Life of Produce

Produce	How Long It Lasts	Tips for Fresh Produce
Apples	4-8 weeks in the fridge	It’s OK if your apple has a few brown spots. Those can be cut away. But if it looks wrinkled or feels mushy, it’s time to toss.
Avocado	4-7 days at room temperature	Peel off the stem. If the skin underneath is green, the avocado is ripe. It’ll also give in to light pressure when squeezed.
Bananas	2-5 days at room temperature	Bananas are best when they’re yellow and have just started to develop brown spots. A ripe banana will be easy to peel.
Blueberries	1-2 weeks in the fridge	Most blueberries you get at the store will be ready to gobble down. They’ll have a blue-gray color. If they start to feel moist or look moldy, it’s time to toss.
Broccoli	7-14 days in the fridge	Your broccoli should have a rich, green color. It’s best to eat when the stems feel firm, not limp.
Carrots	3-4 weeks in the fridge	Carrots are past their prime when they feel limp or have developed a white, grainy look. If you bought carrots with their greens on, it’s best to cut the greens off and store separately.
Cucumbers	1 week in the fridge	Your cucumber should have a bright and even green color throughout. Discard if it has any sunken areas, is yellow or has wrinkly skin.
Garlic	3-6 months at room temperature	Garlic in its prime will feel firm and have an off-white color. If it’s grown any sprouts, peel them away before cooking. Pass up garlic that has turned tan or looks wrinkly.
Iceberg and romaine lettuce	7-10 days in the fridge	If your greens look discolored, feel soggy or have a rotten smell, it’s time to discard.
Lemons	3-4 weeks in the fridge	Healthy lemons will be bright yellow and slightly firm to the touch. It’s overripe if it has soft spots, dark blotches or is oozing juice.
Onions	2-3 months at room temperature	A good onion will look clean and feel firm. Moisture and soft spots can be a sign it’s gone bad.
Oranges	3-4 weeks in the fridge	Juicy oranges will look bright and feel slightly firm to the touch. Check to see that there are no soft spots.
Peaches	1-3 days at room temperature	Ripe peaches will have a deep golden color. They’ll also wrinkle slightly around the stem and give in a bit when gently squeezed.
Potatoes	3-5 weeks in the pantry	A good potato will feel firm and smell like earth. It’s OK if it has small sprouts, but if the sprouts are longer than a few centimeters, your potato may have gone bad.
Strawberries	3-7 days in the fridge	Fragrant and bright strawberries are the best to eat. Discard if there is any sign of mold.
String beans	3-5 days in the fridge	The beans should be slender and firm without any visible seeds. You’ll know they’ve gone bad if they’ve turned limp or moist.
Tomatoes	1 week at room temperature	Ready-to-eat tomatoes will feel firm when slightly squeezed and seem slightly heavy compared with their size.
Watermelon	7 to 10 days at room temperature	Tap on the side. If the melon sounds hollow, it’s good to eat. Also, it should feel firm when pressed but not hard as a rock.
Whole mushrooms	7-10 days in the fridge	If the mushroom feels sticky or slimy, it’s bad. Whole mushrooms will keep longer than sliced mushrooms.
Zucchini	4-5 days in the fridge	Your summer squash should be firm yet slightly flexible and have glossy skin. If the zucchini looks gray, it may be overly ripe.