My husband loves onions, so we always have one somewhere on the kitchen counter. If it’s not eaten quickly enough, it gets smelly and mushy. There’s got to be a better storage solution, so I talked to four onion farmers and experts. They said the most important thing to keep onions fresh is airflow.
“Store onions in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location, such as a garage or cellar. Place them in mesh bags or netting to permit airflow,” says Bruce L Frasier, president of Texas-based Dixondale Farms, which has been producing onions since 1913. “Periodically check for any soft onions and remove them to avoid deterioration of the others.”
Each year, Peri & Sons Farms grows more than 500 million pounds of white, red, yellow, sweet, and organic onions in Nevada and California. “Proper airflow is essential for storing onions. Store them out of direct light, but it doesn’t have to be dark,” says Peri representative Kelsey Weingart. “Opt for a well-ventilated area like a mesh bag, wire basket, or wooden crate.”
John Shuman, President and CEO of Shuman Farms, which grows sweet Vidalia onions in Georgia, says the best way to store sweet onions is to keep them in a cool, dry place separated from each other.
He suggests storing sweet onions in the legs of clean, sheer pantyhose and tying a knot between each onion. Then, hang them in a cool, dry place with plenty of airflow. You can also place them on elevated racks in a cool, dry place. Just be sure they aren’t touching each other.
One key takeaway: If you buy onions in bulk sold in mesh bags, keep them in the bags for longer storage.
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What About the Refrigerator?
Farmers are divided about whether it’s OK to store onions in the fridge.
“Onions like dark, cool, dry places,” says April Robertson of Robertson Family Farm in King, North Carolina. “No Ziploc bag. No fridge.”
“Whole onions should not be stored in the refrigerator; give them a nice, excellent, well-ventilated spot, and they will last weeks to months,” says Weingart, who suggests keeping them in a pantry or basement. “Avoid storing onions in the refrigerator, as the cold and humidity can cause them to become soft and mushy.”
Frasier suggests keeping onions in the pantry until they’re cut. After they’re sliced, then you can put them in the fridge. “Once you cut an onion, you can store it in the refrigerator for a week or so,” he says.
Shuman says it’s OK to store sweet onions in the fridge if you first wrap them separately in paper towels or newspaper.
More Expert Onion Storage Tips
You don’t want to put a cut onion on the fridge shelf, or everything in there will quickly smell oniony.
“To minimize exposure to air and moisture, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil or store it in an airtight container,” suggests Weingart. Cut onions should always be stored in an airtight container or wrapped before storing in the fridge. “They are best used within a few days.”
Don’t store onions with potatoes or other produce that emits ethylene, a natural gas that causes ripening. Potatoes release the gas and can cause onions to sprout and decay more quickly.
And if you are storing several onions, give them a little individual care, Weingart says. “Gently rotate onions to let them breathe and help eliminate bruising.”
