Fridge, cupboard or fruit bowl?

Did you know you should never put mangoes, aubergines or tomatoes in the fridge? Or that watermelon is a vegetable and not a fruit?

Our Head of Produce Quality Damon Johnson, who stars in our latest TV advert (below), is happy to answer your questions on fresh fruit and vegetables.

He’s put together this handy guide to the best way to store fruit and vegetables to keep them fresh – and avoid having to throw food away.

Peaches: Peaches – and other stone fruit like nectarines, plums and apricots – should be kept in the fruit bowl to ripen. Once ripe keep them in the fridge to make them last longer. Best eaten at room temperature.

Mangoes: Mangoes should be kept in the fruit bowl until they ripen. Once ripe, you can move them into a cooler place to prevent over-ripening. Never store unripe mangoes in the fridge as cold temperatures will cause browning on the inside.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes should be kept in the fruit bowl not the fridge! Tomatoes should not be stored in the fridge as cool temperatures affect the flavour of the tomatoes making them taste bland.

Potatoes: Potatoes should be kept in a cupboard or any other cool, dry and dark area. If you want to make them last longer or they are more delicate spuds then store them in the fridge, but be careful – if the temperature is too cold the starch will turn to sugar and make them taste sweet.

Strawberries: To maintain their quality and freshness strawberries should be kept in the fridge. However, take them out a few hours before serving as they taste best at room temperature.

Avocados: Avocados should be kept in the fruit bowl when unripe and then moved to the fridge. To ripen an avocado quicker, put it in a paper bag with a bunch of bananas – placing them next to bananas in a fruit bowl will speed up ripening too.

Grapes: Grapes should be stored in the fridge to keep them fresh for longer. To get the best flavour take them out of the fridge to take the chill off them before eating.

Bananas: Bananas should be kept at room temperature – never store them in the fridge as low temperatures make them turn grey and reduce their shelf-life. If the bananas are pre-packed in a bag and bought fairly green keep them in the bag until they start to change colour.

Ask Damon: If you have any questions on choosing, buying or storing fruit and vegetables leave a comment for Damon below and he’ll do his best to answer.