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Don’t let these foods end up in the trash. Store them properly to get the most out of their shelf life.

Grocery bills are on the rise, and the last thing you want to do is throw away food because it went bad. The best way to avoid spoilage is to know how to store these tricky items. Not everything keeps best in the fridge (we’re looking at your tomatoes). Here are some foods that you’re probably storing wrong and how to correct these mistakes.

Avocados are a tricky fruit. It’s almost impossible to buy them at peak ripeness, so you’ll need to purchase them before they are ready. There are several methods to store this creamy fruit. First, leave them on the counter until they are ripe; they should yield to gentle pressure when you push on the skin. If you don’t plan to use the avocado in the next few days, store it in the fridge.

A firm avocado will slowly ripen in the fridge for 2 weeks, while a ripe avocado will last in the fridge for 1 week. Take them out of the fridge and a day or two before eating and leave them on the counter.

Believe it or not, tomatoes should not be stored in the fridge. They contain an enzyme that is activated in cold temperatures, causing the tomato to deteriorate, resulting in a mealy and mushy tomato. Try to buy ripe tomatoes and leave them on the counter until you’re ready to eat. The tomatoes in the supermarket spent longer in transport than those at the farmer’s market, so they are usually ripest and need to be eaten within a few days.

Apples contain ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process. Apples can be left on the counter for 1- 3 days, but don’t put them in a bowl with other fruit. The ethylene gas feeds off other produce and speeds up the ripening process. To avoid mealy apples, store them in the crisper drawer in the fridge for up to a month.

Potatoes should not be stored in temperatures below 50 degrees F. Refrigerating potatoes causes the starch in them to turn to sugar, altering the overall taste and color. Instead, place them in a cool, dark room or cabinet. If storing potatoes in a bag, cut holes in the bag to let them “breathe”. Potatoes can last for months with proper storage. If they start to sprout, cut off that part and cook normally.

Onions are incredibly susceptible to moisture and light, making the fridge a less than ideal place for these root veggies. All types of onions thrive for about a month in dimly lit cool storage places, like the cabinet or pantry. If your cupboard is full, you can store them in the fridge but they won’t last as long.

Nuts are high in fat and contain plenty of natural oils. Without proper storage, the oil in nuts turns rancid and destroys the flavor. Most nuts will keep in the cupboard for about two weeks, but they stay best in the fridge or freezer for several months. After you open a bag of nuts, store them in an airtight container or sealable bag, and place them in the fridge or freezer to keep them fresh.

A grain of wheat consists of three parts–the bran, the endosperm, and the germ. Unlike white flour, which has the bran and germ stripped out, whole wheat flour includes all three parts of the grain. The bran and the germ are rich in oil, making them more susceptible to rancidity. Therefore, whole wheat flour should be stored in an air-tight container in the freezer to optimize freshness for several months. If the freezer is full, the fridge works too.

According to the National Coffee Association, coffee beans should be kept in an opaque, air-tight container at room temperature. Clear canisters let light in, which can affect the flavor of the coffee. Keep the canister in a cool and dark place, such as a cabinet away from the stove. Although some choose to store their coffee in the freezer or fridge, this isn’t advised since the beans absorb the moisture and odor of the other foods around them.

Everyone has dealt with hard and clumpy brown sugar. To avoid the unwanted hassle, store the brown sugar in an air-tight container or bag in a cool dark place. You can also use the Brown Sugar Bear to retain moisture for several months. Brown sugar is best within six months of purchase, so you may want to replace it if you haven’t baked in a while.