Store vegetables and fruit separately.

 

If your produce rots after just a few days, you might be storing incompatible fruits and veggies together. Those that give off high levels of ethylene gas, a ripening agent, will speed the decay of ethylene-sensitive foods. Keep the two separate.

 

Refrigerate these gas releasers: Apples, Apricots, Cantaloupe & Honeydew melons, Figs.

 

Don’t refrigerate these gas releasers: Avocados, Bananas unripe, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Tomatoes.

 

Keep these away from all gas releasers: Aubergines, Bananas ripe, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Lettuce and other leafy greens, Parsley, Peas, Peppers, Squash, Sweet potatoes, Watermelon.

 

Root vegetables like carrots and beetroot send energy into their leaves even after they’ve been harvested. Keep all the nutrition in the root itself by storing them without leaves.

 

 

How to keep your fruit and veg

happy until you use it?

 

 

Nobody likes buying fresh produce only to have it spoil before you get to use it. With Food-eBox’s produce shelf life and care A-Z, you’ll always know when to use and how to care for those fresh fruits & veggies, which means a lot less food wasted and more yummy fresh food on your plate!

 

APPLES Fridge: 3 weeks

 

APRICOTS Fridge: 5 days Tip: To ripen, keep at room temperature in a paper bag until soft and fragrant.

 

ASPARAGUS Fridge: 3 days Tip: Trim the ends and wrap the spears in a damp paper towel, then in a plastic bag.

 

AUBERGINES Fridge: 5 days

 

AVOCADOS Fridge: 3 days Tip: To ripen, keep at room temperature in a paper bag until soft.

 

BANANAS Countertop: 5 days Tip: Ripe bananas can be frozen for baking The skins will blacken but the flesh will be fine.

 

BEETROOT Fridge: 3 weeks Tip: Separate the leaves from the roots before storing them separately in a plastic bag, the leaves will stay fresh for up to 3 days.

 

PEPPERS Fridge: 1 week (green); 5 days (red, yellow, and orange).

 

BLACKBERRIES Fridge: 2 days spread in a single layer on a paper towel lined plate. Tip: Discard damaged or mouldy berries before storing to prevent the spread of mould.

 

BLUEBERRIES Fridge: 1 week Tip: Discard damaged or mouldy berries before storing.

 

BROCCOLI Fridge: 1 week

 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS Fridge: 1 week

 

CABBAGE, white and red (solid) Fridge: 2 weeks

 

CABBAGE, savoy and king (leafy) Fridge: 1 week

 

CARROTS Fridge: 2 weeks* *Can be a lot less if bunched and on the small side, in this case refresh for 15 mins in freezing water if necessary.

 

CAULIFLOWER Fridge: 1 week

 

CELERY Fridge: 2 weeks

 

CHARD Such as Swiss and rainbow Fridge: 3 days

 

CHERRIES Fridge: 3 days in an open bag or bowl.

 

CHILLI PEPPERS - fresh Fridge: 2 weeks

 

Dried chilli peppers will keep for 4 months or more in an airtight container. Courgettes Fridge: 5 Days

 

CRANBERRIES Fridge: 3 weeks

 

FENNEL Fridge: 1 week

 

GARLIC Pantry: 2 months but make sure air can circulate around it.

 

GINGER Fridge: 3 weeks Tip: Ginger can be frozen for up to 6 months. It’s not necessary to thaw it before grating.

 

GRAPEFRUIT Countertop: 1 week Fridge: 3 weeks

 

GRAPES Fridge: Best up to 3 days; 1 week is possible in a bowl or ventilated plastic bag.

 

GREEN BEANS Fridge: 1 week

 

HERBS, woody Such as rosemary and thyme Fridge: 2 weeks

 

HONEYDEW MELON Fridge: 5 days whole, 3 days cut Tip: To ripen keep at room temperature in a paper bag.

 

KIWIS Fridge: 4 days

 

LEEKS Fridge: 1 week Tip: Cut off and discard the dark green tops and keep the roots intact.

 

LEMONS Fridge: 3 weeks

 

LETTUCE, bagged. Fridge: No matter how fresh the leaves look, follow the expiry date on the pack.

 

LETTUCE, head Fridge: 5 days - iceberg can last for 2 weeks

 

LIMES Fridge: 3 weeks

 

MANGOES Fridge: 4 days Tip: To ripen, keep at room temperature in a paper bag until soft. Fridge: 1 week (in a paper bag)

 

MUSHROOMS Fridge: : 1 week - in a paper bag

 

MUSTARD CRESS Fridge: 3 days

 

NECTARINES Fridge: 5 days Tip: To ripen, keep at room temperature in a paper bag until soft. Okra Fridge: 3 days in a paper bag

 

ONIONS Pantry: 2 months whole but make sure air can circulate around them. Fridge: 4 days cut

 

ORANGES Countertop: 3 days Fridge: 2 weeks

 

PARSNIPS Fridge: 1 month

 

PEACHES Fridge: 5 days Tip: To ripen, keep at room temperature in a paper bag until soft and slightly fragrant.

 

PEARS Fridge: 5 days Tip: To ripen, keep at room temperature in a paper bag until soft.

 

PEAS in pods Fridge: 4 days Tip: Leave them in the pods until ready to eat.

 

PINEAPPLE Countertop: 5 days whole. Fridge: 3 days sliced.

 

PLUMS Fridge: 5 days Tip: To ripen, keep at room temperature until soft and the skins develop a silvery, powdery coating.

 

POMEGRANATES Fridge: 3 weeks whole 3 days seeds

 

POTATOES - New Pantry: 5 days but make sure air can circulate around them.

 

POTATOES - Main crop Pantry: 3 weeks but make sure air can circulate around them.

 

RADICCHIO Fridge: 4 days

 

RADISHES Fridge: Best up to 3 days; 2 weeks are possible Tip: Remove the leaves to prolong freshness.

 

RASPBERRIES Fridge: 3 days in a single layer on a paper towel lined plate. Tip: Discard damaged or mouldy berries before storing.

 

RHUBARB Fridge: 1 week Tip: Do not eat the leaves as they can be toxic if eaten in large quantities.

 

SHALLOTS Pantry: 1 month but make sure air can circulate around them.

 

SPINACH, bagged Fridge: No matter how fresh the leaves look, follow the expiry date.

 

SPINACH, bunched Fridge: 3 days

 

SPRING GREENS Fridge: 5 days

 

SPRING ONIONS Fridge: 5 days

 

SQUASH, winter Such as butternut, carnival and spaghetti. Pantry: 3 months whole Fridge: 1 week cut

 

STRAWBERRIES Fridge: : 3 days Tip: Discard damaged or mouldy berries before storing to prevent the spread of mould.

 

SUGAR SNAP PEAS Fridge: : 4 days

 

SWEET POTATOES & YAMS Pantry: 2 weeks in a paper bag.

 

SWEDE Fridge: 1-2 weeks

 

SWEETCORN cob - fresh Fridge: Best on the first day but 3+ days are possible.

 

TANGERINES Fridge: 1 week

 

TOMATOES Countertop: 3 days Tip: To ripen, keep at room temperature in a paper bag.

 

TURNIPS Fridge: 2 weeks Tip: Separate the leaves from the roots before storing them separately in a plastic bag, the leaves will stay fresh for up to 3 days.

 

WATERCRESS bagged Fridge: No matter how fresh the leaves look, follow the expiry date.

 

WATERCRESS, bunch Fridge: 4 days

 

WATERMELON Fridge: 1 week whole 2 days cut Tip: If you can’t refrigerate the melon whole, keep it in the pantry at a cool temperature.