7 veggies you’re storing wrong
Sick of your veggies not going the distance? Thrown out one too many avocados? Turns out storing veggies the wrong way can really impact on how long they last – and even how good they taste. We’ve rounded up 7 of the most common veggie staples with tips on how to store them.
Tomatoes
Think storing tomatoes in the fridge will help preserve their freshness? Wrong. Refrigerating tomatoes can actually cause them to go mushy and also changes their flavour. And if you think you’re doing the right thing by piling them into your fruit bowl, get them out! One bad tomato can spoil the other. The best place to store these guys is on the bench or a shelf at room temperature.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are a tricky veggie to store. The cool temperature of the fridge directly on their skin makes them shrivel up fast – and leaving them on a bench at room temperature will have a similar effect. We recommend wrapping your cucumbers individually in paper towel to absorb some of the moisture, then storing them in the fridge.
Potatoes
Another veggie that doesn’t like the cold. Storing potatoes in the fridge causes the starch to turn into sugar, which isn’t great if you’re going for a savoury dish! To maintain flavour and life, pop your spuds in a cool, dark place such as your pantry.
Avocado
Ahh the avocado – the most complex of all the veggies. One wrong move and it’s either bruised or lost all flavour. Unless you like a ripe avocado, keep it out of the fridge until its ready to eat. If you’re planning on saving some for the next day, squeeze some lemon juice on it before putting it into the fridge. Don’t leave it for more than a day or two.
Onions
Think onions are best left in the crisper? Think again. These guys do their best left with their mates in the mesh bag you purchased them in. Store them in the pantry or a cool dark room and they’ll last a while.
Garlic
Garlic and light doesn’t go well together so that rules out the fridge and your windowsill. Instead, store garlic at room temperature in a dry, dark place that has plenty of air circulation. A basket or paper bag stored in a pantry is a great place to store your garlic.
Basil
We’re all guilty of storing herbs like basil in the fridge, but the truth is they wilt quicker than you’ve had time to think of a recipe to use them in! Basil is best kept in a jar of water once you’ve chopped the ends off. Just make sure the water is at room temperature. If it’s too cold, the leaves will start to wilt.
