This Is How Experts Store Popular Food Staples to Keep Them Fresh

When it comes to storing food, there are good methods and not-so-good methods. In fact, with the right tools and a little know-how, you can extend the life of your perishable ingredients rather than see them spoil before you’ve had a chance to use them. Food & Wine spoke with several experts to find out the best ways to store coffee, bread, cheese, fruit, garlic, and brown sugar. Here’s what we discovered.

Expert-Approved Food Storage Hacks of 2025 

• For Coffee: Fellow Atmos Vacuum Coffee Canister, $28, originally $35
• For Bread: GobiSea Linen Bread Bag With Proofing Cover, $12, originally $15 
• For Cheese: Formaticum Cheese Storage Bags, 15-Pack, $13, originally $18
• For Fruit: Onemore Ceramic Berry Basket, Set of 2, $21 with coupon, originally $28 
• For Garlic: Cormomu Garlic Storage Pod, $22, originally $26
• For Brown Sugar: Enolvo Terracotta Brown Sugar Saver, $7, originally $8

Learn from experts like cheesemonger Marc Hernandez, head cheese buyer at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge, Massachusetts; coffee expert Mark Hellweg, founder and CEO of Ratio; and pro baker, Chef Zoe Deutsch of Moon Raccoon Baking Company in Denver, about the best ways to store food. 

Best Coffee Storage

Coffee lovers want to keep their beans at peak freshness for as long as possible. According to the experts we spoke to, the best way to keep coffee flavorful is with a vacuum-sealed container. Here are some shopper- and editor-loved favorites that will help you keep your coffee tasting fresh.

• Fellow Atmos Vacuum Coffee Canister, $28, originally $35 
• Yamazaki Home Vacuum-Sealing Coffee Storage, $23, originally $28
• Veken Coffee Canister, $21, originally $30 
• Oggi Stainless Steel Coffee Canister, $15, originally $17
• AirScape Planetary Design Kilo Coffee Storage Canister, $34, originally $41

Fellow Atmos Vacuum Coffee Canister

Hands down, the Fellow Atmos vacuum coffee canister was our overall favorite, and it was the most often recommended by all the experts we spoke with. Mark Hellweg, founder and CEO of Ratio, says that this container helps “prevent oxygen and light from damaging the flavor of your beans.” We loved the twist-activated pump that makes a strong, airtight seal. We appreciated that this canister holds a full bag of coffee beans and offers a stylish design that looks good on any counter.

Veken Coffee Canister

The Veken coffee canister is a No. 1 bestseller, boasting more than 8,800 five-star ratings from shoppers who love its design and how effectively it keeps coffee fresh. One reviewer describes the canister’s built-in date tracker and window as a “lifesaver,” and the handy scoop holder will help you keep everything tidy. Coffee lovers report they wish they had purchased it “years ago.”  

Best Bread Storage

Many people store bread in the refrigerator, but a moist environment is not the best place for your favorite loaf. To keep bread fresher for longer and prevent it from drying out or getting moldy, store it in a bread box (or, failing that, in a bag on the counter or in the pantry). Your future grilled cheeses, sandwiches, and toast will thank you.  

• GobiSea Linen Bread Bag With Proofing Cover, $12, originally $15
• Oggi Stainless Steel Roll Top Bread Box, $31, originally $50
• Bee’s Wrap Beeswax Bread Storage Wrap, $12, originally $15
• Li’l Things Reusable Beeswax Bread Bags, $28, originally $35 
• Gifhomfix Bread Box, $19, originally $20  
• Sunhoo 2-Layer Bread Box, $42, originally $53 

GobiSea Linen Bread Bag With Proofing Cover

Pro bakers revealed to us what they use to store bread to keep it fresh. Chef Zoe Deutsch of Moon Raccoon Baking Company in Denver recommends linen bags, like this one by GobiSea. According to Deutsch, this bag has an “inner lining that protects the bread,” yet remains breathable because of its woven material. Not only does this drawstring bag protect your homemade sourdough loaves, but it also comes with a bowl cover for proofing dough.  

Sunhoo 2-Layer Bread Box

If you want to store an assortment of breads, muffins, and bagels, the Sunhoo bread box has two shelves that provide ample space. This wood box measures 14.4 x 9.4 x 13.4 inches and has two separate doors with acrylic windows, so you can see exactly what’s on each shelf.   

Best Cheese Storage

Storing your cheese in plastic wrap or baggies seems like a good idea, but it’s actually suffocating your cheese and shortening its lifespan. According to cheesemongers, these are the best ways to store cheese.

