7 Fall Foods You’re Storing Wrong (And How to Make Them Last Twice as Long)
How often do you toss your apples in the crisper drawer with your onions? Or leave your winter squash on a sunny counter? Well, you might be watching your grocery money rot away at that rate. Here is how you’re accidentally shortening the lifespan of your favorite autumn foods. And of course, the simple storage hacks to make them last twice as long.
Fresh CRANBERRIES
The Mistake:
Leaving them in the original plastic bag they came in and tossing them straight into the crisper drawer.
Why It Is Wrong:
Those bags trap ambient moisture and don’t protect the berries from bruising, leading to a mushy, moldy mess within a week.
How to Fix It
Keep them in the refrigerator crisper drawer, ideally wrapped loosely in a damp paper towel or placed inside a perforated plastic bag to retain moisture without trapping excess humidity.
Bonus tip:
If you have a bruised apple, eat it immediately. Ethylene gas will accelerate decay in the rest of the batch.
PUMPKINS and WINTER SQUASH
(Butternut, Acorn, Delicata)
The Mistake:
Storing them directly on a cold kitchen counter or, worse, in the refrigerator before cutting them.
Why It Is Wrong:
Refrigerators are too humid and cold for uncut hard squash, causing them to rot or mold prematurely. Countertops exposed to direct sunlight heat them up, degrading their flesh.
How to Fix It
Store whole squash in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated area (like a pantry, cellar, or garage floor) where temperatures hover between 10°C to 15°C (50°F to 60°F).
Place them on a piece of cardboard or a wooden board rather than directly on a concrete floor to prevent moisture transfer. Stored this way, they can last for months.
POMEGRANATES
The Mistake:
Leaving them sitting out in a fruit bowl at room temperature.
Why It Is Wrong:
The thick skin masks what’s happening inside; at room temperature, the air dries out the arils, making them leathery, shriveled, and sour within days.
How to Fix It
Keep whole pomegranates in the refrigerator crisper drawer inside a perforated plastic bag to lock in moisture without trapping excess humidity. They will easily stay juicy and plump for up to two months.
POTATOES
(Russet, Sweet, and Fingerlings)
The Mistake:
Keeping them in the plastic mesh bag they came in, or storing them right next to your onions.
Why It Is Wrong:
Plastic bags trap moisture, leading to rot. Meanwhile, onions release gases that trigger potatoes to sprout aggressively.
How to Fix It
Transfer potatoes to a paper bag, a breathable burlap sack, or a wire basket. Keep them in a cool, dark, dry place. Darkness prevents them from turning green and producing solanine, a bitter and toxic compound.
PERSIMMONS
(Fuyu and Hachiya)
The Mistake:
Treating all persimmons the same way on the counter.
Why It Is Wrong:
Fuyu persimmons (the tomato-shaped ones) should be crisp like an apple. Hachiya persimmons (the acorn-shaped ones) must be completely soft like a water balloon before eating, otherwise, they cause an intensely dry, puckering sensation in your mouth.
How to Fix It
Store firm Fuyu persimmons in the refrigerator crisper drawer to keep them crisp for weeks. Store Hachiya persimmons on the counter at room temperature until they are fully soft and jelly-like, or speed up the process by putting them in a paper bag with an apple.
ROOT VEGETABLES
(Carrots, Beets, Parsnips)
The Mistake:
Leaving the green, leafy tops attached while putting them in the fridge.
Why It Is Wrong:
The leafy greens act like straws, sucking all the moisture and vital nutrients right out of the root, leaving your carrots rubbery and limp within days.
How to Fix It
Cut off the greens immediately leaving about half an inch of stem. Do not wash them until you are ready to eat them. Store the roots in an airtight container or a sealed plastic bag lined with a dry paper towel to absorb excess condensation. They will stay crisp and crunchy for weeks.
BRUSSEL SPROUTS
The Mistake:
Storing them loose in the crisper drawer or washing them before storage.
Why It Is Wrong:
Excess moisture is the enemy of Brussels sprouts, causing them to turn yellow, slimy, and bitter.
How to Fix It
Leave them on the stalk if you bought them that way—they stay fresh significantly longer intact. If they are loose, place them unwashed in an airtight container or a perforated plastic bag lined with a paper towel to trap just enough moisture without drowning them. They’ll easily last up to two weeks in the fridge.
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