What Is a Crisper Drawer—And Is it Different From the Rest of the Refrigerator?

Even though we write about food daily, BHG editors even get tripped up sometimes about the fruits and veggies you should refrigerate (and the 7 you shouldn’t). The plot thickens when you add in other elements like the crisper drawer. Nearly every time we report on the proper temperature to store produce, readers inquire about what deserves some of the precious real estate inside their salad crispers.

To help get to the bottom of the crisper drawer conundrum, we tapped culinary experts to help us give us the dirt about what a vegetable crisper is in the first place, plus what should—and shouldn’t—be stored inside.

What Is a Refrigerator Crisper Drawer? 

A refrigerator is an appliance that generates a dry, cool environment. Cold air holds less moisture than warm air, and the mechanics of keeping a refrigerator cold strips water vapor from the air in the process. The dryness of a refrigerator causes many food items—including fruits, vegetables, meat, cheese, and even bread—to dry out, explains Meggan Hill, executive chef and CEO of Culinary Hill. 

“Crisper drawers are different from the rest of the refrigerator because they foster a humid environment by restricting airflow. The humidity of a crisper drawer can extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables, and for that reason it is sometimes called a ‘humidity drawer,’” Hill continues. 

Most refrigerators come with one or more crisper drawers, which come with adjustable humidity settings so that produce items can be stored at conditions more aligned with what will help them stay fresh as long as possible. 

“When set to high humidity, the airflow between the main compartment of the refrigerator and the drawer is cut off, which then will allow humidity to build up over time in the drawer,” says Sarah Brekke, M.S., Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen culinary specialist. “On the low humidity setting, the humidity that naturally builds up in the drawer can freely vent into the rest of the refrigerator.”

How to Use a Crisper Drawer Effectively

Now that you know what makes these drawers different from the climate in the rest of the appliance, discover how to use them to max out the shelf life of your food.

Select the Proper Setting

As we mentioned, most crisper drawers can be set to high humidity or low humidity. If there are no settings, the drawer is considered a high-humidity crisper drawer, Hill says. 

“The key is getting the drawer set properly so that the items inside of the drawer are exposed to the most ideal storage conditions,” Brekke says.

From there, you can sort your fruit and vegetable stock accordingly.

Use high-humidity crisper drawers for:

• Leafy greens, like arugula, kale, lettuce and spinach
• Thin-skinned fruits, such as berries
• Thin-skinned vegetables, including asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, carrots, and beets
• Most fresh herbs
• Any produce that’s sensitive to ethylene gas

Use low-humidity crisper drawers for:

• Apples
• Avocados
• Stone fruits, like peaches, nectarines and plums
• Pears
• Melons
• Bell peppers
• Any ethylene-emitting fruits

Keep Ethylene Enemies Apart 

Ethylene gas is naturally emitted by certain pieces of produce. As it’s released, ethylene promotes quicker ripening in the other items that surround it. (In case you missed it, here’s a refresher about fruits and veggies you should never store together—unless you want them to spoil faster.)

“Most fridge models come with two crisper drawers so that one can offer a high-humidity environment and the other one can be set for low humidity. This also helps home cooks more easily separate the fruits and veggies that don’t store well together,” Brekke says, due to the impact of ethylene.

Don’t Overstuff the Drawers

Many major appliance manufacturers note that crisper drawers work most efficiently when they are around half to two-thirds full of produce. 

According to Lauren Grant-Vose, founder of Zestful Kitchen, “you don't want to over-pack the drawers,” as this increases the risk of limiting airflow too much, which can lead to items getting icy or even freezing. 

Store heavier, denser vegetables on the bottom of the salad crisper, Grant-Vose recommends, then place leafier and more tender produce on top. 

“Stack two-layers high, but no more than that,” Grant-Vose adds.

Reserve the Bottom Drawer for Protein

If there are only two crisper drawers, Hill says that she and her Test Kitchen team keep the high-humidity fruits and vegetables in the top crisper drawer, and keep everything else in baskets in the main area of the fridge. She always reserves the bottom drawer for a use she learned in cooking school: storing raw meat and poultry.

“That way, if any packages leak, the mess is at the very bottom of the refrigerator instead of dripping on to anything else in the fridge,” Hill explains. “This reduces the risk of contaminating everything else. So even if the bottom drawer is a humidity drawer, we store our fresh meats and poultry in it.” 

If you don’t cook with animal protein or store it in your freezer most of the time instead, feel free to use your two drawers solely for produce.

What to Store in a Crisper Drawer (And 7 Foods You Should Never Keep in Your Salad Crisper)

As we mentioned, leafy greens, tender fruits and vegetables, root vegetables, stone fruit, rose family fruits (like apples and pears), melons, and fresh herbs all belong in your crisper drawer. 

“Citrus doesn't require humidity at all and can be stored in a basket in the main section of the refrigerator,” Hill says.

Tomatoes taste best and last longest when stored between 40 and 60 F, so consider keeping them in a cool part of your home with root cellar-like conditions. (“Tomatoes should never be refrigerated unless they are on the cusp of rotting and you plan on cooking them down into a sauce,” Grant-Vose clarifies.)

Potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, and garlic do not need to be refrigerated at all, Hill adds.