Vegetables are the one category where storage advice matters more than cooking advice. Most are thrown away before they are ever cooked.
The table below covers where each type belongs and how long it lasts there. The sections after it link to a specific answer for cooking and cutting each one.
Potatoes, onions and tomatoes stay out of the fridge
Cold turns potato starch to sugar, makes onions soft, and kills tomato flavour and texture. Store them cool, dark and dry instead.
Quick reference
| Vegetable | Where to store | Typical keeping time |
|---|---|---|
| Potatoes | Cool, dark, dry — not the fridge | 2–3 months |
| Onions and garlic | Cool, dry, good airflow — not with potatoes | 1–2 months |
| Tomatoes | Counter, out of direct sun | 3–5 days once ripe |
| Leafy greens and lettuce | Fridge, loosely wrapped | 3–7 days |
| Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage | Fridge crisper | 1–2 weeks |
| Carrots and root vegetables | Fridge, tops removed | 3–4 weeks |
| Cucumbers, peppers, zucchini | Fridge crisper | 1 week |
| Mushrooms | Fridge, paper bag — never sealed plastic | 4–7 days |
| Asparagus | Fridge, standing in water | 3–4 days |
| Avocado | Counter to ripen, then fridge | 2–3 days once ripe |
Keeping times assume a refrigerator at 40°F or below and whole, unwashed produce. Cut surfaces spoil far faster, and washing before storage shortens most of these times because trapped moisture encourages rot.
Potatoes and root vegetables
The vegetables that keep longest, and the ones most often stored in the wrong place.
Greens and brassicas
Short-lived and moisture-sensitive. How they are wrapped matters more than the shelf they sit on.
Tomatoes, peppers and squash
Botanically fruits, treated as vegetables, and the group most damaged by refrigeration.
Onions, garlic and mushrooms
The aromatics. All three keep far longer with airflow than sealed in plastic.
Avocado, asparagus and others
Everything else, including the site’s most-asked produce question: when is an avocado ready.
Why potatoes and onions must be kept apart
Onions give off moisture and gases as they age. Potatoes stored beside them absorb both and sprout much sooner.
Kept separately, in a dark, dry, well-ventilated place, both last for months. Kept together in a closed cupboard, both spoil in weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Should potatoes be stored in the refrigerator?
No. Cold converts potato starch into sugar, which makes them sweet and causes them to darken when cooked. Store them somewhere cool, dark and dry instead.
Why do my tomatoes taste like nothing after the fridge?
Refrigeration below about 55°F halts the compounds that create tomato aroma and damages the cell walls, giving a mealy texture. Keep ripe tomatoes on the counter.
How long do leafy greens last?
Three to seven days refrigerated, and longer if they are dry. Wash immediately before use rather than before storage, because trapped moisture accelerates rot.
Is it safe to eat a potato that has sprouted?
Small sprouts can be cut away generously along with any green skin. Discard potatoes that are shrivelled, soft, or extensively green, because solanine concentrates in those areas.
Why should mushrooms not be stored in plastic?
Sealed plastic traps the moisture mushrooms release, which makes them slimy within days. A paper bag lets that moisture escape and roughly doubles how long they keep.