You have bought juicy, crunchy cucumbers, come home and immediately put them in the fridge with the other vegetables and fruit - after all, the good ingredients should stay fresh for a long time. But does it really make sense to store cucumbers like this? We clarify.

Cucumbers last a good week in the crisper

Cucumbers only last a few days in the fridge

Store a cucumber in the refrigerator for a maximum of four days. If left in for a long time, the cold will quickly stain and/or yellow it. It also takes on a mushy consistency. This is because cucumbers are more than 90 percent water - as soon as temperatures drop below four degrees Celsius, the green vegetable freezes; when thawed, it becomes soft and inedible.

How long do cucumbers last and where are they stored?

There are several locations where you can store cucumbers:

  • kitchen
  • pantry
  • basement, cellar
  • fridge

Store cucumbers “open” in the kitchen

If you would like to eat the cucumber on the day of purchase, it is advisable to simply place the vegetable on the counter in the kitchen until it is ready to be used. In that case, store the cucumber in a perforated plastic bag.

Shelf life: few hours/one day

Pantry or basement as ideal places

The pantry and basement are the best places to store cucumbers, as these rooms typically have temperatures between 50 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit and are dark. These are the perfect conditions for cucumbers.

Shelf life: two to three weeks

Give preference to the vegetable compartment in the fridge

If you have neither a pantry nor a basement room, the cucumber is best kept in the fridge if it is not eaten on the same day. If possible, put the cucumber in the vegetable compartment where it is a little less cold.

Shelf life: seven to ten days

Basic tips for storing cucumbers

  • Do not store your fresh cucumbers together with ripe apples and pears, melons or tomatoes. As these fruits and vegetables ripen, they produce ethylene, a gas that accelerates the cucumbers' ripening process and causes them to quickly perish - literally.
  • Avoid freezing cucumbers. In order to store the green vegetables for a long time, you should simply turn a salad into a pickle, which you can then easily store in the refrigerator - for several months.
  • Cucumber lovers disagree on whether or not cucumbers sold in foil should be unpacked afterwards. In fact, both variants have their justification: If no moisture is visible between the cucumber and the film, the latter remains - it protects the cucumber from moisture loss. However, if you discover damp patches between the vegetables and the foil, the risk of mold is high, so you better remove the foil.

Store the cucumber after slicing

Here is a short step-by-step guide to storing a sliced cucumber:

  1. Wash the cucumber thoroughly BEFORE slicing.
  2. Thoroughly rub the cucumber dry with paper towels.
  3. Cut off the desired piece of cucumber.
  4. Wrap the remaining cucumber in cling film.

tips

Alternatively, you can put the vegetables in a plastic container. The main thing is that it is protected from air and moisture.

  1. Put the wrapped cucumber in the fridge and eat within a few days.

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Vegetable garden