# What do you do with your Produce when you come home from the store? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-with-your-produce-when-you-come-home-from-the-store/695766 "2014-08-17T18:31:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-with-your-produce-when-you-come-home-from-the-store/695766/1 "2014-08-17T18:31:32Z")
Onions and Carrots: Crisper drawer. Potatoes and apples: Bottom shelf of fridge in plastic bag Green poblano (or other) peppers: In freezer whole, I always cook them. Tomatoes: Window sill until one starts going bad, then in fridge. Bananas: On table until flecked, then in fridge, then if not used soon, in freezer. Broccoli: Parboiled within a day, then portions frozen separately. Lettuce: In crisper drawer, tightly closed in plastic bag. Cabbage: Bottom shelf of fridge, in plastic bag. Citrus: Ont on table. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-with-your-produce-when-you-come-home-from-the-store/695766/2 "2014-08-17T21:48:41Z")
We go to a local fruit and veg shop on Saturdays, and put everything in little paperbags (things seem to keep longer/nicer, and the bags can be recycled). Everything is usually eaten within the week. Depends on what’s in season, but around this time of year: Bananas: in basket on the counter Apples (right now we’re chowing through Discoveries, which are making their brief but very welcome appearance!) - fridge in paper bag Peaches, apricots, cherries, grapes: fridge in paper bag Mangoes - fridge Lemons - fridge Potatoes - in a muslin bag, then in a dedicated clay jar on the counter Broccoli, cauliflower – into fridge, no bags Carrots – paper bag, fridge Tomatoes – windowsill Cucumber and courgettes – fridge, no bags Mushrooms – fridge, paper bag Purple broccoli – fridge, paper bag Mangetouts – fridge, paper bag Forgot – he just got cognuts, and put them in a paperbag in the fridge as well. I think it’s the first he’s seen of the season, so had to have them. None of his baby trees produced fruit this year. Most everything I think goes in the fridge, but it’s never in there more than a week, and the fridge, while cold, isn’t set on Arctic temps. Later on will come sprouts and purple sprouts; winter satsumas are better, and i usually keep them out as putting them in the fridge zaps their flavor really fast. In winter we usually keep out a lot more fruit for the same reason. I seriously like our fruit and veg shop! Much much nicer than the stuff the supermarkets stock. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-with-your-produce-when-you-come-home-from-the-store/695766/3 "2014-08-18T06:29:36Z")
They usually stay on the kitchen floor, while I go to the bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-with-your-produce-when-you-come-home-from-the-store/695766/4 "2014-08-18T18:46:37Z")
Onions: Paper bag in the storage room Scallions: Plastic bag in the fridge Potatoes: Paper bag in the storage room Tomatoes (lots from the farmers market): Shoulders down on a newspaper lined cookie sheet (never the refrigerator!) Broccoli: Loosely wrapped in the bag it came in on the bottom shelf of the fridge Lettuce: Same as broccoli but wrapped more tightly. (Crisper drawers are for cheese!) Citrus: Bin in unheated storage room Cantaloupe: Cut up into cubes within a day or two and stored in plastic containers in the fridge. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-with-your-produce-when-you-come-home-from-the-store/695766/5 "2014-08-18T19:13:16Z")
> [@](#): > > seriously like our fruit and veg shop! Much much nicer than the stuff the supermarkets stock. why aren’t there more of these? where ever I have lived, this is an issue. many stores have fairly useless produce: it _looks_ good but never gets ripe or has no taste. I have good luck at our coop and at the farmer’s market. I recently got those green bags you used to be able to get everywhere but I had to go to the “as seen on TV” store for them after asking at all the other stores. last time I had them they seemed to keep things longer. Ms Boods - you think paper bags work better than plastic? I notice they have them next to the mushrooms at the coop and keep meaning to ask them why. > [@](#): > > hey usually stay on the kitchen floor, while I go to the bathroom. LOL. often I put my produce in the fridge until it goes bad and then I throw it away. boo! ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-with-your-produce-when-you-come-home-from-the-store/695766/6 "2014-08-18T20:06:24Z")
I mostly put the food back into the same conditions they were at in the store. So onions, potatoes, bananas, apples, etc. that were in unrefrigerated binds generally stay out on the counter or in some baskets under the counter. Anything in the refrigerated section goes into the fridge. Perhaps the only real difference is that always put tomatoes in the fridge. I prefer the flavor and texture when they’re cold and they tend to go bad quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-with-your-produce-when-you-come-home-from-the-store/695766/7 "2014-08-18T23:09:24Z")
I never knew a mangetout was a thing. I thought the so-named poster was a surly person who had mashed together the words “man, get out.” ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-with-your-produce-when-you-come-home-from-the-store/695766/8 "2014-08-19T01:42:13Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > I never knew a mangetout was a thing. I thought the so-named poster was a surly person who had mashed together the words “man, get out.” Well “it” is a thing… he has been posting here for a long time. And it is French for (roughly) Eats Everything. I didn’t know that others were buying and storing him before eating though. During the summer we have the luxury of having some farms close enough that what we buy gets stored in our stomach that night (yes, I go shopping several nights a week). Otherwise I follow the same rule of store it the same as the market did. One thing the OP said was they put potatoes in the fridge. DO NOT do this… cool (as in 60’s to 70’s… think root cellar) dark places are where you keep onions and potatoes. The fridge turns the starch into sugar and ruins them quickly. And lettuce goes in a ziplock bag with a wet paper towel. Also works for fresh herbs I cut from the pots in my back yard. ---
**Author:** ![Private\_Bin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@Private\_Bin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Private_Bin)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-with-your-produce-when-you-come-home-from-the-store/695766/9 "2014-08-19T02:38:01Z")
Only a maniac puts onions in the fridge. Carrots in fridge. Onions in cupboard, along with any other root vegetables and eggs. Gin goes in mouth. I put my oranges in the crisper though, which does upset some people. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-with-your-produce-when-you-come-home-from-the-store/695766/10 "2014-08-19T14:27:16Z")
I tried the green bags but didn’t notice any appreciable difference, things went bad just as fast as ever. Same thing with celery, and I tried the wrapped in aluminum foil trick. Mushrooms I put in a paper bag, I found that they get slimy in plastic. Potatoes I make sure are kept out of the light, they will start turning green and bitter under the skin if they are in the light. I just break off any sprouts. When in doubt, I look it up on line and see what the consensus is. Stuff doesn’t really keep long, no matter what anyone suggests. The most maddening thing is those bagged salads, the leftovers never stay fresh. The next day you have a half a bag of brown goop! I’ve kept apples in the refrigerator for weeks, even if they get shrivelled they still taste all right. Peaches and pears…I have never been able to bring either home without it becoming grievously wounded and bruised. Occasionally hard pears make it, but peaches are a sorry sight to see. Too soft! ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-with-your-produce-when-you-come-home-from-the-store/695766/11 "2014-08-19T14:50:20Z")
Umm Unless it is lettuce I leave it on the counter, if it is lettuce I wash it for salad. Rest of em will keep more than 24 hours.