How to Keep Fruits Fresh

Many fresh fruits do just dandy at room temperature for a few days, and keeping them on the counter or table is a great way to remind the whole family to enjoy them. Oranges and other citrus

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fruits, in particular, fair better at room temperature, as do pomegranates, pineapples and other tropical fruits and melons of all sorts.

Apples can be chilled or not, as you like. Refrigerating them extends their life, but they're good on the counter for up to a week, longer in a cooler, darker spot. If you like to bite into a cold apple, though, the chill of the fridge doesn't hurt them at all.

Similarly, bananas can sit on the counter or in the fridge. The choice is  yours. Chilling will turn their skins black, hence the idea that they should never be kept in the fridge, but the fruit remains unaffected.

Nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, and kiwis can be kept on the counter if you'd like them to ripen a bit (they will all continue to ripen even after they're harvested). Once they're as ripe as you'd like them, though, keep them ready to eat by putting them in the fridge.

Berries are best unwashed and stored on paper towels on a single layer in the fridge. They are delicate things that easily absorb water, so wash them only just before using them to keep them fresher longer.

All fruit will benefit from being kept dry while you store it. Feel free to wrap apricots, cherries, figs, and grapes (rather delicate, all) in a few paper towels before loosely covering or wrapping them in plastic. This helps capture moisture that can develop and hasten spoilage.