I recently discovered something slightly embarrassing: I have TWO crisper drawers! I had been using one to store meat and completely ignored the fact that one drawer said, “High Humidity” and the other said, “Low Humidity.” I honestly wondered why my refrigerator needed an opinion about humidity!

Well, apparently it does. So, in the interest of saving everyone else from making the same mistake, here’s what I learned.
Crisper drawers are designed to control humidity. The rest of your refrigerator circulates cold, relatively dry air, while crisper drawers can trap or release moisture depending on their settings.

And that matters because different fruits and vegetables have different needs. Some stay fresh longer in a humid environment, while others do better when moisture and naturally occurring ripening gases can escape.

Basically, HIGH HUMIDITY keeps the vent mostly closed so it is best for produce that tends to wilt or dry out like leafy greens, herbs, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers and similar vegetables.

The LOW HUMIDITY setting keeps the vent more open. This allows moisture and ethylene gas (the natural gas produced by some fruits as they ripen) to escape. So this bin is better for apples, pears, grapes,stone fruits and ripe avocados.

If you have two crisper drawers like I apparently do, congratulations! Your refrigerator has essentially given you two little produce environments. One can be high humidity and the other low humidity.

Of course there are other important considerations, like don’t cram them full. Produce needs some air circulation, and an overcrowded drawer can also encourage spoilage. And this one I knew, don’t automatically wash everything before storing it. Extra moisture can encourage mold, particularly in a high-humidity drawer. Wash produce when you’re ready to use it unless there’s a specific reason to wash it beforehand. And don’t mix everything together. Some fruits produce more ethylene gas as they ripen, which can cause certain nearby vegetables and fruits to spoil faster.

I have a plastic bin inside my plastic bin to help keep things apart. And BTW, the tip about keeping mushrooms in a brown paper bag to keep them fresher longer works for me.

The only meat I have in there anyway, is when I bake a turkey breast for sandwiches (no processed meats for us because of the sodium)

A Few More Refrigerator Tips: 

• Keep your refrigerator around 35°F to 40°F for proper food storage.
• Keep milk and other dairy products toward the back of the refrigerator, where temperatures tend to be more consistent, rather than in the door.
• Use the refrigerator door for condiments and other items that are less sensitive to temperature changes.
• And don’t pack the refrigerator so tightly that cold air can’t circulate.

So, the lesson for this month:

I’ll be changing my ways. The meat is moving, the vegetables are moving in, and I now know exactly what “High Humidity” means. Who knew the refrigerator came with instructions?