We all know we should be eating more fresh produce when cooking meals at home, but it can be frustrating when you open your fridge and find food you bought not so long ago has already started to go off.
Onions are a staple in many homecooked meals and you could make them last longer if you store them correctly – an expert says they can last three months or longer. While many people choose to store their onions in the fridge, this could be causing them to go mouldy faster. Like other allium vegetables, onions should never be store in cold conditions; the temperature will convert the starch in the onion into the sugar at a rapid pace.
Cooking expert and founder of Little House Living, Melissa said: “While whole onions can be stored in a fridge, it is not recommended. That is because whole raw onions absorb moisture quickly and can turn softer in the fridge.” Instead, expert has shared her best hacks for storing both full and chopped onions, as per The Express.
The ideal spot to store whole onions, according to the pro, is in a drawer or cupboard. You can keep your onions on your countertop but be sure they are kept away from sunlight.
Melissa explained: “Store your onions in a dry [spot] where moisture cannot seep through to keep them from spoiling or rotting. Avoid storing onions in areas such as under the sink or in the basement, where it is humid.”
She explained that storing onions in an area that is too hot could dry out and begin sprout, which can rot and spoil the vegetable. Likewise, if they get too cold onions will become moist and could loose their hardness and turn mouldy.
Melissa also advises to remove vegetable from their original plastic packaging which they are often packed in, in supermarkets. Put them somewhere which allows a lot of airflow. They can be placed in a mesh or paper bag.
Melissa said: “Plastic bags will invite a great deal of moisture and make the onions rot faster than you want them to.”
Peeled onions will last up to 10 days in the fridge when stores correctly, the expert added, while peeled onions could last up to 14 days. Melisa says they should “always ” be store in the fridge. Pieces of onion should be stores in a container to avoid exposure to ethylene gas which can speed up to ripening process.
Melissa added: “Sliced, chopped, and cooked onions should always be stored in the fridge. These types of onions are not suitable for pantries and will rot quickly outside your fridge. Half-cut onions should be wrapped tightly in cling film or plastic wrap and then put into an airtight container, while chopped onions should be put in a plastic zipper bag.”
