Storing Vegetables - What You Need To Know

I used to think that storing vegetables meant nothing more than throwing them all in the fridge and leaving them there. So imagine my surprise - and dismay! - to find that some of them were turning limp, soggy or brown and lasting little more than a day or two...

It turns out that there's actually more to storing vegetables than first meets the eye. Not all vegetables need to be, or indeed should be, kept in the refrigerator. And even those that do need different methods of storage to keep them at their very best.

In this article we'll look at some of the things you need to know when storing vegetables, including what temperature your fridge should be to prevent disease-carrying bacteria from infecting your food, and some top storage tips for lots of specific types of vegetables.

How To Stop Harmful Bacteria From Infecting Your Food

This is because the type of bacteria which carries diseases (known as pathogenic bacteria) thrives at temperatures above these.

Why You Shouldn't Wash Your Vegetables Before Storing Them

Despite what you might think, you shouldn't actually wash vegetables before you store them - rather, wash them before you cook and eat them.

Loose dirt on vegetables can help to protect them from damage and exposure to light, while excess moisture caused by washing can also spoil them - for example, by turning lettuce leaves brown.

To discover more about why dirt can actually be a good thing check out this great article.

Which Vegetables Should Be Stored In The Fridge?

Below are a list of vegetables which can safely be kept in your fridge.

Of these, some are best kept in the vegetable crisper drawer - a special compartment found in most modern fridges which helps fruit and vegetables to stay fresher for longer. Crisper drawers are at their most effective when they're at least two thirds full.

In addition, when storing vegetables in your fridge some particular types of vegetables should also firstly be placed in perforated plastic bags. This helps to prevent essential moisture from being lost too quickly.

Vegetables that should be pre-bagged include beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, lettuce, leafy greens, peas, spring onions (scallions) and turnips.

Asparagus - will keep fresh in your fridge for up to 7-10 days.

Broccoli - you can store broccoli heads in your fridge for up to a week.

Brussels Sprouts - individually harvested sprouts will stay fresh in your fridge for between 7-10 days.

Cabbage - when stored in your vegetable crisper drawer, cabbage heads can stay fresh for up to a few weeks.

Cauliflower - store in your fridge for up to one week.

Celery - celery stalks will keep fresh for up to 7 days.

Chilies - can be kept in either a cool dark place (see section below) or will keep for a few weeks in the fridge when placed in an airtight sealed container.

Eggplant (Aubergine) - keeps in the fridge for up to 7-10 days.

Fennel Leaves - will last for 1-2 days when refrigerated.

Leeks - store in the fridge for 7-10 days.

Lettuce - store in your vegetable crisper drawer. 'Crisper' varieties should last for up to 7 days, compared to 3-4 days for varieties with softer leaves.

Mushrooms - store in paper bags in the vegetable crisper drawer for 5-7days.

Okra - will stay fresh when fridge-stored for 1-2 days.

Peppers (Capiscum) - store for up to 4-5 in your fridge or at room temperature for 1-2 days.

Radishes - store in the vegetable crisper drawer for up to 7-10 days.

Snow Peas (Mangetout) - try to consume within a few days of purchase as they lose their sugar content after this time.

Spinach - store spinach leaves in your fridge for up to a week.

Swiss Chard - keeps in the vegetable crisper drawer for up to 2 weeks.

Zucchini (Courgette) - will last in your fridge for up to one week.

Which Vegetables Should NOT Be Stored In The Fridge?

Having examined which vegetables fare best when kept in the fridge, we'll now have a look at how best to store other types of vegetables to ensure maximum freshness and nutritional value.

When storing vegetables for longer periods of time, it's a good idea to check them occasionally to make sure their skins have not been damaged or bruised and that there's no rotting flesh.

Avocado - store unripened avocados at room temperature.

Jerusalem Artichokes - will keep for up to 1 month when stored in a cool, dark place away from intense cold.

Onions - store onions in a cool, dry place where air can circulate freely, for example in an open weave mesh basket.

N.B. If you have any leftover cut onions, these can be stored in your fridge for up to 3 days if securely wrapped.

Potatoes - store for up to one month in a cool, dark place where air can circulate freely (e.g. in a hessian bag).

Warning! - potatoes are actually part of the same family as deadly nightshade! Never eat potatoes which have gone green as they contain the poisonous alkaloid solanine.

Pumpkin - whole pumpkins will keep for up to several months when stored in a cool, airy place. Cut wegdes should be placed in plastic bags and stored in the fridge for no more than 3 days.

Sweet Potatoes - will keep for up to several months when stored in a cool, dark place.

Tomatoes - tomatoes are best stored at room temperature as their flesh can soften when placed in the fridge. To ripen, place on a sunny window sill (the same applies for any vegetable picked to ripen after harvest).

Hopefully you found the above information on storing vegetables useful. When stored properly, vegetables can retain their freshness and valuable nutritional content for longer, and saves you money by not having to throw out veggies which have long past their best!

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