Foods best kept out of the fridge
August 6, 2018 | Cooking & Kitchen | No comments
All year round and particularly in the hot summer weather your fridge keeps foods fresh to help stop them perishing. However, there are foods which we may keep in the fridge but are best kept out. Take a look at a few and reasons why.
Under-ripe Tomatoes
Actually considered a fruit, if your tomatoes are not yet ripened, keep them in a bowl on the counter. Placing under-ripe tomatoes in the fridge will stop the ripening process and effectively kill any flavour. On the other hand if your tomatoes are ripe keep them in the fridge and take out before eating so they are at room temperature.
Potatoes
This is a definite no when storing potatoes. Storing them in the fridge will make the starch turn into sugar quicker, ruining the flavour of the potato. Ideally it’s best to store potatoes in a paper bag as they are breathable compared to plastic and in a dark place like a cupboard.
Bread
Bread doesn’t stay fresher in the fridge it actually dries out quicker. The fridge will slow down the process of bread going mouldy but will change the texture to hard and stale (so no delicious tasting sandwiches). The bread may also absorb other odours in the fridge compromising the taste further.
Garlic
Garlic should be kept in a dry dark place at room temperature in a mesh basket/ packaging or open paper bag. It will start to sprout in the fridge and may turn mouldy. As you break away the individual cloves, the life-span of the garlic decreases so just store them whole as a bulb.
Onions
Onions have the same problem as potatoes when they are put in the fridge, they will start converting starch to sugar. The texture will also change and they will become soft and soggy. Store them lose not in a bag, although mesh bags are fine, in a cool dry place. A top tip is to store onions and potatoes separately as they will spoil each other quicker.
Chocolate
Although it will stop it from melting in the heat, if you are a chocolate lover don’t put chocolate in the fridge. The moisture from the fridge will change the taste and you might also start to see it slowly change colour, as the cocoa butter comes to the surface and starts to crystalize. If you can, enjoy it at room temperature!
Honey
Honey doesn’t really go off so won’t stay fresher if you keep it in the fridge. The texture actually changes. Honey will crystalize in the fridge giving it a gritty taste, so it’s best kept tightly sealed in a cupboard.
These are a few foods where taste and texture can be compromised when storing in the fridge. For produce that definitely needs to be in the fridge always check the labels, so once opened you are storing for the right length of time. Learn more about fridge food organisation in our blog on ‘How to store food in your fridge the right way‘.
Tags: Food Storage Tips, Fridge, fridge food tips, refrigerator
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