How to Store Veggies in the Fridge

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Read on for tips and tricks on how to store veggies in the fridge to stay fresh longer! There are so many basic hacks that can save you from throwing out moldy vegetables and save your family money while helping them to eat healthier.

If you are trying to eat a healthy and varied diet, chances are you have struggled with making your produce last in the fridge, especially if you have a smaller family like us. Too often we do a grocery haul only to basically overeat in order to not waste food. That was when we began to research how to make our veggies last longer in the fridge, and came up with this cheat sheet that was too good to not share!

Keep scrolling to see how to keep fresh veggies from going bad as quickly.

How to Keep Vegetables Fresh Longer

See the list below to help specific veggies last longer in your fridge or even on your counter! We will continue to add to this list as we learn new tips for new produce, so make sure you bookmark this post for future reference. If there is a certain vegetable you are trying to keep fresh that you do not see on this list, leave it in a comment below.

If you find this helpful, check out our cheatsheet on How to Keep Fruit Fresh Longer.

Plastic vs. Produce Bags vs. Glass Airtight Containers

The container you use matters and changes based on what you are storing. A lot of this is related to how much moisture the vegetable contains, whether or not it is ethylene sensitive, or if it produces a lot of ethylene. So pay attention to what sort of storage container works best for different types of vegetables.

What is Ethylene?

Ethylene is a natural gas released by fruits and vegetables over time to help them ripen. Essentially, it is an aging hormone for plants. Some produce releases more ethylene gas than others, and some produce is considered “ethylene sensitive” meaning it will spoil quickly if near something producing a lot of ethylene.

Because of this, certain vegetables should not be stored near one another. Otherwise, you are going to have slimy greens and yellowing broccoli prematurely.

In the list below, pay attention to any notes on what to not store near one another as well as what containers to use. If something is stored in an airtight container, you will not need to worry about what you store it next to.

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Veggie List

Asparagus: Cut off a quarter inch from the bottom ends of the asparagus and place in a glass with one inch of filtered water. Place the glass in the top or middle shelf of your fridge and leave it uncovered. Be sure that a bit of water remains in the glass as long as it is stored. It should last 2 weeks or more with this method depending on how fresh it was at the time of purchase. To make it last longer, trim the bottom ends of the asparagus a bit more every five days or so and give the glass fresh water, just as your would for flowers.

Bell Peppers: Store bell peppers unwashed and dry in the front of your crisper drawer. You can store them loosely or in a cotton produce bag. Keep them away from produce that emits ethylene, such as apples, bananas, and tomatoes. They will last whole for about 2-3 weeks. It is always better to store peppers whole or halved so that they remain connected to the stem and seeds. If storing sliced bell peppers, keep them in a sealed glass container lined with a cloth or paper towel in the crisper drawer to last for 3-5 days.

Broccoli: Broccoli is a flower and is stored best in the same way. Start by washing your broccoli in a warm (not hot) salt bath for one to two minutes. Completely dry the broccoli by leaving it on a towel on your kitchen counter for a couple hours, flipping if needed.

Next, if dealing with larger stalks, trim the ends of the broccoli and place them in glasses or jars with filtered water, making sure the stems can reach it. Place your jar(s) in a middle shelf of the fridge towards the front. To maintain the broccoli, be sure to fill the water every time it drops below the stems. You will also want to switch out the water and trim the ends a bit more every five days or so to make it last even longer. This method will make your broccoli last 2-4 weeks.

If dealing with smaller pieces of broccoli, store them in a cotton produce bag in your crisper drawer away from produce that emits ethylene, such as apples, bananas, and tomatoes. They will last 1-2 weeks.

Cabbage: To make cabbage last longer, store the whole head in the crisper drawer unwashed and uncut. You can store it loose or in an airtight glass container. Don’t store it in a cloth bag because it will soak up the moisture and make it go limp faster. It can last this way for 1-2 months. Avoid buying precut cabbage because it loses nutrients and spoils quickly.

If using only a portion of your cabbage at one time, store the partial head the same way you did the whole head. Every couple of days, you will see graying/browning on the cut portion. You can slice this part off the next time you use the cabbage. In my experience, it will last another 2 weeks or so after being cut.

Too much cabbage on your hands? Try our garlic herb roasted cabbage steaks!

Carrots: Fill a large bowl with cool water and add 1/4 cup of white vinegar (5%). Cut the green tops off the carrots if present and soak the carrots in the vinegar-water solution for 2 minutes, no more. Drain and rinse the carrots then lay them out in a single layer on a kitchen towel. Leave them out to dry completely for 1-2 hours.

Store carrots loose or in an airtight glass container in the crisper drawer. If storing loose, keep away from produce that emits a lot of ethylene gas. You can cut them in half if needed, but the more they are cut, the faster they will go bad. Carrots will now last 3-5 weeks.

If your carrots get limpy, stick them in cold, filtered water for an hour or two to make them crunchy again!

