Here's How To Protect Your Produce From The Humidity

Growing up in Colorado, I didn’t have to worry about humidity. I dealt with the dry heat, which at the time I thought was the worst thing I could experience. I was wrong. Since graduating college, I’ve moved to Alabama and I didn’t think I could experience a heat like the one I am currently experiencing here in the South. 

No matter how hard I try to keep the humidity at bay, it still finds a way to creep into my apartment. And just as I wither away in the heat and humidity, so does our produce—I’ve certainly learned that the hard way (rip my bag of avocados). With farmer’s markets in their prime showcasing their gorgeous produce, it’s important to learn how to properly store them. After all, the humidity is only supposed to get worse the farther into summer we get to.

That’s why we’ve gathered some helpful tips and tricks on helping protect your produce from the humidity.

How To Protect Produce From Humidity

The first important thing to note before thinking of storing your produce is knowing where and how they thrive. Some produce ripens faster because of the humidity—and thus spoil faster—so once you notice that these items are ripe, quickly eat them before they go bad. 

Make Sure Your Produce Is Dry

As I mentioned, it’s important to know where your produce likes to thrive. In general, a dry spot is the best place for your produce. Veggies like a higher humidity, which means they require more airflow; fruits prefer a lower humidity. It’s a good idea to keep them apart.

Utilizing the drawers in your fridge and knowing how to adjust the humidity levels will help with longevity. It’s also important to note that fruits like cantaloupes, apples, and peaches give off ethylene gas, which can lead to a hasten ripening on other produce. 

Storage Is Key

As I mentioned, it’s important to know where your produce likes to thrive. In general, a dry spot is the best place for your produce. Veggies like a higher humidity, which means they require more airflow; fruits prefer a lower humidity. It’s a good idea to keep them apart. Utilizing the drawers in your fridge and knowing how to adjust the humidity levels will help with longevity. It’s also important to note that fruits like cantaloupes, apples, and peaches give off ethylene gas, which can lead to a hasten ripening on other produce. 

Invest In A Dehumidifier

Unfortunately, with temps rising, sometimes your produce still ripens far too quickly. That’s why I recommend looking into getting a dehumidifier. Most are reasonably priced and this will help get the extra moisture out of the air so other produce stored outside the fridge—like bananas or tomatoes—won’t spoil as fast. And an added bonus is that the inside of your home won’t be so muggy as well. At least that’s what I’ll be looking forward to when I get mine.