Key Takeaways
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Store ethylene-producing vegetables in low-humidity drawers to slow spoilage.
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Use high-humidity drawers for leafy greens and herbs to prevent wilting.
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Line crisper drawers with paper towels to absorb moisture and extend freshness.
As tempting as it might be to store cans of sparkling water or oddly shaped items in your refrigerator’s crisper drawers, your best bet is to use them for what they’re meant for: storing fresh produce. Knowing how to properly store your produce will help keep those precious fruits and vegetables fresher for a longer period of time.
Different types of vegetables have different humidity requirements. The general rule of thumb is “rot, low; wilt, high.” In other words, foods that rot as they spoil, such as mushrooms and asparagus, should go in the low-humidity drawer. Foods that tend to wilt, such as salad greens and fresh herbs, should go in the high-humidity drawer.
Vegetables that should be stored in the low-humidity drawer include those that produce ethylene gas, like peppers and tomatoes. Letting this gas escape helps prevent produce from rotting too quickly, keeping it fresh longer.
How To Use the Crisper Drawers
Depending on your refrigerator model, the crisper drawers will have a “low” and “high” or “open” and “closed” slider setting. Changing the setting typically opens or closes a vent in the back of the drawer.
When set to low humidity, the vent is completely open; when set to high, the vent is completely closed. Changing the setting regulates the amount of air that can circulate within the drawer.
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What If Your Crisper Drawers Don’t Have Different Settings?
If the crisper drawers in your refrigerator don’t have different settings, consider them to be high-humidity drawers. You can use them to store leafy greens such as lettuce, arugula, and spinach, and fresh herbs.
Store ethylene-producing produce on the shelves of your refrigerator, allowing plenty of room for air to flow around them.
How To Keep Produce From Going Bad
In addition to using your crisper drawers to separate different types of produce, there are a few other things you can do to help prolong the life of fresh fruits and vegetables. This handy chart from the University of California–Davis Postharvest Research and Extension Center offers an excellent overview of how to best store fruits and vegetables for better taste. Here are a few more tips:
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Plan meals: I know I’m not the only one who has been dazzled by displays of fresh produce at the farmers’ market or grocery store. But try to avoid buying produce before you know how you’ll use it.
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Keep drawers organized: Put items with a shorter shelf life at the front of the drawer. This will keep you from forgetting them and remind you to use them earlier in the week before they spoil.
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Wait to wash produce: According to the Colorado State University Extension Service, wait to wash produce until right before you plan to use it. This is because “washing produce before storing may promote bacterial growth and speed up spoilage.” If you must wash produce before storing it, let it dry thoroughly before putting it in the refrigerator.
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Line the drawers: Use paper towels to absorb excess moisture in low-humidity drawers. This will help to keep produce fresher for longer.
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Store vegetables in mesh bags: For easier organization, store fresh produce in mesh cloth bags or perforated plastic bags. Don’t store produce in airtight plastic bags, as they prevent air from circulating and speed up spoilage.
More Refrigerator Storage and Organization Tips
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