I hate to admit it, but I haven’t been particularly great about keeping fresh fruit in the house lately. And it’s not because I don’t like fruit, because I do! It’s mostly because when I do keep fruit in the house, I usually end up throwing half of it away because it goes bad before I can use it all. But the warmer weather we’ve been having lately has inspired me to redouble my efforts to eat better, so I decided I needed to solve the fruit problem once and for all.
I did some digging around online for answers, and it turns out that my fruit problem stemmed from how I was storing it. Little did I know that keeping fruit in a ceramic bowl was such a no-no! Apparently, using a solid bowl or container for fruit doesn’t allow for enough air circulation, which makes the fruit go bad more quickly. So what is the best way to store fruit? A fruit basket! And here are a few reasons why.
Related: The Easy DIY Produce Wash That Will Save You Money Now & Later
3 Reasons Why You Should Store Fruit In A Fruit Basket
1. Air Circulation
An open basket allows the gases from the fruits to escape into the air, rather than getting trapped and causing the fruit to age more rapidly.
2. Visibility
A basket give you a good view of what fruits you have inside, so you can easily know what you have. And if you see the fruit, you’re much more likely to eat it while it’s still fresh!
3. Room Temperature
Your fruits can sit out on the countertop in a basket without requiring refrigeration. The only fruits that need to be refrigerated are berries and fruits that have been cut.
Bonus Tips For Storing Fresh Fruits And Vegetables
- A good rule of thumb is to store fruits that emit a lot of ethylene gas away from other produce items, which includes apples, avocados, stone fruits, pears, bananas, and tomatoes. Be particularly careful to keep these away from cabbage, leafy greens, lettuce, and broccoli, all of which are highly susceptible to wilting or rotting if exposed to the gas.
- Store onions by themselves (or with garlic) to prevent them from affecting the taste and smell of your other produce. Store them away from potatoes in particular, which will sprout more quickly when onions are present.
- Potatoes keep best in cool, dark locations, so you may want to keep them in a pantry or cupboard if your fruit bowl resides in a sunny kitchen.
- Produce stored at room temperature needs good air circulation, which means plastic storage bags or containers can lead to premature spoilage. Even if the bananas, potatoes, or onions you bought came in a perforated plastic bag, they’ll last longer if you take them out.
- Many people store oranges in their fruit bowl, but citrus fruits only keep for about 4 days at room temperature. They’ll keep for 4 weeks in your fridge, so use your fruit bowl to store citrus fruits you’re going to use in the next day or two. Any other citrus fruits should be kept in water in your fridge for maximum longevity.
- If your fruit is nearing the end of its lifespan, freeze it! Frozen fruit is great for making smoothies, adding to hot cereal, adding to muffins and quick breads, mixing with yogurt, or making a fruit sauce for pancakes and waffles.
Once I had learned that a fruit basket was the way to go, I started shopping online for one. I ended up finding several good options that could work for a variety of home and kitchen situations. Here are some of the best and most affordable ones I found:
7 Types Of Fruit Baskets Worth Considering
1. 2-Tier Fruit Stand
This is the fruit basket I ended up buying. It has two-tiers, which can hold a surprising amount of food! It’s around $20 and looks nice on my countertop.
2. Fruit Tree Bowl With Banana Hanger
This fruit bowl is similar to the one above, but instead of having a second bowl on top, it has a hanger that’s perfect for bananas!
3. Three-Tier Wire Market Basket
If a tiered design is your thing, then check out this cute design! This one stands tall at 48″ and has 3 separate baskets, so you have plenty of room for all the fresh fruit your heart desires! :-) You can use the other baskets to store things like potatoes, onions, garlic, or other foods!
4. 3-Tier Hanging Basket
If you’re short on counter space, try a hanging fruit basket! This one has 3 tiers for all your produce, and would add a cute decor element to your kitchen too.
5. Mesh Apple Fruit Basket
If fruit flies are a concern for you check out this covered model! It has a mesh dome that sits on top, which allows for air flow but will also keep the flies away. The best part is that the whole thing looks like an apple! (Here’s how to get rid of fruit flies if they are already flying around your kitchen.)
6. Fruit & Vegetable Hanging Storage Mesh Bags
Another design that saves on counter space are these hanging mesh storage bags. The mesh material allows for air flow, and there’s a hole near the bottom to remove what you need. Place new fruits or vegetables in the bag through the top, so you’re always using the oldest items first.
7. Reusable Mesh Fruit And Vegetable Storage Bags
These bags come in sets of five, and work great as reusable produce bags you can bring along with you to the grocery store. Then when you get home, you can simple hang your produce up on a rack or on a hook on your wall, making these bags a two-for-one for shopping and storage!