Foods you should never store in the fridge

Have you ever really thought about the foods you store in the refrigerator? Eggs? Tomatoes? Here is a list of surprising foods that don’t like your fridge (and where to store them to make them last longer).

Foods that don't like your fridge ...

Raw meat and fish

These should be kept away from cooked foods wherever possible and stored in the coolest and more consistent part of the refrigerator.

Fruits and vegetables

Some fruits and vegetables are sensitive to the cold and are best stored about 8°C, outside of the refrigerator.

Always keep potatoes in the refrigerator

This goes against what most of us have always done, but the FSA have released new guidelines recommending refrigerator storage as the best way to keep your spuds fresher for longer.

Signs you’re storing your fresh food in the wrong place

Rubbery foods in place of sweet, crunchy and flavoursome vegetables, failure to ripen – or worse, fruits that go from unripe to off with no sweet spot ‘if you’ll excuse the pun’ and onions or spuds that simply sprout before you’ve had chance to use them are all signs that you’re storing your food incorrectly. And with foods that don’t last, your food bill and carbon footprint will be higher than it should be. So, where are you going wrong? Here are 10 foods that shouldn’t be stored in the fridge.

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Foods you shouldn’t store in your refrigerator

1. Tomatoes

Keep your tomatoes at room temperature for juicier tomatoes and a fresher taste. When you store tomatoes in the fridge, the cool temperature interferes with enzyme production which can result in a mushy texture or even total loss of flavour. When you store tomatoes in the refrigerator, they can take on odours from other foods which also contribute to quality deterioration.

2. Bananas

If your kitchen is warm (and for most of us, it is one of the warmest parts of the home), you may be tempted to keep bananas in the fridge, however, according to Dole, the Banana experts, the best temperature to keep bananas is 12 °C, so about 8° warmer than the average refrigerator. Therefore, storing your bananas in the fridge can make the peel turn brown. Storing your bananas in the ridge will also inhibit the enzymes that enable the bananas to ripen. However, if you like your bananas on the greener side, no harm will come by storing them in the fridge.

3. Butter

While butter is a dairy product and, as such, should be stored in the fridge, it is safe to store a stick of butter out on the side for two days so that, when it’s time to use it, it spreads like a dream and doesn’t make holes in your bread. When you bring it home from the supermarket, cut it into sticks and every couple of days, take a new stick of butter out to keep ready for use.

4. Bread

Again, not a cut and dry one. Supermarket bought bread that comes pre-sliced will usually survive fairly well in the refrigerator and may well last a little longer, without any adverse change to the taste and texture. However, if you store your homemade loaves or bakery bread in the fridge, you’ll have to eat up and it’ll be likely to stale faster in the refrigerator than it would in a cold, dry environment like in a bread bin in your kitchen.

5. Onions

According to Which, onions, While storing onions in the fridge is a must once you’ve peeled and them or sliced them, while still in the skins, it’s best to store onions in a cool, dark space to keep them at their freshest for longer.

6. Garlic

If you store garlic correctly, it lasts for ages. However, stored too warm, or too cool and you won’t get value for money. You can safely store a whole head or the fully wrapped cloves at room temperature, but once you’ve sliced a bunch of garlic, it’s best to keep it in the fridge to maximise the freshness and preserve the taste.

7. Eggs

This may seem like a strange one (as many refrigerators still come with moulded egg section), however storing eggs in your fridge can be the reason you’re not turning out perfectly fluffy sponge cakes. British Lion recommend you keep your eggs at a steady temperature below 20° so a cool kitchen, or a cool pantry in a kitchen is perfect. However, if that’s not an option, store your eggs in the refrigerator, but bring them up to room temperature by leaving them on the kitchen worktop for a few hours before you use them.

8. Butternut squash

You know when you slice into a fresh butternut squash and it’s crisp and juicy. And then there are those that are just rubbery in texture and pale in colour. Storing yiour butternut squash in cooler temperatures can increase the conversion of starch to sugars, starch conversions to sugars resulting in that lack-lustre rubberiness. Storing your squashes at around 12 °C is best to keep them at their freshest.

9. Chocolate

While some people swear by storing chocolate in their fridge, enjoying the feeling of chocolate melting in the mouth, the experts suggest storing chocolate in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight to maintain its rich taste, and avoid it taking on a grainy mouthfeel.

10. Olive Oil

Keep your olive oil at room temperature to prevent the oil from solidifying. Both heat and light can also degrade your olive oil though, so it’s best to find a cool dark area of your kitchen to store your olive oil and keep it at its best.