Storing food properly can make a big difference in keeping it fresh and safe to eat. It’s not just about putting everything in the fridge or pantry, but knowing which items should never be stored together. Understanding these simple storage rules helps you avoid waste and maintain the quality of your groceries.
When foods are stored together without thought, they can spoil faster or even affect each other’s flavor and texture. By learning a few key tips about what to separate, you’ll save money and make your food last longer. It’s easier than you might think once you know what to watch out for.
Raw meat and fresh vegetables
You should never store raw meat and fresh vegetables together. Raw meat can carry harmful bacteria that easily spread to veggies, increasing the risk of foodborne illness.
Keep raw meat in sealed containers on the lowest shelf of your fridge. This prevents meat juices from dripping onto your vegetables.
Storing them separately also helps your fresh produce stay crisp and tasty longer. By keeping these foods apart, you protect your health and make your groceries last.
Apples and potatoes
You might be tempted to store apples and potatoes together because they both last a long time. However, this isn’t a good idea for your produce’s freshness.
Apples release ethylene gas, which speeds up ripening. Potatoes are sensitive to this gas and will sprout or spoil faster when exposed to it.
Keep your apples and potatoes separate to help them last longer. Store potatoes in a cool, dark place, and keep apples in a different area to avoid speeding up spoilage.
Bananas and tomatoes
You should avoid storing bananas and tomatoes together because both release ethylene gas. This gas speeds up ripening, meaning your tomatoes and bananas will spoil faster if placed side by side.
Tomatoes are especially sensitive to ethylene, and bananas produce a significant amount. Keeping them apart helps maintain their freshness longer.
If you want your bananas to ripen naturally and your tomatoes to stay firm, give each their own space in your kitchen or fridge. This small change can save you from wasting both.
Figs and cabbage
You should never store figs and cabbage together. Figs produce ethylene gas, which speeds up ripening.
Cabbage is sensitive to this gas and can spoil faster when exposed to it.
Keeping them apart helps both stay fresh longer. Store figs in a cool, dry place and keep cabbage in your fridge drawers away from fruits.
This simple separation can save you from wasting your groceries.
