Keeping veg in the fridge

[KeenCook2 Profile]

Hello
I extremely rarely read the packets of veg beyond the date, if there is one.

But today I happened to "read" the kg bag of carrots, and was very surprised to see it instructed you to keep them in the packaging, as that meant they would last 3 days longer than if you stored them loose.

I usually take them out of the plastic bag as otherwise they can get slimy etc.

What do you all do? That is, those of you who don't have a shed or garage or outhouse or similar to keep your veg in, and don't buy your veg loose or grow your own

I must say that having read on here about keeping a sheet of kitchen paper in the bottom of the veg drawer, I've found that my unwrapped veg seem to last very well, and better than before I learned that trick, so thank you to whoever it was that suggested it

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

I always buy carrots loose and find they last a lot longer in the fridge than out, however, I was surprised to find that my young friend with MS also keeps her potatoes in the fridge and says everyone she knows does too. I was totally gobsmacked. Now eggs are another thing

[WWordsworth Profile]

Root veg are unwrapped if required, and stored in a basket which is in a cupboard in the unheated utility room.
Salad veg in the fridge, obvs.
Mushrooms unwrapped and in the fridge too.

I store eggs in the pantry.

[liketocook Profile]

I store my veg apart from onions and tomatoes in the fridge usually in their opened bags or some veg saver bags I've had for years. I have noticed unbagged carrots and parsnips go soft faster. Onions are stored in an old pillowcase in a basket in a cupboard and tomatoes in the fruit bowl. Cut cabbage etc. I wrap in foil they last for ages that way. I do open bags of veg to check for any off ones as they can spoil a whole pack really quickly. I seldom have any issues with veg spoiling before I can use it though don't often buy salad bags unless I know they are needed within a day or so.

[aero280 Profile]

I have used these with success...

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/1094/20-Lake ... -accordion

[Suffs Profile]

Uncooked potatoes shouldn’t be stored in the fridge … keeping raw potatoes at low temperatures can trigger the change of starch to sugars causing the potatoes to taste unpleasantly sweet, particularly if they’re then fried or roasted … if your fridge doesn’t do this to your potatoes you should check that it maintaining the optimum temperature for a domestic fridge which is 4C.

Lettuces are stored in the salad drawer in the bags they’re sold in.

We keep our potatoes, swedes and parsnips in a huge salt glazed pot in the frostfree but cool dark garage. Onions are also stored there.

However carrots can be kept in the salad drawer of a domestic fridge. We buy our carrots loose in brown paper bags anc keep them in the fridge in these bags. They keep for ages … several weeks … kept like this. Mushrooms are Alfi bought loose and Kroger in the fridge in brown paper bags.

Green veg are also kept in the fridge if there’s room … if there’s not enough room, drumhead cabbages are also kept in the garage on a shelf alongside stored winter squashes …. stalks of Brussels sprouts are kept outside the back door.

I have never never ever looked at the best before date on any fresh vegetables.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

I seem to remember that a lot of people liked 'green bags' which were bought from Lakeland but think the product that aero has shown may have replaced them.

I really don't have trouble storing veg and keep some of it a good while. Carrots bought in a plastic bag need to come out and breathe asap IMO and don't store well out of the fridge in the way that loose (unwashed) ones do. I keep old teatowels and line the bottom of the salad drawer with them (laundering regularly). I find veg removed from packaging keeps well in the fridge. I keep onions, squash, potatoes and root veg like swede in a dark bag in my side lobby by the back door which is slightly cooler than the kitchen. If I had an easily accessible garage or shed I'd store more stuff there.

I didn't know veg bags had a date on them!

[liketocook Profile]

Forgot about potatoes they're in a cupboard in an old pillowcase in a basket above the onions.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I live in a flat with a small warm kitchen and I have had mice in the past

The only 3 places I have to store veg are the fridge, the fruit bowl on the sideboard in the living room, and a basket just inside the door, the coolest place in the kitchen

Fruit in general, including tomatoes and avocados goes into the fruit bowl; I did have a kitchen fruit bowl at one point but you may remember the mice ate the tomatoes, they don't go into the living room for some reason

Potatoes and onions go in Poundland drawstring bags with a dark lining, though baby new potatoes go into the fridge as I find they keep better - they aren't in there long enough for it to be detrimental; and sweet potatoes go into the fridge to as they and squash are the favourites of the mice. Garlic goes in a Slovenian garlic pot on the shelf above <fancy>

Pretty much everything in the fridge drawer is in either its original pack (if there is one, but I try to buy loose) or one of the Lakeland bags. They are said to last for 10 cycles, I think some of mine must have done 50, and I refuse to believe they work the way the makers say, however they seem to help. Everything sits in its own bag, usually with a Klippit to close it, and I put a bit of kitchen paper in the bag for things that sweat, carrots and spring onions especially. Unwaxed lemons and limes go into a bag here, they keep for ages.

