15 Foods in Your Home That Will Spoil Faster If Stored in Plastic
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It’s so easy to just put everything in plastic bags or Tupperware, but in reality, some things go bad faster while locked up in plastic, losing its texture, flavor, and becoming inedible. Well, the problem with plastic is that it traps moisture and restricts airflow. Together, these factors make for the perfect mold, sogginess and spoilage conditions.
Let’s have a look at some everyday foods that don’t play nice with plastic storage.
Bread
While we all love a fresh loaf of bread, storing it in plastic can have it going moldy or mushy in no time. Plastic bags trap air so they would keep more moisture in, it accelerates bread mold (there’s lots of bread mold anyway, so pushing them any further in that direction is probably a bad idea) but bread needs air to stay fresh and the plastic/foil eliminates that need. Alternatively, you can wrap it in paper so it can breathe, but also stay soft.
Cheese
You might think cheese is low maintenance, but it requires special care. Placing cheese in plastic suffocates it; the cheese sweats and spoils much faster. Instead of a sealed wrap, consider using something breathable like wax or parchment paper so the cheese keeps natural air circulating to stay fresh and flavourful without involving itself in a sad, sweaty blob.
Mushrooms
If you have ever left mushrooms in a plastic container for too long then you know how quickly they can get slimy. These little fungi soak up moisture easily and plastic traps that moisture in, providing a breeding ground for mold. They should be kept in a paper bag, so that excess moisture can escape, and they stay fresh.
Lettuce
Wilted, soggy lettuce is something nobody wants to find in the fridge when they open it. Exactly that is what happens when you store leafy greens in plastic. Trapping of moisture make the leaves soggy and they turn slimy. Rather than putting lettuce in the fridge, wrap it in a paper towel and place it in a loosely closed container for a crisper and fresher lettuce.
Onions
Onions need air, and storing them in plastic is a sure fire way to have moldy, soft onions. Without airflow, they rot or sprout faster than you can chop them up. To make them last longer keep them in a mesh bag or a basket in a cool, dry place.
Garlic
Onions and garlic have the same fate when placed in plastic. Rotting is encouraged by trapped moisture, and nobody wants stinky, mushy garlic cloves. Keep garlic fresher longer in a cool, dry spot, with good ventilation, such as a wire basket or even a clay garlic keeper.
Potatoes
Plastic and potatoes don’t mix. Potatoes stored in a sealed plastic bag sprout and soften faster. Without air circulation, the process moves quickly and you end up with less than appetizing spuds. It is much better to store potatoes in a paper bag, or a burlap sack, so they are cool and dry.
Berries
Although delicious, berries are delicate and easily spoil. If kept in plastic, moisture will be trapped and mold will grow. To keep things fresh and ready for a snack, however, store berries in a shallow container with only a paper towel in the bottom to absorb any extra moisture.
Cucumbers
Plastic bags are a no no, because cucumbers stored in them get slimy and soft way too soon. But the plastic traps moisture, and that breaks down the cucumber’s texture. Wrapping them in a paper towel and putting them in the fridge’s crisper drawer is a better way to store them.
Tomatoes
If you’ve been storing your tomatoes in plastic, you’ll likely find that they ripen and then over ripen very quickly. They trap the gases given off by the tomatoes and the tomatoes spoil faster. Rather, leave tomatoes out on the counter where they naturally ripen in the open air.
Bananas
Bananas ripen fast enough as it is, but if you put them in plastic they ripen even faster and you end up with brown mush before you know it. Bananas will do best out in the open, hanging from a hook or sitting on your counter to slow down the ripening process.
Herbs
If you store fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley in plastic, they’ll go from bright and perky to limp and slimy. Keep them fresh by treating them as a bouquet – trim the stems, put them in a glass of water and loosely cover them with a plastic bag so they can breathe, but not suffocate.
Apples
Although apples may appear to be hardy, they don’t like being in plastic bags. Without airflow, they lose their crunch and spoil quicker. Keep apples crisp by keeping them in the fridge or on the counter without plastic. According to Tuttle Orchards, Apples keep longest when held at 31-36 degrees Fahrenheit.
Peppers
Another veggie that doesn’t do well in plastic is peppers. They soften and wrinkle quickly, because of the moisture trapped inside. They do best in the crisper drawer where they’ll stay fresher without all that trapped moisture.
Avocados
Plastic speeds up the process of avocados going bad, avocados are tricky enough to keep fresh without the help of plastic. Plastic stores avocados which speed up their ripening and can make them brown before you’ve even made it to guacamole. Ripe avocados should be kept in the fridge, but don’t wrap them in plastic, instead use a container or beeswax wrap.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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