Preserving fruit is an artform and it can be quite hard, especially considering that each piece has different requirements depending on the type of fruit, how long it has been since the purchase and the climate that you are in, as it is not the same thing to store it in the winter as in the summer. Apples are considered one of the easiest fruits to store, and it is true that they are quite durable, but that does not mean that there is not a better and a worse way to store them. Most people tend to use a fruit bowl year round and when it starts to get hot, put that bowl in the fridge, which is a perfectly acceptable solution to the problem of your apples going bad quickly, but there is a better solution.
While the traditional method works, it can make apples taste a lot worse and make their juices dry up quicker, which means that you just wasted a lot of money on a lot of fruit that will not be as tasty or enjoyable.
The perfect method to preserve your apples for longer
The perfect way to store your apples, especially when it is hot is simple, but effective, although it might take a little more work on our part and a bit of planning to ensure the best results. The technique does not have much to it, but it does involve individually wrapping each apple in paper and storing them in a cool, dry place that does not change temperature much throughout the year so that you can use it not just during the summer months. While most people would usually take this to mean the fridge, remember that storing them there makes them taste flat, so avoid it at all costs if you can find a better spot.
There is a reason why historically homes have had pantries or cellars available to store dry goods, and while a big reason was the fact that fridges did not exist, better methods would have been found if these cool, dry, storage places did not work wonders. The reason why we are suggesting you store them in a cool dry place that resembles a pantry or cellar in the first place is to ensure that there is as little changes to the environment as possible, and the reason that we ask you to individually wrap them is to ensure that they are protected from each other, which is the most important thing.
When apples ripen and go bad, they release ethylene gas, which speeds up ripening in the others, causing a cascade effect that can ruin the whole batch of apples. That is why wrapping them up in paper works, as it acts as a barrier, limiting ethylene exposure to the surrounding apples and protecting your apples from bruising. An important consideration is to not them too tightly and to leave space for airflow and to make sure to place them in a single layer in a box or basket with air circulation.
A very important tip is that the wrapping material must be paper and not plastic, as plastic does not allow perspiration, traps moisture inside and leads to mold, which will make your apples deteriorate even quicker.
Other tips to keep apples fresher for longer are to store them away from fruits like bananas, avocados, and pears, which also emit high levels of ethylene gas and to opt for firmer apple varieties, such as Fuji, Granny Smith, or Honeycrisp, if you know you will need to store them for extended periods. Softer kinds like Gala or McIntosh tend to go bad more quickly.