How To Store Fruit

If you’re the type who’s ever sliced an avocado way too late (or too early!) then our new blog series, “How To”, is for you! Each month, we’ll share “how to” master a specific skill related to fruits and vegetables such as cutting, cooking, pickling, growing and much more! Up first – our produce experts teach you how to store popular fruits for maximum freshness and enjoyment. 

When buying fruit, we all question whether storing them in the fridge or counter top is best. So which is it?

While most fruits thrive in cold temperatures, others do not. Read on to learn how to store some of your favorite fruits for maximum freshness and enjoyment!

Apples
If you like your apples cold, storing them in the refrigerator is completely acceptable. The only caveat is that apples tend to lose their crispness during refrigeration. For this reason, we recommend storing apples in a bowl on the counter and eating soon after purchase.

Avocado
Storing avocados depends a lot on ripeness. If your avocado isn’t fully ripe, store it in a cool spot in your kitchen that gets plenty of air circulation. Ripe avocados can be refrigerated to stunt further ripening, especially if you won’t be eating them in the next day or two. 

Bananas
Bananas are best left on the counter or lounging luxuriously in a banana hammock. Refrigeration prematurely browns banana skin and changes its texture. 

Berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries)
If you ask us, there’s nothing better than “you pick” berries in early June! That being said, if you’re a you-pick veteran, then you know that berries tend to have a very limited shelf life. Feel free to refrigerate your whole berries for an additional day or two of enjoyment. But leaving berries “out” after washing is a-ok.

Citrus (oranges, lemons, limes, clementines)
Store citrus fruits on the counter, leaving plenty of space between each piece of fruit. Citrus are prone to “contact molding” so giving each fruit ample space to “breathe” is ideal.

Pineapple
What is a good rule of thumb for storing pineapple? Do what your grocery store does! Store whole pineapples in a cool spot in your kitchen with plenty of air circulation, and keep fresh-cut pineapple in an airtight container in your refrigerator.

Stone Fruits (peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines)
Stone fruits should never be refrigerated. If your stone fruit is not quite ripe when you buy it, refrigerating it will stop the natural ripening process. Instead, store your stone fruit on the counter and enjoy it at the first evidence of ripeness! 

Tomatoes
Despite their versatility, tomatoes can be quite delicate, easily losing their flavor and texture in temperatures cooler than 50 degrees (F). So when it comes to tomatoes, repeat after us: to keep the flavor great, never refrigerate! 

Melons (watermelons, cantaloupe, honeydew)
Because refrigeration tends to make them “mealy”, melons should be stored at room temperature until fully ripe and ready to eat. After the melon is cut, wrapping leftovers in cling wrap or storing them in an airtight container in the fridge is ideal. For maximum freshness, consider buying a storage solution that’s just for melons such as the ReadyRipe watermelon bag. The patented ReadyRipe bag is reusable and keeps watermelon fresh, crisp, and delicious far longer than cling wrap or a plastic container.