Foods That Should and Should Not Be Kept in the Fridge

If the avocados are not yet ripe, you should keep them in a paper bag at room temperature. After that you can store them in the fridge for up to three days. At the supermarket, you should look for avocados that yield when gently pressed, with firm skin and no soft spots.

Bell peppers should be stored in a plastic bag in the fridge and used within five days. They should be dry before put in storage. For food safety purposes, they should also be kept separate from raw meats and fish, as well as tools that have been used to cut these foods.

Berries need to be handled with care. Store them in the fridge in a shallow container to allow air circulation and to prevent the bottom ones from getting crushed. Don’t wash them beforehand. Put them in a moist area in the fridge, such as the vegetable keeper, in order to extend the shelf life. Blueberries are OK in these conditions for up to five days; blueberries and raspberries are good up to two days.

Apples should be refrigerated in a plastic bag, kept away from other produce with strong smells, and used within three weeks. Apples that are not going to be sold in fresh markets are stored at low temperatures with little oxygen to slow aging and prevent rotting, but fungicides must then be applied to stop fungal rots.

As is the case with all fresh fruits and vegetables, oranges should be stored away from raw meats. Oranges will last up to eight weeks if kept in the crisper drawer of the fridge with a temperature between 38 and 48 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity between 90% and 95%.