If your onions sprout, go soft or mouldy, then you’re storing them in the wrong place or under bad conditions – but an expert has shared the perfect way to keep them fresh
Storing food correctly is crucial, and that’s particularly true when it comes to keeping your bananas bread fresh or extending the life of your onions. Onions are a staple in many British kitchens, frequently used in daily cooking. Contrary to popular practice, onions shouldn’t be stored in the fridge with other veggies and fruit due to their aversion to cold temperatures.
If you’ve got sprouting or mouldy onions, chances are they’re being kept in less than ideal conditions. Foodie YouTuber Jerry James Stone has dished out his expert advice on how to store onions to prevent rotting or mushiness in a helpful video.
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He advised: “I’m going to talk to you about how you properly store onions – if you do it correctly, you can actually store them for up to six months.” His first tip is to avoid refrigeration: “Onions hate being in the fridge, that’s the first thing – never put them in the fridge. If you do, they actually rot and go mushy.”
Cold and humid refrigerator conditions spell disaster for whole onions, as they should be stored in places where they won’t absorb excess moisture, which would lead to faster spoilage. This moisture issue, though, does not extend to peeled, sliced, or chopped onions, reports the Express.
Jerry went on to explain that onions flourish in a dry, airy space: “The other thing about onions, is they prefer to be in a dry place, that’s cool, and has good ventilation,” detailing that stuffed drawers are a no-go but well-ventilated pantries can work wonders.
Ventilation is key because onions emit moisture, he pointed out, highlighting the need for air circulation to keep them in prime condition.
Storing onions next to potatoes is a big no-no. As the expert explained “One thing you definitely don’t want to do is store onions anywhere next to potatoes. Because of the moisture and ethylene gas onions put out, they cause potatoes to sprout.”
Conversely, onions and garlic get along just fine – they can be stored together. “The food you can store onions next to is garlic – they prefer the same environment.”
However, onions should be freed from their plastic bags when you get back from the supermarket. Trapped moisture can lead to mould.
A more breathable mesh or net bag can help onions stay fresh by improving airflow. For short-term storage, when you’ll be using your onions in a couple of days, keeping them in a countertop bowl or kitchen cupboard is fine.
But when storing onions for longer periods, keep them cool, dry, and dark – maybe in the garage or cellar.