does anyone keep veggies in a drawer or cabinet?

[masraum]

We are renovating our kitchen. The missus has been surfing the web for storage ideas. She's seen drawers that are used for onions, potatos, etc... It's not unusual for us to have onions, garlic, winter squash, etc... Normally, those things are piled on top of each other in a large wooden bowl or sitting on a counter. She's wondering about getting away from that.

She found some photos online, including some that seem to be stainless lined drawers (seems like a good idea, inevitably something will eventually go bad). Some seem to have holes/mesh/grates for ventilation. I feel like that's also a good idea, but maybe it's not. I've never had or seen anything like this.

Anyone have any experience with keeping stuff in a drawer or cabinet?

[flatbutt]

I keep onions,'taters and 'matoes in a free standing "pantry". It's a tall cabinet.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

I keep onions,'taters and 'matoes in a free standing "pantry". It's a tall cabinet.

I should have known the renaissance man would know.

Does the pantry get air flow or have holes or something or is it an enclosed panty like a regular cabinet? Ever have an issue with any of them getting fuzzy, squishy, etc...?

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by masraum

I should have known the renaissance man would know.

Does the pantry get air flow or have holes or something or is it an enclosed panty like a regular cabinet? Ever have an issue with any of them getting fuzzy, squishy, etc...?

Yes, it does have airflow. I go through the tomatoes rather quickly and the onions and potatoes have a long-ish use life, so I rarely need to toss anything. The taters will occasionally sprout an eye, but I consider that akin to those pop-up timers on turkeys.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Yes, it does have airflow. I go through the tomatoes rather quickly and the onions and potatoes have a long-ish use life, so I rarely need to toss anything. The taters will occasionally sprout an eye, but I consider that akin to those pop-up timers on turkeys.

Great, thanks tons for the info.

[911 Rod]

We (wife) keeps the root veggies in storage bins on the lazy susan in the bottom cupboard.
Easy to get to everything.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

We (wife) keeps the root veggies in storage bins on the lazy susan in the bottom cupboard.
Easy to get to everything.

Thanks.

[Evans, Marv]

WE have a pantry, but keep potatoes & onions in this. The bottom bin has bags of beans, etc. The fruit & tomatoes (tomatoes are a fruit, I understand) are kept in a big bowl in the kitchen.

[look 171]

Are you having cabinets built, Steve? My suggestion is to eliminate as many doors as possible instead, install large drawers. No more getting on all fours to get at the big pot in the lower sections. Have mid side drawers for other items such as potatoes and such. I have has stainless drawers lined for items like you described.

[p911dad]

We keep potatoes, garlic and onions in a pantry, some kind of air flow is good and keep an eye on the taters, they can spoil and stink up the place.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by look 171

Are you having cabinets built, Steve? My suggestion is to eliminate as many doors as possible instead, install large drawers. No more getting on all fours to get at the big pot in the lower sections. Have mid side drawers for other items such as potatoes and such. I have has stainless drawers lined for items like you described.

Yes, sir, we are. And we are going the drawer route, or in some cases, door, then a drawer that slides out after the door's open for exactly that reason.

We decided against the "pantry" drawer for veggies. Our kitchen is pretty big, but there are 4 doors and 2 large windows, so we won't actually have that much counter space or cabinetry. I told the missus, "we have little enough cabinet space, lets not look for other things to put in cabinet space that we don't have," and that settled that. Besides, I was concerned about mold, rotting, gnats, etc... And yes, I'd seen some photos online where they were stainless lined, and that was going to be my requirement if we went that route. That's all we need is something rotting and farking up the wood.

< edit >
I've just been informed that we have NOT decided against having drawers. I did reiterate that I want then stainless lined if that's the case.

[look 171]

Let me talk you out of drawers behind doors unless that is a must have design. Why go through opening doors only to have to open drawers behind it? Plus, the inside of the door will be beaten to pulp from drawer banging against door from other operator. We have only one in our home and my wife seems to hit the back of that drawer on purpose. Since I built all the cabinet, I know better to not hit it but the first time, bang, first scratch within the first week. Its an area that we access once every few months.

[look 171]

Drawers at my house. No more getting on all fours to fetch for that big old pot that only get use once every 6 months. All are fulling opening, 100 lbs slides. Notice the scrape on the back of that door where the mixer lives. Yep, first week. She was more pissed then I.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by look 171

Let me talk you out of drawers behind doors unless that is a must have design. Why go through opening doors only to have to open drawers behind it? Plus, the inside of the door will be beaten to pulp from drawer banging against door from other operator. We have only one in our home and my wife seems to hit the back of that drawer on purpose. Since I built all the cabinet, I know better to not hit it but the first time, bang, first scratch within the first week. Its an area that we access once every few months.

I thought we had a few places where she wanted drawers behind drawers.

We had a spot like that with 3 drawers, she was happy to change that to just 3 drawers.

She wants a shallow drawer behind the doors under the kitchen sink.

We have 2 other spots where she wants pocket doors, that will then have a pull out.

She wants to have a coffee spot with pocket doors where the bottom shelf pulls out to make the contents more accessible while making coffee/tea.

And then she wants another set of pocket doors where there will be a large spot for a microwave, and then a drawer and a shelf with them all behind the pocket doors.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by look 171

Drawers at my house. No more getting on all fours to fetch for that big old pot that only get use once every 6 months. All are fulling opening, 100 lbs slides. Notice the scrape on the back of that door where the mixer lives. Yep, first week. She was more pissed then I.

Yes, I feel like I've run into something like that before (drawer that beat on the back of a door). Thanks for the reminder. You've saved us in at least one spot. She would definitely be grumpy about dinging the back of a door in her new kitchen.

Yes, we are putting pots in a large drawer, and then there will be a short drawer hidden behind the taller drawer front. The short drawer will be for lids.

[look 171]

Spec out top drawers to be deeper, at least 4-4.5" interior height. No large cooking utensils will ever be caught due to lack of height.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by look 171

Spec out top drawers to be deeper, at least 4-4.5" interior height. No large cooking utensils will ever be caught due to lack of height.

Good call!