With fall just a few weeks away, homes across America are working hard to accomplish one very important thing — prolonging the lives of their favorite summer fruits. Soon, finding perfectly ripe watermelons and berries will become increasingly difficult (if you’re looking anywhere other than Fruit Bouquets, that is). Make your favorite fruits last a bit longer with our tips on the best storage methods for each of these sweet treats.
Apples
- Prevent cut apples from turning brown by spraying them with a bit of lemon juice and covering them with plastic wrap before placing them in the refrigerator.
- Remove a rotten apple the minute you notice it. As the saying goes, one bad apple will spoil the bunch!
- Store apples by themselves and whole. Even when perfectly stored, a cut apple is always going to spoil faster than a whole apple.
Berries
- Before storing berries, wash them in a mixture of 10-parts water, one-part white vinegar. Not only does this help to really purify and cleanse them, but it will prevent mold from forming while they’re in the fridge.
- You can also kill the bacteria found on berries by giving them a quick (and we mean quick) hot water bath. Soaking strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries in 125-degree water for about 30 seconds will help prolong their life.
- Never store berries in an airtight container. If you only have airtight containers, simply lay the top on the container without snapping it closed.
Pineapple
- Despite what their “armored” exterior may suggest, pineapples bruise and spoil relatively easily. A whole pineapple will last between one and two days if left out, but up to five if stored whole in the refrigerator.
- If you’re storing leftover pineapple chunks, place them in an airtight container filled with pineapple juice.
Melons
- If your melon is slightly under-ripe, store it in a pierced paper bag at room temperature.
- Keep melons in their own drawer of the refrigerator. The ethylene gas other fruits produce will cause a melon to spoil faster.
- Wrap cut watermelon in plastic wrap to prevent it from absorbing other flavors and smells, all while keeping it moist.
Pears
- If you want to ripen your pear, leave it in a bowl on your counter for two to three days.
- Once your pears have reached their peak ripeness, place them in a breathable bag and store them in the refrigerator crisper.
Grapes
- Unlike most other fruits, that you should wash before storing, you should store grapes unwashed (just remember to wash them right before eating!).
- To make grapes last a bit longer, always store them while still on the stem.
General Advice
- Keep your refrigerator clean. Cleaning out the fridge may not be terribly fun, but it’s a necessary evil if you want to prevent cross contamination.
- Keep fruits and veggies away from a gas stove, as they’ve been known to emit natural gasses that can increase ripening.
- Don’t pack your fridge. Over-stuffed refrigerators will prevent air from circulating and can cause your food to spoil sooner rather than later.
- Never store meat and produce in the same drawer or area of the fridge.
- Store fruits in glass containers, rather than plastic ones. Plastic containers contain more chemicals that increase the rate of spoilage.
- Don’t store fruits in the door of your refrigerator, where the temperature is more likely to fluctuate.
What’s one way you can always guarantee you’ll have fresh fruit? By ordering from Fruit Bouquets! Whether you’re celebrating your last summer barbecue or a birthday, Fruit Bouquets makes the perfect, tasty centerpiece.
