Onions are a staple in most British kitchens, from adding flavour to soups and stews to making the perfect garnish for burgers. But, despite their popularity, there’s one common mistake many people make when storing them, and it could drastically reduce their shelf life.
While it’s tempting to pop them in the fridge, this isn’t the best way to keep onions fresh. In fact, avoiding this spot and using the right storage method instead could help you extend their freshness for up to six months. YouTuber Jerry James Stone shared his top tips to keep this trusty vegetable looking its best by changing three regular habits in a video.
“I’m going to talk to you about how you properly store onions – if you do it correctly, you can actually store them for up to six months,” he explained.
“Onions hate being in the fridge, that’s the first thing – never put them in the fridge. If you do, they actually rot and go mushy.”
This is because onions are sensitive to cold temperatures, which can cause them to spoil faster.
“The other thing about onions is they prefer to be in a dry place, that’s cool and has good ventilation,” Jerry added. “So you don’t want to put them in a drawer, you can put them in a pantry if there’s a lot of air circulation there.”
Perhaps the most surprising piece of advice is regarding one easy mistake many people make, especially when pressed for storage space: keeping them next to potatoes.
“One thing you definitely don’t want to do is store onions anywhere next to potatoes,” Jerry warned. “Because of the moisture and ethylene gas onions put out, they cause potatoes to sprout.”
Instead, onions do well when stored alongside garlic, as both share similar storage needs.
Food hygiene expert Sarah Taylor concurred on all the helpful tips, explaining that “onions are best stored in a dry, dark place and should not be kept in the fridge.”
She also offered a helpful tip: “Remove them from their plastic bag to allow the air to circulate around them,” she suggested, pointing out that onions stored in plastic bags often deteriorate faster due to lack of airflow.
For those who prefer to prep in advance, Sarah recommended: “You can also safely store chopped onions. To do this, once chopped, add the onion to a freezer bag.”
