It seems obvious to store your vegetables in the refrigerator, but it turns out this is the wrong place to keep certain veggies fresh and will cause them to spoil much more quickly.
There is nothing worse than doing a food shop only for your ingredients such as potatoes, onions and garlic to taste strange, go mushy or even begin rotting within a few days.
Brits waste over 30 million fruits and vegetables per week by throwing them away according to the food-saving app Too Good to Go, but potatoes and allium vegetables such as onions and garlic should last up to six months if stored properly.
Cynthia Ryan, a food expert and founder of the cooking website ‘Simply By Cynthia’ has explained that you have “properly been storing potatoes onions and garlic all wrong” as they should never be stored in extreme cold temperatures such as a fridge.
She said: “Take heart. You’re not alone. I did it wrong for years, storing potatoes in the refrigerator is ‘no bueno’. Same for onions and garlic.”
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Potatoes, like garlic and onions, should always be stored in a dark and well-ventilated area of the kitchen at a more moderate “cool-ish” temperature according to Cynthia.
She said: “Never, ever store raw potatoes in the refrigerator. The colder temperatures in the fridge convert the starch to sugar, and alter the taste and texture.”
Onions and garlic will also be severely affected if stored in the fridge as the temperature is too cold for them and far too humid, which will cause them to become mushy or mouldy once they absorb too much moisture.
However, the most important rule to keep in mind when storing potatoes, onions and garlic is that they should never be stored together.
Cynthia said: “Here’s the important part: Don’t store your ‘storage’ onions next to or with potatoes. The potatoes give off moisture and gases which will cause the onions to spoil faster.
“I know this because I’ve done it. Those onions went into the compost pile. Nowadays, in my utility closet, I separate the two.”
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Potatoes, onions and garlic produce ethylene gas, a food-growing hormone which can cause other ethylene-producing vegetables or fruits to spoil and sprout much more quickly when stored together.
These vegetables also have high moisture levels, and storing them together can create an environment that is too humid which will also lead to quicker spoilage.
One of the best ways to store potatoes, onions and garlic is by creating a dry and airy environment by shielding them in a brown paper bag or mesh bag. Then, simply keep the vegetables away from each other in a cupboard or drawer.
However, Cynthia highly recommends storing these veggies with BluApple refill packets as they absorb ethylene gas, which means you would be able to keep potatoes, onions and garlic in the same place.
Cynthia explained: “Those absorb and trap the ripening gases. A foot or two between onion and potato bags, in a well-ventilated closet or other area, is sufficient to allow moisture from the potatoes to dissipate.”
Potatoes, onions and garlic will last “months” using this food storage method according to Cynthia, but will specifically last three to six months according to the official guide on Stop Food Waste.
Cynthia added: “I hope this helps you to maximize your purchase of potatoes, onions and garlic – and enables you to better enjoy these tasty and nutritious vegetables all year round.”
