Once they are ripe, refrigerate. Apples, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, oranges, pineapples, strawberries, tangerines and watermelon are received ripe and should be refrigerated.
If you don't plan to use them quickly, consider storing your oranges in the refrigerator to help them last a few weeks longer. The best option is to keep your oranges whole when storing them in the fridge. This way, the natural peel protects the orange and prevents the fruit from wilting.
Fruits That Should Not Be Stored in the Refrigerator
Apricots, Asian pears, avocado, bananas, guava, kiwis, mangoes, melons, nectarines, papayas, passion fruit, pawpaw, peaches, pears, persimmons, pineapples, plantain, plums, starfruit, soursop, and quince will continue to ripen if left out on the counter.
Don't store apples and oranges together in the same drawer in the refrigerator – make sure you store them in separate drawers or on separate shelves.
Storing: Oranges and other citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, and grapefruits can be stored short-term (up to one week) at room temperature. To prolong the shelf life (up to 3-4 weeks) of citrus fruits, keep them in a bag in the refrigerator.
Storing fruit in the fridge
Most fresh fruit, including apples, berries and grapes, will last longer if kept in their original packaging and stored in the crisper of your fridge. Berries can last in the fridge for about a week. It's a good idea to eat as soon as possible so they don't spoil.
They may be stored in a cool, dark spot for a few days, but ideally should be refrigerated to extend shelf life up to 2 weeks.
Storing lemons in the fridge is a great way to extend their shelf life. And if you want to keep lemons fresh for longer than a week, you'll definitely want to refrigerate them.
Refrigerate any unconsumed fully ripe tomatoes, but allow them to come to room temperature before serving them. (To speed up this process, slice them while still cold—slices will warm up much more quickly than an intact fruit.) One study we've read suggests that refrigerating for no longer than three days is optimal.
The ideal place to store bananas is on the countertop, where they can ripen naturally. You can refrigerate bananas once they've achieved your ideal level of ripeness; however, refrigerating bananas too soon or for too long can have detrimental effects on your bunch.
An unpeeled orange stored in the crisper drawer of a refrigerator lasts for about two weeks to one month. Mandarins last longer in a cool, dark place as opposed to a countertop in direct sunlight or on top of the refrigerator. There is no need for a plastic bag when you store them whole and unpeeled.
Apples are safe at room temperature, but their higher ethylene content contributes to faster ripening. Apples stored in the refrigerator can last for several weeks. Cut produce is more susceptible to pathogens, so storing in the refrigerator can limit pathogen growth.
Don't keep the fruit in a plastic bag or an airtight container, which can make it get moldy or soft faster. Mesh bags that let air circulate are fine. Look through the fruit regularly and use the ones that are getting soft.
Ripen fruit at room temperature. Once they are ripe, refrigerate. Apples, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, oranges, pineapples, strawberries, tangerines and watermelon are received ripe and should be refrigerated.
They will typically last up to 1-2 weeks when kept in a cool dry place in a single layer. If you haven't eaten all of your mandarins within 1-2 weeks (which is nearly impossible because they are so yummy), place them in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life by a few more days.
How to store mandarin oranges. Store mandarin oranges in a cool, dark place (like the fridge). At room temperature they'll last about 1 week. Refrigerated in a bag they should last 2 weeks to 1 month.
Blueberries are the longest lasting of the berry family; if they're allowed to ripen at room temperature and then stored in the fridge, they will keep for up to two weeks. Skip washing them until just before eating, and skip the crisper drawer, too — blueberries stay best in their container on a refrigerator shelf.
Fresh strawberries can go directly into the refrigerator, but will do just fine on the counter for a couple of days. Remove any bruised or otherwise marred berries and place the rest in a colander or open-weave basket to allow good airflow.
Refrigeration
To refrigerate them properly, place them in a mesh as opposed to a plastic bag. This allows air to circulate and slows down the growth of mold, lesions, or softened rind. If you place them in the veggie section and turn them occasionally to allow airflow, they should remain fresh for about 30 days.
If you want to keep your citrus fresh for over a month, learning how to store lemons and limes is key. And this storage hack is simple: Submerge them in water and keep them in the fridge. Grab a reusable, sealable container—we recommend a glass container—and submerge the citrus fruits completely underwater.
A: As with most fungi, fruit mold thrives in warm, damp environments. If you wash your lemons and set them in a bowl, water will pool at the bottom, which explains why the last lemon standing is usually the one that gets moldy first.