What Not to Store in the Refrigerator

Many folks are stocking up on food these days and storing your food correctly will ensure that it stays fresh and in good shape. It might seem like everything should go in the fridge, but several foods much prefer to be left out of the ice box. Storing them there may actually ruin them. Here’s what to keep out of the fridge.

Onions and Garlic

Onions and garlic need air to circulate around them to stay fresh. Store them in a cool, dark spot. Your pantry is just fine. But if you have half an onion or some leftover chopped onion, you can wrap it and place it in the fridge. Try to use it as soon as possible or it will get slimy and moldy.

Potatoes

Cold temperatures convert starch into sugar much sooner than warm temps. Therefore, it’s best to find a nice dark and cool but not cold spot. Why dark? Because chlorophyll starts to develop, something you don’t want. Sweet potatoes and yams also prefer cool rather than cold temperatures.

Bananas

Bananas live perfectly well on your counter top and need warmth to ripen. They will actually turn black if you refrigerate them. You can, however, freeze ripe bananas for later use in smoothies or banana bread. Just peel and freeze whole or slice and freeze.

Coffee

Coffee will absorb the aromas in your fridge. (Unless you have it in a truly airtight container.) Condensation from opening and closing the fridge will also degrade coffee. Enough said.

Tomatoes

Conventional wisdom says not to store tomatoes in the fridge because it affects their flavor and texture. Cooks Illustrated tested this and found that this isn’t actually true, that you can store them in the fridge to make them last longer. But since space in the fridge is probably limited, it’s perfectly fine to keep them on the counter or in the pantry.