MSNBC - Dateline

Raw fruits are safe at room temperature, but after ripening, will mold and rot quickly. For best quality, store ripe fruit in the refrigerator or prepare and freeze.


Fruits	Shelf	Refrigerator	Freezer
Apples	1-2 days	3 weeks	Cooked, 8 mos.
Apricots	Until ripe	2-3 days	No
Avocados	Until ripe	3-4 days	No
Bananas	Until ripe	2 days, skin will blacken	whole peeled, 1 month
Berries, cherries	No	1-2 days	4 months
Citrus fruit	10 days	1-2 weeks	No
Coconuts, fruits	1 week	2-3 weeks	Shredded, 6 months
Grapes	1 day	1 week	Whole, 1 mo.
Kiwi fruit	Until ripe	3-4 days	No
Melons	1-2 days	3-4 days	Balls, 1 mo.
Papaya, mango	3-5 days	1 week	No
Peaches, nectarines	Until ripe	3-4 days	Sliced, lemon juice & sugar, 2 months
Pears, plums	3-5 days	3-4 days	No

Vegetable	Shelf	Raw, refrigerated	Blanched, cooked or frozen

Artichokes, whole	1-2 days	1-2 weeks	No
Asparagus	No	3-4 days	8 months
Beans, green or wax	No	3-4 days	8 months
Beets	1 day	7-10 days	6-8 months
Cabbage	No	1-2 weeks	10-12 months
Carrots, parsnips	No	2 weeks	10-12 months
Celery	No	1-2 weeks	10-12 months
Cucumbers	No	4-5 days	No
Eggplant	1 day	3-4 days	6-8 months
Garlic, ginger root	2 days	1-2 weeks	1 month
Greens	No	1-2 days	10-12 months
Herbs, fresh	No	7-10 days	1-2 months
Leeks	No	1-2 weeks	10-12 months
Lettuce, iceberg	No	1-2 weeks	No
Lettuce, leaf	No	3-7 days	No
Mushrooms	No	2-3 days	10-12 months
Okra	No	2-3 days	10-12 months
Onions, dry	2-3 weeks	2 months	10-12 months
Spring or green	No	1-2 weeks
Peppers, bell or chili	No	4-5 days	6-8 months
Potatoes	1-2 months	1-2 weeks	Cooked and mashed, 10-12 months
Rutabagas	1 week	2 weeks	8-10 months
Spinach	No	1-2 days	10-12 months
Squash, summer	No	4-5 days	10-12 months
Winter	1 week	2 weeks
Turnips	No	2 weeks	8-10 months
Tomatoes	Until ripe	2-3 days	2 months