10 Foods You Should NOT Refrigerate, and Five You SHOULD

If you’re anything like me, then your fridge is packed full of groceries, condiments, drinks and more. But did you know that there are some foods that you should not refrigerate and even some unusual ones you should?

Check out this list to make sure you are stocking your fridge correctly.

Do not refrigerate

1. Onions

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Storing onions in your refrigerator can speed up the moulding process. Onions left in cold temperatures for too long tend to turn mushy and/or turn mouldy. It’s a good idea to store them away from potatoes as they emit moisture which again can cause onions to rot sooner than usual.

2. Bread

 

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I always thought that bread lasts longer in the fridge but I now know that that is far from true. Refrigerating a loaf of bread will, in fact, make it go stale far faster! It’s better to freeze bread if you don’t plan to use it in the couple of days after purchase.

3. Fresh Herbs

 

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Unless your herbs are stored in an air tight container, placing them in the fridge will not only cause them to loose flavour and go dry, but they will also absorb all the smells from your other food -altering their taste!

4. Garlic

 

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Strangely enough, garlic tends to go off pretty quickly when stored in the fridge; it turns rubbery and grows mould. It’s hard to tell if this has happened on the outside as it looks the same, but when you slice into it you will be met with a nasty surprise!

5. Honey

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This naturally preserved food lasts for ever. A 1000 year old jar would be just as fresh as the day it was stored. However, storing it in the fridge quickens the sugar crystallisation process which changes the texture of the honey from soft, runny, and sticky to hard and dough-like.

6. Potatoes

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Cold temperatures break down the starch in potatoes causing them to go sweet and gritty. Keep them out of the fridge for maximum freshness.

7. Oil

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Perhaps this is better described as a cooking ingredient rather than a food, but either way storing oil in the fridge will cause it to turn into an almost butter-like consistency. This is more common in oils such as coconut oil which solidify when cold and have to be melted for easy use.

8. Cake

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Storing your delicious homemade cake creations in the fridge to preserve them could be a detrimental mistake. The cold air will dry them out making that once soft a yummy sponge into a dry, crumbly nightmare.

9. Tomatoes

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Storing tomatoes in the fridge alters their texture making them mealy and mushy.

10. Coffee

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Whether your coffee is ground or in bean form, it should never be stored in the fridge! This sponge like food will absorb all the smells in your fridge – destroying its flavour. The rapid change in temperature will also de-saturate it leaving no flavour behind for you to enjoy.

Keep Me Cold

1. Maple Syrup

 

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Natural maple syrup contains no preservatives so it can easily turn mouldy if it is not kept chilled once opened!

2. Whole Wheat Flour

 

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Storing whole wheat flour in the fridge can help it to last up to six times longer than if it was stored in a cupboard or pantry.

3. Natural Peanut Butter

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Stored in warm conditions, peanut butter can quickly go rancid. The cool temperature of the fridge will help to preserve the oil and keep it fresh to use for much longer.

4. Home Made Cookies  

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Unlike cake, storing homemade cookies in the fridge will not dry them out but help them stay fresh and yummy for longer!

5. Ripe Bananas

 

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Once your bananas are completely ripe put them in the fridge to help them keep for longer. Do not put unripe bananas in the fridge, this will stop them from ripening and you’ll be waiting a long time to enjoy them.