Welcome to Storage Wars, a new series about the best ways to store, well, everything. From how to keep produce orderly in the fridge (or not), to ways to get your oddball nooks and crannies shipshape; and yes, how to organize all those unwieldy containers once and for all — we've got you covered.
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I tend to do one big farmers market trip for all my weekly produce. I set out armed with as many reusable totes as I can shove into my trusty grocery cart (which once helped me lug the contents of an entire Thanksgiving dinner, including a frozen 17-pound turkey, by subway from Manhattan to Brooklyn). After unloading the produce haul and spending several minutes admiring the colorful bounty, panic sets in: Keeping everything fresh for the week can be challenging if not done properly.
Luckily, there are plenty of tricks to keep lettuce crisp, carrots crunchy, berries un-mushed, potatoes unsprouted, herbs perky . . . and that's only the beginning. From the best places in the kitchen to store the produce to how to store everything, there are plenty of dos and don'ts. So you never have to wonder — or bite into a limp radish — ever again, here's our ultimate guide to the best ways to store fruits and vegetables.
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All The Alliums
Garlic
Store garlic in a dry, dark place with plenty of room-temperature to cool air circulation, in a mesh or paper bag.
6 Garlic Mistakes We'll Never (Ever!) Make Again
Leeks
Store leeks in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp paper or cloth towel. For extra protection, put the damp cloth inside a plastic bag (easy to reuse!). Don't forget to wash them really well.
Onions
Store onions in a dry, dark place with plenty of room-temperature to cool air circulation, in a mesh or paper bag.
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Crunchy, Leafy Vegetables (Herbs, Fungi and Nightshades, Too)
Carrots
Store carrots in a plastic, mesh, or open cloth bag in the refrigerator's vegetable bin; if you don't have room in the fridge, opt for a dry, dark place with plenty of room-temperature to cool air circulation, in a mesh or paper bag.
What to Do with an Overload of Carrots
Celery
Store celery wrapped tightly in aluminum foil (weird, we know!) in the refrigerator's vegetable bin; though you can reuse foil, for a more environmentally friendly option, wrap in a damp cloth towel.
The Best Way to Store Celery Might Surprise You
Cucumbers
Store cucumbers in a dry, dark place with plenty of room-temperature to cool air circulation, or in the refrigerator on a high shelf — warmer than the crisper. (Store zucchini and summer squash this way, too.)
Cucumbers and 11 of the Best Ways to Use Them
Eggplant
Store eggplant in a dry, dark place with plenty of room-temperature to cool air circulation.
Keep Your Eggplants Away from the Fridge
Fennel
Store fennel in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp paper or cloth towel with the stalks and bulb separated, in two plastic or mesh bags.
Greens
Store greens, unwashed until you're ready to eat them, in the refrigerator in a container with a paper or tea towel draped over the top instead of a lid (or wrapped in a damp paper or cloth towel). For another idea, check out lettuce.
Herbs
Store herbs in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp paper or cloth towel; alternatively, store them stems-down in a water-filled jar at room temperature (or in the refrigerator with the tops covered by a bag — store scallions and asparagus like this, too!). Basil is best left out of the fridge and used as quickly as possible, to avoid its turning brown.
How the Heck Do You Store Fresh Herbs?: A Quest
Lettuce
Store lettuce directly in the salad spinner, post-wash and spin, in the fridge with the lid on (this also works for greens).
The Best Way To Store Lettuces and Other Greens (A Controversial Method)
Mushrooms
Store mushrooms in the refrigerator (or somewhere very cool), in the perforated package they were purchased in, or in a paper bag.
How to Store Mushrooms So They Stay Fresh and Slime-Free
Peppers
Store peppers in a cool spot in the kitchen, in a container covered with a cloth towel.
What to Do with an Overload (or Not) of Peppers
Potatoes
Store potatoes in a dry, dark place with plenty of room-temperature to cool air circulation, in a mesh or paper bag. (Store sweet potatoes and beets like this, too!)
How to Store Potatoes (So They Can Live Their Best Lives)
Radishes
Store radishes (and their greens) in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp paper or cloth towel. If they lose some of their crunch after a couple days in the fridge, soak them in ice water until they perk up.
What to Do with an Overload of Radishes
Squash
Store squash (butternut, acorn, delicata, kabocha, etc.) in a dry, dark place with plenty of room-temperature to cool air circulation.
How to Store Butternut Squash So it Lasts and Lasts (and Lasts)
Tomatoes
Store tomatoes in a cool spot in the kitchen with plenty of air circulation; to keep super-ripe tomatoes for another day or so, store them in the refrigerator. (Store peaches the same way.)
How to Store Tomatoes So They Stay Plump and Fresh for a Very Long Time
A Produce Whisperer's Speedier Way to Make Stock
A Handy Chart for How Long Fresh Produce Will Last
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F Is For Fruit
Apples
Store apples in the refrigerator's vegetable bin — some suggest wrapping each apple in newspaper to prevent one rotting apple from spoiling the brunch.
3 Storage Tips to Keep Apples Fresh for Much Longer
Avocado
Store avocados in a cool spot in the kitchen with plenty of air circulation. If they're at prime ripeness, but you're not eating them today, transfer them to the refrigerator to preserve that ripeness level for a couple days. For cut avocados, read this article for a couple ideas to prevent the inevitable browning.
How to Store an Avocado, So You Don't End Up With Brown Mush
Bananas
Buy bananas slightly underripe, store them at room temperature until they hit ideal ripeness, then transfer them to the refrigerator to preserve that ripeness level for a couple days.
Is This the Best Way to Store Bananas?
Berries
Store berries in a container lined with paper or cloth towels, with the lid slightly open. To extend their life, first wash berries in a solution of vinegar and water, then dry thoroughly and transfer to the container.
A Trick for Storing Berries to Keep 'Em Fresher, Longer
Citrus
Store citrus fruits (including lemons, limes, grapefruits, and oranges) in the refrigerator in a moist environment — some say to submerge them in a bowl of water; for those with less fridge real estate, store citrus in tightly sealed zip-top or silicone bags.
The Secret to Storing Lemons to Keep Them Fresher, Longer
Mangoes
Store mangoes in a cool spot in the kitchen with plenty of air circulation. If they're at prime ripeness, but you're not eating them today, transfer them to the refrigerator to preserve that ripeness level for a couple days.
Mangoes and the 3 Best Ways to Enjoy Them in the Winter
Need Even More Produce Advice?
For extra produce-storage tips, check out this article.
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