These fresh produce storage tips will save you money and reduce food waste.

It can be tempting to just throw everything into the veggie drawer, but taking care to organise your fridge will keep your produce healthy and fresh for much longer. 

(Click here to skip to the storage recommendations)

While a Fridge Friend is a great way to increase the shelf life of your produce by adsorbing ethylene gas, and reducing airborne bacteria, mould and odours, certain produce will benefit from ethylene control more than others. Temperature also plays a vital role in the shelf-life of produce, so it’s important to get the temperature right.

It is also essential to be aware of the quality of the produce you buy. This is because overripe or old produce has less shelf life than fresh, good-quality produce.  

Humidity is also a critical consideration when storing produce, so it’s important to store each type of produce in its ideal humidity.

What is ethlyene gas and why should I care?

Ethylene gas is a naturally occurring hormone that fruits and vegetables produce as they ripen. The gas causes the fruit or vegetable to ripen faster, but some fruits and vegetables are more sensitive to it than others.

As ethylene accumulates in the surrounding air it can lead to changes in the texture, colour and flavour of ethylene-sensitive vegetables and fruits, including causing them to become limp, wilted, or overripe. This is one of the main benefits of having a Fridge Friend in your fridge, as it's proven to absorb up to 79% of ethylene gas. 

As a rule of thumb, optimal storage includes separating high ethylene-producing and ethylene-sensitive produce. 

Below is a list of high-ethylene producers and a range of ethylene-sensitive produce (as you’ll see some are both high-ethylene producers and highly sensitive to it).

Get the temperature right

Temperature is an important consideration because some produce is best kept out of the fridge altogether, as cold temperatures can cause them to rot or lose their flavour, while others are ideally stored in the fridge at all times. It's no wonder there's confusion about how to best store produce!

For example, bananas, avocados and stone fruit are typically best ripened at room temperature. They can then be refrigerated for a shorter time. 

Buy quality produce

It is also essential to consider the quality of the produce when you buy it. Produce that is already overripe, damaged, or infected may already be toward the end of its shelf life, as opposed to fresher, better-quality produce. 

If storing large amounts of fruit, remove overripe and injured fruit regularly as these will trigger ripening and subsequent aging in the remaining fruit. 

Humidity

Ideal humidity is not too dry or too wet. As a general rule of thumb, veggies tend to prefer higher humidity (more moisture in the air) and fruits like lower humidity (less moisture in the air). However, some veggies will rot with too much moisture (e.g., zucchini) and some fruits prefer high humidity (e.g., strawberries). When storing most produce, ensure it is kept dry as this helps prevent bacteria and mould.

To get the right balance between moisture and airflow, perforated plastic bags are often helpful. While micropore bags are available, we find poking holes in a standard or sandwich plastic bag with a fork also does the trick. 

We’ve considered humidity, ethylene control and temperature in compiling our recommendations below.

Storage recommendations 

We’ve put together the below fruit and vegetable storage guide to help you make the most out of your Fridge Friend: