This Is The Biggest Mistake You Make When Storing Fruit

The fruit bowl is one of the most common countertop features, along with the toaster and the coffee machine. So many families, including my own, keep their fruit—like bananas, apples, oranges, and more—on the counter in a bowl.

Not only does a fruit bowl add a little charm to your kitchen, but it’s a good reminder that you have fruit to eat. When food is out of sight, it can also be out of mind (at least for me), so one central place for all my fruit can help this problem.

But this spot might actually be doing more harm than good—here's why.

What's the Problem With a Fruit Bowl?

When you store fruit like bananas and apples together, they will both rot quicker than you might expect. Both bananas and apples produce ethylene, a gas that speeds up the ripening process and can make the fruit lose its luster before you can eat them.

These two fruits, as well as others like kiwis or vegetables like onions and leafy greens, are also sensitive to ethylene. If the gas from an ethylene-producing fruit is sharing the space in a deep, wide bowl with an ethylene-sensitive fruit, you’re left with an environment that traps the gas to some extent and does not keep your fruits in their best shape.

Apple Storage Tips

Apples can be stored on the counter, but it's important to store them by themselves and away from other ethylene-producing fruits and vegetables. They don’t need to be stored on separate sides of a kitchen, but rather, separate sides of a countertop. 

The better place to store them would be in the fridge because apples love cold environments. Few things taste as good as a cold, crisp apple.

The same rules apply with ethylene-emitting produce when storing in the refrigerator: Try to keep these fruit and vegetables separate.

Banana Storage Tips

If you’re making banana bread, maybe throwing overripe bananas in a bowl with other fruit is actually what you want. This is a handy trick if you want a fruit to ripen quicker. 

Outside of that though, store your bananas away from other produce like apples, potatoes, and tomatoes. Where you store your bananas is more a matter of preference. If you eat them quickly, you might not need the refrigerator to keep them in good condition. 

Bananas can be stored on the counter, but if they turn ripe and you aren’t ready to eat them, place them in the fridge so they keep longer. Tying the stems together with string or plastic wrap also helps them ripen slower. 

I keep my bananas out of the fridge because I often don’t have the space to store them in there. If they are ripe, this fruit lasts about two or three days on the counter, but that number can get as high as seven days if you store them in a cold environment.