Have you ever found yourself dumping all your fruits and vegetables on the same kitchen rack? Are you tired of tossing out your produce before their time? Then you are not alone. Throwing out fruits and vegetables before their time isn't just about money but also food wastage. However, the secret to keeping your groceries fresher might not be about how you store them – but who they're stored with. Some foods don't belong together – thanks to ethylene gas – and can spoil their counterparts. Wondering what food pairs are yay and which are nay? Let's find out six common food duos you should never store together if you want to keep your produce and pantry staples at their best.
Also Read:Should You Eat Fruits Before Or After A Meal?
Photo Credit: iStock
Here Are 6 Food Pairs That Shouldn't Be Stored Together
1. Apples and Bananas
The most unexpected fruit combination, while apples and bananas are delicious together in desserts, storing them side by side is a recipe disaster. This is because apples release ethylene gas which amps up the ripening process of bananas. This means your bananas can go from perfectly yellow to brown and mushy in no time. For maximum freshness, keep bananas on the counter while storing apples in a separate spot like a fridge. Trust us, your fruit bowl will thank you.
2. Onions and Potatoes
Have you ever wondered why onions and potatoes – two staples in Indian cuisines – are not stored together in one place? Well, this is because the moisture and gases released by potatoes can onions to sprout and spoil faster. Onions, on the other hand, can make potatoes soft and mushy. To avoid this double spoilage of your produce, make sure to store it in a cool, dry place – separate from one another.
3. Tomatoes and Cucumbers
Yes, both can be stored in the fridge but make sure not to store them together. Tomatoes and cucumbers are a classic salad combo, but not a great one when it comes to storage. Tomatoes produce ethylene gas, which can make the cucumbers go soft and slimy quickly. To keep both fresh, store tomatoes at room temperature and cucumbers in the fridge. Keep them together only while cooking or whipping up a great salad.
Photo: iStock
4. Bananas And Other Fruits
As mentioned above, bananas are a powerhouse of ethylene, so storing them with other fruits can lead to fast spoilage of your produce. Fruits like berries, avocados, and apples spoil quickly when compared to bananas. The solution? Store bananas in their own fruit basket, away from the rest of your fruit stash.
5. Garlic And Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs like coriander, basil, and parsley are delicate and highly absorbent, which makes storing them near pungent foods like garlic a big no. Garlic's strong aroma can overpower your herbs, ruining their flavour and freshness. Keep your garlic in a cool, dry place and your herbs wrapped in a damp paper towel in the fridge. This way, it'll stay fresh for longer.
6. Apples And Carrots
Storing apples and carrots may seem harmless, but it's not ideal. Apples release ethylene gas which can make carrots lose their crunch. This will make carrots limp instead of crisp that they are. To avoid this, store apples in the fridge's vegetable drawer and carrots in a separate bag or container. Both will stay fresh and crisp for long.
Also Read: Eat These 7 Calcium-Rich Fruits To Ensure Healthy Bones And Teeth