Foods you should never store together (and why it matters for freshness, flavour & your budget)
When you’ve done the weekly grocery shop, the last thing you want is to watch your fresh food wilt, spoil or taste weird before you’ve had the chance to enjoy it.
The secret to getting the most out of your groceries isn’t just about where you store them—it’s also about who they live next to.
Some foods are best friends in the kitchen, but others? Let’s just say they need a bit of personal space. Storing the wrong items together can speed up ripening, transfer odours or even increase the risk of foodborne illness.
Here’s your easy guide to keeping the peace in your fridge and pantry so you can save time, money and mealtime stress.
1. Raw meat & poultry vs fresh produce
Raw meats can carry harmful bacteria that can drip onto fruit or veg and make you sick.
Your move: Keep them in sealed containers on the lowest shelf of the fridge so nothing can drip onto other foods.
2. Ethylene producers vs ethylene-sensitive produce
Some fruits give off a natural gas called ethylene, which speeds up ripening. This is great when you want your avocado to soften quickly, but not when it turns your broccoli yellow before you’ve even cooked it.
High ethylene: apples, bananas, avocados, melons
Ethylene-sensitive: carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens
Your move: Keep these groups separate in different drawers or use ethylene-filter bags to slow things down.
3. Onions & potatoes (and other alliums)
Onions, garlic and leeks are aromatic little powerhouses. Stored next to potatoes, they can make them sprout faster. Stored next to apples, they can make them taste… well, like onions.
Your move: Keep onions and garlic in a dry, ventilated basket away from other produce. Potatoes also like their own space.
4. Tomatoes & cucumbers
Tomatoes produce ethylene, which speeds up ripening and can make cucumbers go soft quickly.
Your move: Store cucumbers in a separate drawer or container away from tomatoes for crisp, long-lasting veggies.
5. Mushrooms & strong-smelling foods
Mushrooms are like little sponges. Store them near onions, garlic, or leftovers and they’ll soak up those flavours.
Your move: Pop mushrooms in a paper bag in the fridge away from anything pungent.
6. Bananas & avocados
Both are ethylene champions. Put them together and they’ll race each other to ripeness — fast.
Your move: If you want to speed things up, put them together briefly. Once ripe, keep them apart to avoid over-ripening.
7. Strong aromas & delicate foods
Eggs, cheese and milk can pick up odours from strong-smelling foods like fish, onions or curry.
Your move: Store dairy in airtight containers or in their own section of the fridge.
Pro tips for smarter storage
Rotate older produce to the front so it gets used first.
Keep crisper drawers clean and dry to prevent mould.
Label storage bins so the whole household knows what goes where.
Why this matters for you
As a busy woman juggling work, family and everything else life throws at you, wasted food isn’t just frustrating, it’s wasted time, energy and money.
Knowing a few storage rules means fewer last-minute grocery runs, more fresh ingredients for your family, and more room in your budget for the foods you love.
Want more time-saving, budget-friendly food tips? Check out my 6-week and 8-week meal plans designed to make healthy eating simple, flexible and fuss-free.
Curious about more simple nutrition tips? Join me at Flex Food Life and join my Facebook group community for real, practical advice that fits into your lifestyle!
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