Bowel Cancer Australia's Bowel Care Nutritionist, Teresa, is an expert in bowel cancer recipes and nutritional information.
 

Fruit and vegetables are an excellent source of fibre, and with 30% of your dietary fibre needing to derive from food sources, adding fruit and vegetable into your daily diet is an excellent way to achieve this.

Unfortunately, whilst we are often encouraged to eat a high fibre diet, with some bowel conditions, this can cause problems, such as diarrhoea or a blockage. It is therefore best to speak to our Nutritionist about which solution is best for you.
 
With parts of Australia facing shortages of fruit and vegetables in supermarkets, Teresa has put together some handy information on storage suggestions.
 
Ideas on how to best store fruit and vegetables to maximize their longevity and increase freshness.
 
Helping you to make great choices when out shopping and storing your purchases at home.
 
In order to get the most out of your fruit and vegetables, below is a very useful guide on how to store them.
 
This will increase the freshness for two weeks or more.
 
Some vegetables can spoil quickly, especially in humid and damp conditions or the heat, so always have a supply of canned or frozen fruit and vegetables on hand.
 
Our nutritious low and high fibre recipes can be found on our recipes webpage.

Fruit

Storage tips

Oranges, lemons and limes LF

Suitable for storage for at least a week out of the refrigerator, two to three weeks in the refrigerator (do not store in a plastic bag)

Apples LF

Store in the refrigerator with the skin on for two to three weeks away from other fruit and vegetables. Place a divider in the vegetable drawer as apples tend to cause other fruit and vegetables to ripen rapidly (for people on a low fibre diet peel before consuming)

Pomegranates

Store in the vegetable drawer

Mangoes LF

Store ripe fruit in the refrigerator away from apples

Vegetables

Storage tips

Potatoes LF

Store in a cool dark place preferably with the dirt still on them (do not store in a plastic bag). If you are on a low fibre diet peel before consuming

Onions and garlic

Store in a cool place in a brown paper bag

Pumpkin LF

Can be refrigerated OR can be stored in a cool dark place for a month (if the pumpkin goes soft or leaks it has spoilt)

Sweet potato/Yams LF

Keep in a brown paper bag in a cool, dark place and away from other vegetables - no need to refrigerate for a few weeks

Beetroot LF

Take the green tops off before storage, do not wash them and store in the vegetable drawer

Brussel sprouts

Store well for at least a month when in season

Swede

Do not wash them, store in the vegetable drawer

Kale

Place in the cool area of the refrigerator, do not wash them and cover with a paper towel wrap with a spritz of water to keep the paper slightly moist, replace the paper every couple of days with new towel and a spritz of water

Celery

Wrap in foil and refrigerate

Carrots LF

Keep the tops and stems on, store in the vegetable drawer (if you are on a low fibre diet peel before consuming)

Cabbage

Store in the vegetable drawer, once cut store in an airtight container

Wombok/Chinese cabbage LF

Store in the vegetable drawer away from apples and pears

 
LF indicates suitable for low fibre dietary requirements.
 
* If you are on a low fibre diet follow the guidelines for fruit and vegetable serving sizes 1/3-1/2 cup of vegetables per serve.