fitting lids. These containers hold in moisture, preventing produce from dehydrating, and they help protect sensitive produce from the effects of ethylene gas.

How to store farm fresh vegetables? ›

Most refrigerated produce stays fresh longer when sealed, whether in zip-top plastic bags, reusable silicone pouches, or containers with tight-fitting lids. These containers hold in moisture, preventing produce from dehydrating, and they help protect sensitive produce from the effects of ethylene gas.

What is the best storing technique of fresh vegetables? ›

Use paper instead of plastic

Ideally, you should only use containers with firm or stemmed vegetables. Either use paper packaging with holes or plastic nets to keep your produce fresh and delicious. If you're storing mushrooms, paper bags are also your best bet, since they capture their moisture.

What is the best way to preserve garden vegetables? ›

The most popular method of preserving the harvest is drying your crops. The reason drying works so well on crops is that it can make the flavor and texture a lot stronger, making your veggies a great addition to various dishes. It is also relatively easier than other methods.

How do farmers keep food fresh? ›

Keep feed in a dry, covered area to help prevent exposure to moisture, sunlight, and heat. Use insect screens, rodent-proof barriers, and regular pest control methods to help prevent pest infestations. Keep feed containers off the ground to help prevent access by ground-dwelling pests.

Where is the best place to store fresh vegetables? ›

Most vegetables, like carrots, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage and celery should be stored in a plastic bag or container in the crisper of your fridge. Mushrooms are best stored in a paper bag. Vegetables should be stored in a different part of the fridge than fruit. This will prevent them from ripening too fast.

How do you store vegetables for 6 months? ›

Most vegetables (except potatoes, cabbage and cauliflower) will store longer and remain in better condition if placed in perforated polyethylene bags. Cabbage will store better if the entire plant is harvested and the roots placed in moist sand.

What is good vegetable storage? ›

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 from 3 days up to a week depending on how delicate the leaves are. Mushrooms will last 3 to 5 days and should be refrigerated in a paper bag.

What are the modern methods of storage of vegetables? ›

There are five methods of storing vegetables and fruit: drying, canning, curing and salting, freezing and common storage. Which method is chosen depends upon the type of produce, the quality desired and the facilities available for storage.

How do you store vegetables for longevity? ›

Produce needs some protection from the cold conditions in the refrigerator. Place items in a plastic produce bag or zip-top bags, or wrap produce in a lint-free kitchen towel. You can place produce directly in the produce drawer, but still it is best to place it in a bag first.

Should you keep vegetables in plastic bags in the fridge? ›

Plus, some vegetables give off odors that can be absorbed by fruits and affect their quality. Think onions and garlic. Refrigerate fruits and vegetables in perforated plastic bags to help maintain moisture yet provide air flow.

Do fresh garden vegetables need to be refrigerated? ›

Some fresh produce (onions, potatoes, tomatoes) is of better quality when not refrigerated. All storage areas should be clean and dry. Fruits and vegetables stored at room temperature should be in a cool, dry, pest-free, well-ventilated area separate from household chemicals. Keep your refrigerator at 40° F or less.

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