How To Keep Fruit Fresher For Longer

There is nothing better than having a big bowl of fresh fruit in all colours of the rainbow take pride of place on your kitchen counter… And nothing worse than having to throw half the fruit away at the end of the week because you didn’t get to eat them in time!

Fortunately, there are many tips and tricks to keep fruit fresher for longer. With just a smidgen of knowledge and preparation, you can avoid the guilt and expense of wastage. 

Here are some of our best ideas to help you enjoy your fresh fruit for longer...

Tips To Keep Fruit Fresher For Longer

Gassy Fruit

When it comes to fruit, there are a few things you need to know about gas. Fruit and gas don’t seem like a natural connection, but stay with me, it will make sense!

Some kinds of fruit - and veggies too - produce a hormone called ethylene as they ripen. This is released as a gas that reacts with sensitive fruits and veggies and can lead to a speed up in their decline. 

Some fruits shouldn’t be stored together for this reason. Apples, pears, bananas, blueberries, figs, grapes, kiwifruit, nectarines, passionfruit, peaches, plums and tomatoes are super gassy and should be stored separately to the more sensitive specimens such as blackberries, raspberries, watermelon, avocado and strawberries. 

This gassiness does have a great positive side effect. If you are impatient to enjoy that avocado, pop it in a paper bag with a banana and it will be ready in no time!

Berries

There is something heartbreaking about pulling a pottle of berries out and finding only mushy brown lumps. But there is a simple way to keep them good for a few extra days.

The biggest culprit is mould, which grows from small spores on the skin of the berry. Vinegar kills these spores.

Immerse your berries in a white vinegar/water mixture (1:3) and gently roll them around for five minutes. Remove and rinse with water before draining on paper towels. Make sure they are completely dry before popping them back in a container lined with a dry paper towel. If the container doesn’t have holes, leave the lid open a little to prevent moisture buildup. 

Hot Tip: Don’t rinse raspberries - moisture will shorten their shelf life - simply keep them dry and allow for air flow.

Citrus 

Citrus are lower maintenance than many other fruit varieties. They don’t ripen once removed from the tree. Just keep them away from sunlight and heat to prevent premature shrivelling. Countertop or fridge storage is fine. 

Bananas

Thought you couldn’t store bananas in the fridge? Wrong! Fridge storage will keep the flesh from ripening further. It will make the skin brown or black, which may be off-putting, but the inside is still good!

Separating bananas from the bunch helps them last longer too.

Tomatoes

The fridge is not a good place for tomatoes. Colder temperatures will turn them mushy and flavourless in a day or two. Store them at room temperature away from sunlight and heat - rotate them in the fruit bowl to prevent bruising.

Quick Tips

• Keep fruit where you can see it! It is easy to forget about it if it isn’t right in front of you. 
• Rotate your fruit. Leaving fruit piled in a basket long term creates bruising and makes it more prone to rotting. Rearrange the fruit every day or two.
• Airflow is your friend! Don't use a closed-off fruit bowl for display. Use a basket, hammock or mesh bag - this helps gas disperse and prevents moisture buildup.
• Buy only what you need. It is better to make an extra trip to the market mid-week, than having to throw away spoiled fruit.
• Throw out any rotten produce straight away. It is true that one bad apple - or banana, kiwi, strawberry etc. - can ruin the whole bunch!

Now you know how to keep fruit fresher for longer, it is time to fill your fruit basket! Head on over to the Twisted Citrus store to see the huge range of delicious, fresh and in-season fruit that we stock. To make it easy for you, we even deliver it straight to your door!