I need to have everything separately wrapped because a) I'm picky b) I get through things like a kg pack of carrots quite slowly and I hate things drying out c) I can't sort through a random heap, it's like diving into a big drawer full of unpaired socks if you can't see well.

I also have a Tupperware box in there (changed frequently) that has bits in it - literally bits, half a pepper waiting for the next salad for example, half a red onion etc., that seems easier (and more eco) than wrapping them separately

[Amyw Profile]

Interesting .. reminds me of a friend of mine who used to do our Food Hygiene courses . He always said things should be stored as they are in the shop so there was no need to refrigerate eggs . I do but only because of lack of space .
I keep potatoes and onions out the fridge . Always immediately take peppers , carrots etc out the plastic bags and keep them in the fridge though I try to be good and buy from the greengrocers in paper bags when I can

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Your regular reminder on eggs:
Eggs are neither washed nor refrigerated before sale in the UK as condensation really speeds up spoiling and cycles of warming and cooling will cause condensation

Once home the UK Food Standards Agency does recommend refrigeration in the original cardboard pack which minimises the risk of damage, picking up odours, or condensation

In the USA eggs are washed after collection so really do need to be refrigerated from farm to stove as the natural coating has been removed

Many people prefer to keep eggs at room temperature, but I wouldn't in a kitchen as warm as mine, and again - I get through them slowly

[Pampy Profile]

I've used the Lakeland bags for years - I find them very good. Like Sue, I put kitchen roll at the bottom.

I took issue with Tesco once because their new potato bags said they should be kept in the fridge. To be fair to Tesco, they went back to the company who packaged them who said that it's only potatoes that are roasted or fried that shouldn't be refrigerated and no-one does that with new potatoes!

[Badger's Mate Profile]

Carrots with dirt on can be kept for months in a shed. The washed ones seem to go rotten quite quickly - they have been damaged by the washing.

[Pampy Profile]

I find that dirty potatoes last much longer than washed ones.

[Suffs Profile]

Yes the cuticle is damaged in the washing process. Only potatoes intended for supermarkets and shops with a rapid turnover are washed before packing.
Potatoes in sacks are just dried and bagged.

[dennispc Profile]

Now we rely on supermarket delivery things have changed here as most comes packed, apart from baking potatoes (though sometimes ones in the packs are bigger!) and cooking apples. All salad stuff in the fridge and if there’s room, carrots, but out of their packing. Eggs as well but only because of room.

A glazed bread bin is now used for root storage, though have an old plastic bucket for onions. Both are kept in pantry, coolest place and have liners made from Hello Fresh packaging. I find packaging causes sweating, particularly in the fridge.

For overflow veg, cardboard box kept outside back door. Plan is to get a small shed for those.

Always bought dirt on root veg and at one time had deliveries in paper sacks, but the smallest they do is 12kg and that’s too much for us.

[Pampy Profile]

I think that the life of refrigerated veg can depend on the fridge too. My old fridge(/freezer) was wonderful at keeping things in good condition for ages. It used to exhaust the moist air so was very dry inside. The expensive one that I have replaced it with is nowhere near as good. It seems that the air is much less dry so the veg lasts nowhere near as long.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

My big problem with veg in the fridge is drying out, hence keeping the packaging or using the Lakeland bags

But if you use closed bags, you get condensation, and I find if there is enough condensation that you can see the droplets, rather than just a haze, rotting will set in....

So i put in something absorbent like kitchen paper...

It's like the old lady who swallowed a fly!

[MagicMarmite Profile]

Onions are on top on the fridge in the fruitbowl, which never has fruit in it, as I only buy the pre cut type which goes in the fridge.
Potatoes are up there too, but I only buy the four packs of baking potatoes now.
Salad in the fridge.
The only other fresh veg I buy doesn't really get stored as I only buy it to use immediately, I rely mainly on frozen these days, partly because it's just me and I also don't cook as much as I did when I had daughter at home.
I have just been eyeing up the BB recipe in the beef thread though so may do that next month since it will freeze brilliantly.

[KeenCook2 Profile]

I had no idea about what happens to potatoes if they're kept in the fridge - tbh, if we didn't keep them there, I have no idea where we would keep them.

I always have a veg storage problem over Christmas as we usually have more than usual, and often, for longer, depending when they are delivered. I've kept them in a covered bucket outside in the past, but it's actually not necessarily cold enough ... you might have found that too, dennis.

Like Sue, I keep my eggs in the fridge, and try to remember to take them out for a bit before I use them, especially for baking. It's also a space issue for us.

And I have a stash of brown paper bags from when we used to go to the market that I carefully save and fold for reuse in the fridge for things like broccoli that can otherwise shed bits everywhere, and for ripening avocados in the cupboard.

I might investigate the Lakeland bags.


MagicMarmite, remind me not to come visiting without my glasses on, or I might get a nasty shock if I delved into your fruit bowl