Here's What Happens When You Store Tomatoes And Cucumbers Together (It Isn't Pretty)

Finding storage space in your kitchen can feel like a game of Tetris — especially after a grocery haul. But if you're just tossing all your produce in one spot instead of storing it properly, you could be making one of the worst food storage mistakes which can wind up raising your grocery bill. Yes, cucumbers and tomatoes both fall under the produce category, but they are vastly different and shouldn't be stored together. 

Tomatoes are in a group of produce that emits ethylene gas. This gas helps the tomato continue to ripen even after harvest, giving you time to decide how you can use every part of your fresh tomatoes without waste. While this is a great tool of nature for tomatoes, it can be detrimental to ethylene-sensitive produce like cucumbers. 

When stored too close to each other, the gas emitted from the tomato can cause the cucumber to spoil much faster than it would if stored on its own. This is because cucumbers don't continue to ripen after harvest the way tomatoes do, so the ethylene shortens shelf life. Ideally, ethylene-producing and ethylene-sensitive produce should be stored at least six to eight inches apart to mitigate the risk of faster spoilage. But there's more to properly storing cucumbers and tomatoes beyond just separating the two.

One of the cucumber mistakes you don't want to make is leaving your cucumber out on the counter at room temperature. This storage method will only give you about seven days before the vegetable is no good; even less time if it's kept next to tomatoes. The best way to store your cucumber if you want it to last is to wrap it in a paper towel, place it in a zip top bag, and store it on a shelf in your refrigerator. The paper towel and sealed bag help to protect the cucumber and soak up any moisture that could speed up spoiling. This storage method allows the cucumber to last as long as 19 days.

For tomatoes, room temperature storage is fine, and they'll last about a week sitting on a countertop. However, if you really want them to last, look to the stem. You can protect the stem by either placing the tomato on your counter upside down or by putting a small piece of tape over the stem and leaving your tomato right side up. Covering the stem shields it from moisture and slows down the rate of bacterial growth. This method can extend the life of your tomato to ten days or more. With these simple methods for storing cucumbers and tomatoes, you can enjoy fresh-tasting produce from the comfort of your own kitchen.