Storing fresh fruit can be incredibly stressful, with a huge volume of misinformation on the web and in magazines, revealing to you how best to store different kinds of fruit.

This particular article cuts through the old wife’s tales and misinformation and gives you straightforward, useful and simple to comprehend advice about how best to store fresh fruit, and why you should never just treat it all the same way. These handy tips will keep your fresh fruit longer and save you wasting as much produce, which will reduce your food bills.

Apples

Apples continue to ripen even after they have been picked. If they are to be kept for any period of time, keep them inside a cool, dry, dark spot and make sure that they’re spread out so that they are not in contact with each other.

Apricots

Ripe apricots will keep within the refrigerator for a couple of days – unripe they will keep for more time.

Bananas

Keep bananas in a bowl at room temperature without any other fruit (they will cause the other fruit to over-ripen quickly). Do not refrigerate, or else the bananas will turn black.

Cherries

Ripe cherries will keep for a few days in the fridge; rinse them just before they are to be eaten.

Figs

Figs may be kept at room temperature until ripe, and then kept inside the refrigerator for up to three days. Nevertheless, they need to be allowed to return to room temperature before serving, as the cold will reduce their delicate flavour.

Grapefruits

Keep up to 2 weeks wrapped inside of a plastic bag while in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. Don’t keep for much more than 1-2 days at room temperature.

Grapes

Grapes will keep in good condition for 2 weeks inside a cool larder covered in perforated cling film or for about three weeks in the refrigerator.

Melons

Melons should be stored in a cool, airy place – warmer if the melon is not quite ripe.

Oranges

May be stored at room temperature for two weeks. For extended periods, refrigerate in perforated plastic bags.

Peaches and Nectarines

Keep ripe nectarines and peaches in the fridge; those which are still a bit too firm are better kept at room temperature.

Pears

Pears are at their best for just a very short time, and despite the fact that they may be left to mature for just a little while they should be checked frequently.

Plums

Unripe plums may be kept inside a warm room for just a day or so in order to ripen. Ripe fruit must be stored in a cool area, though they may well not keep for more than 2 or 3 days.

Soft Berries

Raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and some other soft berries are hugely fragile and perishable and so should be eaten as soon as possible after picking or buying. If they have to be stored, keep them in a dark, airy location like a cool larder. Although keeping them in the fridge is Ok for brief periods of time, it is usually too humid and the highly perfumed berries such as strawberries have a tendency to permeate other foodstuffs, especially butter, with their smell.

 Written by Edward Smith. Edward  has a huge amount of experience writing for the web and offline publications.  

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