Until some of your produce unexpectedly goes bad or just tastes like it, its easy to forget about the importance of proper storage. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), fruits and vegetables have the highest rate of waste of all types of food. This waste is not only expensive but bad for the environment .

Aside from buying less and being more mindful of the produce you have in the house, one of the best ways to avoid food waste comes in knowing how to properly store your fruits and vegetables.

To help you out, weve compiled some of the most common produce storage mistakes and some tips for avoiding each:

1. Dont store your produce based on how its displayed at the supermarket.

Just because an item is displayed at room temperature at a supermarket or farmstand doesnt mean you should keep it on your countertop upon returning home.

Farmstands rotate their produce and have it out for display, but its not ideal, said Lucy Senesac, manager and educator at Sang Lee Farms , a certified organic farm on Long Island, New York. Lettuces and pretty much anything leafy and green must always be in the fridge and in a bag if you dont want it to wilt.

To help your food live up to its storage potential, its important to do your research. Natural Resources Defense Councils Save the Food storage guide is a good resource to quickly determine the best way to store your fruit and veggie haul.

2. Dont keep tomatoes in the refrigerator.

Weve talked about this before . Unless your tomatoes are overripe or already cut, they should be stored at room temperature, where they can ripen to maximum flavor. According to the University of California Postharvest Technology Center , unripe tomatoes wont reach their full ripeness and red color if stored in the refrigerator, and ripe tomatoes will lose flavor and turn mealy.

Senesac recommends leaving tomatoes on your countertop and covering them with a towel for protection from fruit flies.

3. Dont refrigerate watermelon.

Once youve experienced the delight of cold watermelon on a hot summer day, its easy to assume it should be stored in the refrigerator. But the truth is, watermelon starts to lose its flavor and vibrant color after more than three days in the fridge. For best results, store watermelon at room temperature out of direct sunlight, and eat it within a few days. Keep in mind that cut melon will need to be refrigerated for food safety reasons.