In 2024, grocery bills are historically high, so we’re always on the hunt for produce savers and food storage that help extend the shelf life of the food we buy. Because there’s nothing worse than splurging on the organic strawberries, only to find them soggy and moldy a few days later, right? Right.
To get to the bottom of why produce is in such a hurry to go bad, we spoke to Andrew McGregor, senior director of produce at online grocer Misfits Market. “First, it’s important to understand that produce falls into three categories: Ethylene-producing produce, ethylene-sensitive produce and produce that isn’t sensitive to ethylene,” he says. “Ethylene is a harmless gas created when produce ripens, which can cause ethylene-sensitive fruits and vegetables to rot faster, so it’s crucial to keep ethylene producers and ethylene-sensitive produce apart from each other.” For example, he recommends keeping apples away from avocados, bananas away from mangoes, tomatoes away from cucumbers, potatoes away from onions and broccoli away from peppers.
In this age of sky-high grocery bills, we’re all looking to get the most out of our produce, and if we can do so by prepping and storing them correctly, all the better. Ahead, you’ll find 15 Amazon produce savers that — in addition to prolonging the life of your produce — will also create less food waste in your home, reduce your reliance on single-use plastics and, hopefully, cut down those bills. Oh, and everything on this list is under 40 bucks.
Produce savers
There are a lot of produce-saving products out there, but Rubbermaid stands out from the rest for a few reasons. For one, each container comprises only two pieces, the lid and the base — in comparison, competitors often contain four or more components. From a less-is-more point of view, Rubbermaid wins. Beyond that, it’s also BPA-free, dishwasher-friendly, modular and space saving (multiple bases can fit inside the largest container). With more than 5,500 positive customer reviews and a 4.6-star rating, the FreshWorks containers’ other key attributes are the elevated nodules on the floor of the containers that lift the produce away from moisture and the “fresh vent technology” that regulates airflow, keeping produce fresh longer.
?
The other behemoth in the produce-saving category is Oxo’s line of Good Grips containers. Comprised of a base, an elevated drop-in basket that doubles as a colander, a lid with an adjustable vent and a carbon filter that traps and absorbs ethylene gas (thus tapering spoilage), the Good Grips containers are also modular and stackable in your refrigerator. We appreciate the lid’s handy produce guide, but admit that this system has a lot of pieces (five in total) and that remembering to change the filter (a four-pack costs 11 bucks) every three months can be a little tedious.
More diminutive than a storage container, Bluapple is a great solution for small refrigerators. Here’s how it works: Pop the BPA-free Bluapple open, place one of the brand’s included packets into the bottom of the apple, snap the top back on and place it in your fridge’s crisper drawer, on a pantry shelf or even in the fruit bowl on your counter. The ventilated Bluapple then absorbs the ethylene gas in the air — which causes all produce to over-ripen and spoil — making your fruits and veggies last longer. FYI: The packets need to be replaced every three months.
A big reason your produce spoils is that there isn’t enough air circulating around it — like it does when it’s out growing in the natural world — and as a result, it gets soggy and moldy. These foam shelf liners aim to nip that in the bud by promoting air circulation under and around the produce and absorbing unwanted moisture. We love that you can trim the liners to your liking, that they’re easy to hand wash and that they meet BPA-free and FDA food contact standards.
Wilted herbs just won’t do! Instead, turn to this Cole & Mason keeper that is designed to fit in the refrigerator door and prolong the shelf life by up to 10 days. Embedded with three dividers, the keeper has a ventilated, flip-and-slide top and a water window that lets you monitor when it’s time for a refill. More to know: The keeper has nearly 5,000 positive reviews and a 4.4-star rating.
We know, we know — guacamole isn’t technically produce, but it’s made from it, so that’s why the ProKeeper made our list! Because nothing is worse than brown guacamole, this dishwasher-safe storage container saves the day by creating an airtight seal that will keep your favorite dip fresh and bright green for days on end. The container has a four-cup capacity that can store guacamole made from roughly five avocados.
?
Blending form and function, these potato, onion and garlic bins not only prolong?the shelf life, but also bring a vintage-farmhouse vibe to your counter or pantry. Embedded with ventilation holes, the bins are made from a high-shine polished sheet steel and have nearly 6,000 positive reviews and a 4.5-star rating.
An ingenious alternative to single-use plastic, Food Huggers are made with BPA-free, dishwasher-friendly silicone sleeves that stretch to fit around most common fruit and vegetable halves — everything from tomato and lemons to bananas and avocados — creating an airtight seal that prevents spoiling or drying out.?The Huggers come in sets of five and were created specifically to reduce food waste. Food Huggers not only keep onions fresh, but also prevent the smell from seeping into your other produce.
An alternative to storage bins, these Debbie Meyer GreenBags are a cult-favorite product with more than 25,000 positive reviews. Made from BPA-free plastic, the bags are reusable up to 10 times and are proven to extend the lives of fruits, vegetables and fresh cut flowers by up to three weeks.
Life rarely calls for an entire lemon — we’re almost always left with at least a half — and this handy saver from Oxo is a great way to avoid food waste. With a flat base and a stretchy silicone top (that can, by the way, fit a whole lot more than just a lemon), the dishwasher-friendly saver keeps lemons sealed off from any ethylene or potent scents in your fridge.
Meal preppers, rejoice: Ball Fruit protector can now keep your fruits and veggies brown-free for up to eight hours, according to the brand, but it also works overnight, according to one Amazon reviewer. Mixing antioxidants and vitamin C, the food preservative doesn’t affect your produce flavor and has about five calories per teaspoon.
A produce container that will also keep our fridge tidy? Yep, it exists, and more than 1,000 Amazon shoppers have bought this set in the last month alone. Each storage container is comprised of a base container with a handy drainage hole, an elevated basket that doubles as a colander, removable inserts for creating partitions and an airtight lid that has adjustable air vents. It's also available in three monochromatic colors.
If a homemade produce bath recipe isn’t for you, consider the Veggie Wash Store spray that deep cleans your fruits, removing wax, pesticides, dirt, dust and residue. Kosher, vegan and gluten-free, the odorless wash can either be applied by spraying or soaking, followed by thoroughly rinsing your produce.
Perhaps the cutest produce bins on our list, the Lille Home sets come in mix-and-match hues that give off major vintage vibes. Aesthetics aside, the organizers are full of function, too. Stackable and modular, each BPA-free set comes with three different size bins, removable drains, nesting colanders and heavy-duty lids that create an air-tight seal.?
If you don't have time to air dry your produce for a few hours before storing it, invest in Oxo's beloved salad spinner, which can be used on any produce to eschew water. Great for salads, too, the spinner's removable basket also works as a colander and the clear bowl can be used for serving — we love a multi-function product!