Want a simple but fantastic carrot recipe? Check out these hot honey roasted carrots!

Cauliflower: To make cauliflower last longer, place it in a cotton produce bag, stem side facing up, in the crisper drawer unwashed and uncut. It is important to allow it a bit of airflow, so do not keep it in airtight containers, plastic wrap, or plastic bags. It will last for 7-10 days. If you start to see graying on the edges, you can slice the gray portions off and still use the rest.

Follow the same procedures for cut cauliflower, or florets. They will last 4-7 days.

Like carrots, if your cauliflower goes limp, soak it in cold, filtered water for an hour to make it firm and crunchy again.

Celery: Wrap whole celery in damp paper towels, leaving the stem exposed. Next, wrap it in foil, again leaving the stem exposed. You should switch the paper towels every four or five days to keep it moist. This will keep whole celery moist while allowing ethylene gas to escape through the stem. Be careful to not store celery near ethylene sensitive produce such as leafy greens, broccoli, or cucumbers. Celery will last this way at its peak for around a month, but can still be used a week or two after. I have left it for 2 months, but I cook with it, so I am not picky on its texture…

Store cut celery in a glass airtight container submerged in filtered water. It will last 4-6 days cut and stored in this way.

Cucumbers: Store cucumbers whole, individually wrapped in paper towels, and sealed in a ziplock bag with a metal spoon in it on the top shelf of your fridge. I know it’s weird, but the spoon really does help. Don’t ask me why. I found this method online one day with no explanation and it truly does work better. Be sure to keep the cucumbers towards the front of the top shelf of your fridge. They should last 15-18 days and sometimes more, especially for Persian or Pickling varieties.

Garlic: This is one you can save fridge space on. Store garlic in a whole bulb until you begin to use it. You can keep on a plate on your kitchen counter if you keep it in a corner without direct light. You can also keep the plate in your pantry. Ultimately, garlic prefers less light, but needs some airflow, so don’t stack a bunch of garlic into a bag or bowl or else some will sprout early and lose some of its robust flavor. Your garlic should last one of these ways for 1-2 months if not longer. If you have trouble with it sprouting to soon, try to mix it up by hanging the garlic in the pantry in a mesh bag, or switching between the counter and the pantry.

There is technically a better method-= than this that I don’t use. The only reason is because I store too much garlic at a time for it to be reasonable. But if you only store a bit of garlic, consider investing in a ceramic garlic keeper. It’s beautiful and works wonderfully at keeping garlic bulbs fresh and robust for longer.

Green Onions: (see “Asparagus” above)

Kale: Dry the kale leaves carefully before storing. You will want to store kale in an airtight container (not bag) lined with paper towels under and over the greens. Place a paper towel at the bottom and then throw in the kale. Be sure it is not packed down too tightly or it will spoil faster. Finally, put another paper towel on top and close the container. Place the container in the crisper drawer or the bottom shelf of the fridge towards the front. You can use this method with both whole leaves or chopped kale. Both should last 1-2 weeks.

Mixed Salad Greens, Spinach: Dry the leaves carefully before storing. You will want to store greens in an airtight container (not bag) lined with paper towels under and over. Place a paper towel at the bottom and then throw in the greens. Be sure they are not packed in tightly or they will spoil faster. Finally, put another paper towel on top and close the container. Place the container in the crisper drawer or the bottom shelf of the fridge towards the front. You can use this method with both whole leaves or chopped greens. Most greens should last 1-2 weeks using this method depending on the type.

Mushrooms: Take mushrooms out of their original packaging and store in a paper bag with the top folded down a few times. Do not wash them before storing. Mushrooms are like sponges and the more moisture they are exposed to, the faster they become slimy. They can be stored in the main compartment of the fridge for 10-12 days depending on the type of mushroom.

Onions: Onions keep best when stored whole with the skins on. You can store them in this condition in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight (much like garlic) for 3-5 weeks. You can store them loose or in a cotton produce bag.

If you have chopped onions that you want to keep in the fridge, place them in an airtight glass container. They will last for about 1 week after cut.

Potatoes: Store potatoes whole in a cardboard box in a single layer if possible. Place the box in a cool, dry, and dark spot such as a closet or pantry. If you can’t get a cardboard box, use their original packaging, just keep in mind they will lose their texture, crispness, and flavor a bit faster. Potatoes will remain prime for 1-2 months with this method and still be good to eat more much longer.

Tomatoes: Do not refrigerate tomatoes. They lose their flavor and become mealy fast when stored in cold temperatures. Instead, store the tomatoes in a single layer on your counter stem side down. This step is crucial and will make a huge difference! If you have oblong tomatoes that don’t sit upside down such as Romas, stick a small piece of tape over the stem (or the spot where the stem was). It will work the same way. They will last on the counter 1-2 weeks like this.

Not seeing a vegetable you want tips on? Leave a comment below with the name of it, and we will add it to the list!

If you found this list on how to store veggies in the fridge helpful, bookmark it for future reference and share it with others!