Onions that you’ve cut or sliced can also be kept in the refrigerator. Put them into an airtight container – preferably glass as plastic absorbs the smell – and use within seven to 10 days. ‘If you buy pre-cut onions, follow the manufacturer’s “use by” dates,’ advises the National Onion Association (NOA). How to store sweet onions If an onion is already peeled, it can be stored in the refrigerator short term at the usual temperature of 40ºF (4ºC) or below. The exception is onions that are already peeled, or peeled and chopped and these are best kept in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator where they’ll last a week or a couple of days longer. What is the best way to store potatoes and onions? Apparently, the best way to store onions is in tights. Pop them in one at a time, tie a knot between each one and hang them up in a dry, dark place. Don’t be a slave to best-before dates. They’re usually just a recommendation on how long your food will be at its best. Use your common sense and employ the look and sniff test. Use-by dates are another matter – always err on the side of caution when it comes to things like meat, dairy and fish. Food poisoning is nobody’s idea of a good time.

Grapes are porous but rich in flavour. That means they’re good at absorbing moisture and odours. Yesterday’s stir fry? Yep, grapes will lap that up. As previously mentioned, herbs can be super hard to maintain. But popping your cuts of basil in a small pot of water, as you would a bouquet of flowers, keeps it going for longer. Refresh the water in the pot every few days, and you’ll be adding your basil to spag bols, risottos and pesto for a while to come. Yes, this method does involve wrapping up and swaddling your herbs like a precious newborn. But it is totally worth it for saving your herbs and boosting their life span. It’s simple, too. Refrigeration also slows down the chemical reactions that would otherwise take away all the sweet, juicy goodness.Did you know, most food waste within the UK comes from within your home? You may think it’s the large corporations and supermarkets creating the most waste, but in fact, individual households cause the majority of food waste. We all need to find ways to keep food fresher for longer and prevent this waste.

Wrap cheese in porous paper. Parchment paper works well as the cheese can still breathe. Don’t use cling film unless you fancy a sweaty brie. Underripe fruit can take anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks to ripen, so fruits last longer if they’re not ready to eat when you buy them. Underripe fruit lasts longer, naturally, because it’s fairly early in its lifecycle. Your mandarins are mushy, and your peaches are past their prime but don’t worry. All is not lost just yet. There’s still time to use up overripe fruit and make something delicious at the same time. From jams to crumbles, here are a few ways to stop that perfectly imperfect produce from going to waste. This prevents waste from a half-eaten pepper or avocado. Simply wash the remainder of the food item, pop it in your container and voila, no more grey avocados or squishy celery. Take mince out of its bulky plastic container, put it in a freezer bag, then flatten it out so it’s easier to store.

Follow us

Allow to dry for a couple of weeks. They should have papery skins, the leaves should be shrivelled, and the roots dry. Put aside any that are damp, which should not be stored. To string onions, take a length of garden twine around 3ft (1m) long, tie the ends together to make a loop, and hang the loop from a hook. The best way to store potatoes and onions is separately. It’s true that, as a general rule, they should both be stored in cool, dark and dry places but that doesn’t mean they should be together. Keeping fruit unripe is just a matter of keeping it in a cool place – much like how fruit is transported to avoid it ripening too soon. The fridge is a great spot to store fruit you’re trying to keep fresh for as long as possible. Freeze Fruit You’re Not Using Straight Away

Make a loop in the bottom of the string and put the stem of an onion into it and tighten the loop to hold the onion in place. Add onions above this one by positioning immediately above, and working their stems around the string loop figure of eight style to hold each in place. Be sure to work around the string so the onions are bunched above the one on the base, but be aware of the weight as you work to avoid overloading the string. How to store onions in the refrigerator Knowing when to harvest onions is key to ensuring a good crop. Onions harvested from your own vegetable garden can then be stored by stringing as well as individually but before they are stored, they should be dried. Bananas are tropical fruit and thrive in warmer temperatures. Something the fridge just can’t offer. But bananas are also very good at driving other fruits a bit bananas too. Make larger batches and store individual meal-sized portions in separate bags and containers. That way, if the fusspots in your family don’t want what you’re having, you can still please everyone.

Share the love...

Don’t pile your fridge high. It will stop cool air circulating and things will start to warm up and bacteria will see it as an invitation to move in. Look out! There’s another ethylene gas producer on the loose. When placed into the fridge, however, gas production stops – and the ripening process along with it. So, to keep their flavour and their texture, store them in a paper bag at room temperature. This way, those lovely melons can continue to ripen, build up nutrients and stay fresher for longer. Buy Under-ripe Fruit and Leave It On the Countertop Most fruits and even most vegetables can be frozen. And if you’ve been wondering how to keep fruit fresh for long periods of time, storing them in your freezer is your best bet. Frozen fruit can happily chill in the ice box for up to 12 months. Just give them a wash and a dry, wrap them up, and store away. Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. Just how we like it. Don’t Throw Out Overripe Fruit Line your salad drawer with paper towels to stop things getting soggy. Our Fruit & Vegetable Cushion is a good call too. Don’t keep mushrooms in the fridge as they get too wet, and nobody wants slimy fungi. Keep them in a cool, dry place in a brown paper bag.

In the UK, over one billion tons of fruit and vegetables are produced, of which a whopping 46% heads straight to the wheelie bin. And that’s simply because we haven’t been able to eat them in enough time or we’re not entirely sure how to keep fruit fresh or veggies vibrant. So, when our pristine produce becomes the best version of itself, how do we extend that window of deliciousness? Because let’s face it, nobody wants to bite into a limp lychee if they can help it. Fresh herbs can be frozen in olive oil ready for cooking as and when you need them. Or freeze them in water for adding flavour to soups and stews. And talking of freezing – we’ve been home freezing experts for over 50 years so we’ve learnt a thing or two over that time. Have a read of our blog to find hints and tips on how to get the most out of your freezer and help you cut down on food waste – here’s just a few ideas to get you thinking.Onions last longer in a cool, dark and dry space that’s well ventilated, so neither the counter nor the fridge are ideal. The refrigerator is too cold as a rule, plus it’s humid, and on the counter onions are likely to get too hot and they’re in the light.