• Formaticum Cheese Storage Bags, 15-Pack, $13, originally $18
• Food Huggers Silicone Cheese Huggers, Set of 4, $13, originally $16
• Bee’s Wrap Beeswax Wraps for Food, $19, originally $25
• ProKeeper Deli Airtight Food Storage Container, $10, originally $18

Formaticum Cheese Storage Bags, 15-Pack 

Marc Hernandez, head cheese buyer at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge, Massachusetts, recommends these Formaticum cheese storage bags. Each bag in this 15-pack is reusable and, unlike plastic, which “hinders cheese from breathing,” protects it while delaying mold growth. At under $1 apiece, these keep cheese fresher for longer without breaking the bank. 

Food Huggers Silicone Cheese Huggers, Set of 4

The cheese blocks you chip away at for an easy snack — paired with crackers, grapes, or whatever you’re nibbling on — deserve more than a haphazard wrap in plastic. Enter these ingenious Food Huggers. Each piece in this silicone set of four slips snugly over the freshly cut end of the cheese and keeps it fresh until your next grazing moment.

Best Fruit Storage

Buying berries only to have them spoil before you can use them is incredibly frustrating. So how do you extend the freshness of these sweet treats? Professionals let us in on their secret for storing fruit: Line the container with a paper towel, don’t wash them before storing them in a fridge, and allow air to circulate around them.  

• Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass Food Storage Containers, Set of 4, $40, originally $43
• Luxear 5-Piece Produce Saver Container Set, $24, originally $30
• Freshmage 4-Piece Produce Storage Container Set, $17, originally $30
• Onemore Ceramic Berry Basket, Set of 2, $21 with coupon, originally $28

Onemore Ceramic Berry Basket, Set of 2

These ceramic berry baskets are a favorite of Chef Leah Delyte Di Bernardo of EAT Marketplace. Free from microplastics, they also have holes that “provide constant airflow,” which berries need to stay fresh and mold-free. 

Freshmage 4-Piece Produce Storage Container Set 

This Freshmage 4-piece fruit storage container set is a bestseller, winding up in more than 4,000 carts in just the past month. Each container has a basket inside that keeps the contents elevated. The basket also has holes for ventilation, which allow it to double as a colander. One satisfied customer reported that their fruit “lasted a full week longer” than it had before using these containers.  

Best Garlic Storage

According to chefs, garlic can last “three to five months” if stored the right way. Garlic should always be kept in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated place so it doesn’t sprout and turn bitter before you’ve had a chance to use it. These shopper-loved containers can help you store garlic correctly.

Cormomu Garlic Storage Pod

This Cormomu garlic storage pod has holes all around the sides, providing garlic with the breathing room it needs. A garlic keeper provides the “breathable environment of a root cellar, allowing moisture to escape while keeping light out,” explains Zachary Chancey, head chef of the restaurants at the Alida Hotel in Savannah, Georgia. Styled to resemble a garlic bulb, this pod measures 5.43 x 5.43 x 5.12 inches, providing ample room to store a few whole bulbs.

Aozita Stackable Wire Basket, Set of 2

Storing garlic in a wire basket is another great option. This Aozita stackable wire basket comes in a 2-piece set, so you can use one to hold garlic and onions, and the other to store other produce. Each basket features a wooden top, so they can be stacked on top of one another. Here’s a tip: Never store potatoes and garlic together, as garlic releases ethylene gas, which causes potatoes to sprout. 

Best Brown Sugar Storage

Brown sugar is a necessary ingredient for making chewy chocolate chip cookies, a glaze for ham, an oatmeal topping, holiday pudding, and so much more. But how many times have you pulled it out of the cupboard only to find it’s gotten hard? Storing brown sugar properly in an airtight container can prevent this from happening.

Rubbermaid Brilliance Pantry Airtight Food Storage Container

Over 7,000 Amazon shoppers have purchased this Rubbermaid Brilliance food storage container in the past month, and they say that it works great for “keeping brown sugar soft and fresh.” It has two hinged clasps and a silicone ring, ensuring an airtight seal. With a 7.8-cup capacity, this container can hold 2 pounds of brown sugar.

Enolvo Terracotta Brown Sugar Saver

Pro bakers use this nifty terracotta Envolvo brown sugar saver disc to keep brown sugar soft and moist. Once the disc has been moistened, simply place it with the brown sugar to help maintain its freshness. Use it correctly, and pro bakers assure that you’ll “never be without usable brown sugar again.”