Hands up I’ll admit these vegetable storage bags were an impulse buy. The impetus of a fridge rammed over Christmas had me thinking how smart it would be to save space by storing vegetables outside of the fridge. I bought them in Lakeland although similar exist elsewhere. They’re not especially expensive, around £3 something each.
They’re cotton with a blackout lining, a draw string and a zip at the side to get vegetables out from the bottom. They’re sold in potato, onion and vegetable versions although apparently these are all the same apart from the colour. Keep your vegetables in a cool dark place and supposedly these bags will keep them nicely without being in the fridge.
I thought these might revolutionise my fridge organisation. See how I got on with my vegetable storage bags in this latest video below. I warn you now, it doesn’t end well.
Obviously I didn’t expect my vegetables to last for weeks but surely five days isn’t much to ask?
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Thank you Sarah for this review this is so useful. Feeling so sorry for your vegetables though… Do you think it comes from these specific bags?
I’m not sure although Fiona has raised interesting theory that maybe the supermarket had kept vegetables in cold storage for a while so when they were above fridge temperature they deteriorated much faster than expected. Seems weird that all 3 types went manky though.
it’s strange. My mum used to keep onions, potatoes and carrots all winter in the kitchen in hessian sacks (they were bought that way from a local farm, or harvested from our own veggie garden and popped in the bags). Firstly, I think supermarket veggies have already been cold stored for months sometimes before they ever reach the shops – I wonder where your veggies came from? Secondly, we do heat our rooms a lot more than we used to. Our kitchen had a big pantry/store – which didn’t have any heating close to it. But, I guess that one is less likely because you kept yours in the cellar!
I think the prolonged cold storage by supermarkets is a likely factor. I can’t remember where those particular vegetables came from but likely to be Tesco or Waitrose.
We keep quite a few of our vegetables outside the fridge, in a box in one of our lower kitchen cupboards. For roots and alliums it’s definitely fine. I’ve also been thinking about the bags that keep veg fresh for longer, I’m not sure how they work, they look like regular freezer bags.
The funny thing is my mum has the same bags and hasn’t had this happen.
The polythene bags that keep stuff fresh in the fridge seemed ok but I keep forgetting to use them!
Hi Sarah, this comment is unrelated to this post, I wanted leave a question on the actual post I’m asking about, but was unable to.
It’s regarding your Crockpot beef on the bone stew recipe, It states in the recipe ‘ 1 beef stockPot or cube’ I was wondering if that ment to crumble it over the ingredients or make the stock cube up with half a litre of hot water .
Sorry to ask such a silly question, but I am one of those people that try to follow recipes to a tee! ( also, I love my slow- cooker and would love to make this for me and my daughter a.s.a.p)
Thank you
Faye
Thanks for drawing that to my attention – I’ve clarified it on the recipe page now.
I’ve used the plastic bags from Lakeland for keeping veg longer in the fridge but I’ve never done a like for like comparison. Perhaps I should.
I bought of those bags on the same day hoping to stop my spring onions going slimy. I think they worked ok but I have been forgetting to get new ones out!
Haha great video Sarah. Made me laugh. I’ve never stored potatoes, onions or carrots in the fridge and mine last for ages – I do have a rather cold kitchen though.
Hmm, that’s not great. 5 days really isn’t much to ask for such hardy veggies. Is your cellar damp? Not that that should make potatoes sprout so quickly. We store our onions in a basket behind a curtain so there’s lots of air flow around them, potatoes we buy by the sack so they stay put in a paper sack and I must admit all other root veg lives in the fridge.
I’d like to see what Lakeland come back to you with.
Janie x
I don’t think my cellar is damp. Lakeland just gave me no quibble refund.
Hoe disappointing Sarah, those bags actually lost you money. How could they have not road tested them better?! Love the video though and will imagine you may just be better off leaving the veggies on a rack.
They’re back in the fridge for now.
How disappointing! I was quite excited, in a middle of the road way of course, by these bags when I saw your post. How unfortunate they didn’t work out. I could imagine a cellar would be one of the best places to use them.
Well you’d think so too wouldn’t you. If they don’t work in a cool dark cellar I don’t know where they’d work but it’s mystery why my mum gets on ok with them.