How to store your food at home so it stays fresher for longer

There's a lot of conflicting advice out there regarding proper storage of groceries. Should bread be kept in the fridge? Is it ok to keep eggs at room temperature? At Elysia, we're dedicated to reducing food waste and as such we've tried and tested lots of different storage options to come up with this clever guide to making sure your fresh produce lasts as long as possible.

How to store your food at home and make it last as long as possible:

Potatoes

Place the potatoes in a cardboard box, paper bag, mesh bag, or basket to ensure good ventilation. Don’t use a plastic bag as it won't allow them to breathe and will shorten their shelf life considerably, so remove them from a plastic bag if you've brought them home in one. Store your potatoes in a cool, humid, and dark place.

Carrots, beetroot and parsnips

These can wilt or go soft easily if kept at room temperature, particularly when kept with other fruits and vegetables in the same bowl. We recommend you keep them in the fridge in a container with some water at the bottom/ or in a ziplock sandwich bag so that they have enough moisture to stay crunchy.

Garlic and Onions

We recommend popping you garlic and onions in a paper bag with a few holes poked into it. Store in a cool, humid, and dark place.

Rhubarb

Store in the fridge with the stalks wrapped loosely in foil so as to stop them from drying out. This works well for celery too.

Spring Onions

In the same way we like to store herbs, we recommend lining a plastic container with a damp piece of kitchen towel. Place the spring onions inside then cover with another piece before covering with a lid.

Broccoli

Store in the fridge with the stalks wrapped loosely in damp kitchen paper/ towel in your crisper drawer (if you have one).

Apples

Store in the crisper drawer of your fridge (if you have one) in a paper bag with holes in it. Alternatively, cover with a damp paper towel.

Asparagus

Stand the asparagus upright in a glass jar and fill with a couple of inches of water making sure the ends are sitting in water. Cover loosely with a plastic bage and store in the fridge. Alternatively, use the same trick as the spring onions and line a plastic container with a damp piece of kitchen towel. Place the asparagus inside then cover with another piece before covering with a lid.

Eggs

Although eggs should just be stored below 20ºC so it’s good practice to keep them in the fridge so that their temperature doesn’t fluctuate and they stay fresh for as long as possible. As the weather gets warmer our kitchen temperature fluctuates but the fridge temperature remains pretty consistent.

Bread

Bread, pastry, cakes and any baked goods do not enjoy being refridgerated, which can make them dry and limp. Instead keep in a sealed container/ paper bag in a cool, dark place.

Flour, pulses, dried beans and peas

Store in a cool, dark, dry place and make sure they are covered and sealed properly.

Now that you know how to keep your food fresh, check out our home delivered grocery service, delivered to your door by bicycle across London.