A Comprehensive Guide to your Fridge’s Humidity Drawers

When it comes to properly utilising a fridge to stock fresh produce, most people know that low temperatures help to keep food fresh for longer. However, few are aware that humidity is another important factor in extending the shelf life of your fruits and vegetables.

Here’s a quick guide to understanding your fridge’s humidity drawers:

1. What are Humidity Drawers?

As warm air rises and cold air sinks, there is a constant cycle of air circulation inside the fridge. A humidity drawer is a special compartment that allows you to control its internal moisture level by restricting or allowing air exchange between the drawer and other regions of the fridge.

2. Using the high humidity setting

The high humidity setting is great for leafy green vegetables, which are susceptible to moisture loss, as there is a constant level of humidity in the drawer to reduce stress on the vegetables. This setting should also be applied when there are few fruits and vegetables stored in the drawer.

When the opening in the humidity drawer shelf is constricted to restrict air exchange, air and moisture are retained within the compartment. This helps fruits and vegetables stored inside to remain crisp, moist and fresh for a longer time.

3. Use the dry setting

The dry setting should be used when there are many fruits and vegetables stored in the drawer, to prevent excess moisture from building up and hastening spoilage. When the opening in the humidity drawer shelf is enlarged to facilitate air exchange, air and moisture are able to escape out of the compartment.

4. No matter the humidity, some fruits and vegetables should never be stored in the fridge!

Some tropical and subtropical fruits, as well as vegetables, are sensitive to cold conditions – keep these outside the refrigerator at temperatures of 8 – 12°C degrees for optimum preservation of quality and flavour.

Fruits: Pineapples, bananas, avocados, papayas, citrus fruit, mangoes and watermelons

Vegetables: Cucumbers, eggplants, capsicums, green beans, pumpkins, tomatoes and potatoes

Recommended For You

6 Simple Cooking Tips for the Beginner Chef

If you’re just getting started on your cooking journey, it can be a little intimidating trying out new recipes and maybe even quite discouraging when you don’t get it right the first time. But practice makes perfect, so don’t give up!

5 Ways to Cleaner, Fresher Air at Home

Did you know that the air you breathe indoors can be up to five times worse than the air outdoors? On top of that, we spend an average of 90 per cent of our time inside.

How to Cook Meat Right

Cooking meat can be a breeze or a task depending upon the kind you choose. Every meat comes with its own set of challenges that can make or break your dish. But there are a few basic rules, which, if followed, can help you excel at handling your chosen delicacy.

A Quick Guide to Cooking with Grains

For most of us, when we think of staple grains, the plain white rice is the first thing that comes to mind. Most meals don't seem to be complete without this carbohydrate. However, adding a variety of whole grains to your diet can actually introduce a whole new dimension of flavor and nutrition to your daily meals. Before white rice, the diets of our ancestors were actually more varied, and most consumed a combination of interesting whole grains which are far less common now.