The Affordable Storage Hack Replacing Fruit Bowls In Stylish Kitchens Everywhere

To make sure your produce remains bright and flavorful until the moment you're ready to eat, it's important to understand things like which fruits and veggies need to be refrigerated and which don't. Some produce prefers to be relegated to a fruit bowl, such as bananas, avocados, apples, and tomatoes. The texture and quality of these items can suffer in the fridge. Still, a standard fruit bowl is not always better. In addition to taking up valuable counter space, a bowl's solid sides and bottom can trap moisture and accelerate mold and bacteria growth. A simple, stylish solution to this problem, that also frees up counter space and lets your produce breathe, is a fruit hammock. 

These small macrame slings can hang under cabinets or even from a chic storage solution like a DIY peg rail. The hammocks can blend easily with almost any decor style, and keep your counter clear of clutter. Most fruit slings are made with natural cotton or hemp fibers that are less likely to damage your nectarines and heirloom tomatoes than a hard bowl or basket. Their open weave design encourages airflow, preventing moisture buildup and keeping spoilage at bay for a little longer. You can also choose between making a hammock yourself from a kit or purchasing one from your favorite home decor supply retailer. The choice is up to you.

One of the best things about fruit hammocks is that they can be tucked out of the way. To make sure these vessels for your produce work best, make sure to stretch larger, longer hammocks across a larger space to prevent them from sagging down and interfering with your kitchen space. On the other hand, smaller hammocks shouldn't be pulled too taut, as this could cause your produce to easily roll out of the sling and smash against the countertop or floor.

When choosing where to hang your hammock, it's also important to avoid a common mistake that makes fruit spoil faster — storing it near kitchen appliances. All appliances radiate heat that can create a humid environment and quickly take your avocados from perfectly ripe to ready for the bin. It's especially important to avoid hanging it above your toaster, air fryer, or coffee maker, too, as there'd be very little distance between your produce and the superheated air, which could be a safety hazard.

Something else to think about is whether you may need more than one hammock, as certain fruits and veggies shouldn't be stored together. Onions and potatoes, for instance, should be kept separate until you're ready to turn them into chili, a delicious bisque, or stew. Conversely, it's probably a good idea to put underripe bananas and avocados together, as they'll help each other ripen faster.