Dangerous bacteria are lurking all over your kitchen and the way you are storing your food might just be putting loved ones at risk. While some items always need refrigeration, others should firmly stay outside the fridge or else risk being ruined and inedible. Do you know which items to put where? Each food has its own unique criteria of how it should be handled and where it’s safe to store. Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones as well as keep your food fresher, longer and tastier. Read on to find out the 35 food items that you shouldn’t be keeping in your refrigerator.
Avocados
Avocados can be tricky fruits to manage. Keeping them in the refrigerator halts the ripening process so never keep them refrigerated. Just store your avocados on the counter at room temperature. If they are already ripe then use them immediately.
To ripen avocados, we suggest placing them in a brown paper bag along with an apple or banana for a few days (usually around two or three) until ripe. The apple (or banana) releases ethylene gas which causes the avocados to ripen more quickly.
Advertisement
Donuts
There is nothing more delicious than a freshly baked donut. But what do you do when you have too many? Firstly, that sounds like an amazing problem. Secondly, don’t fret, and whatever you do, don’t put them in the fridge.
The fridge will make your donuts stale and soggy so it’s best to just keep them at room temperature and make sure that they are covered. They won’t last long, though. Freshly-baked donuts should only be kept for around two days maximum.
Advertisement
Aged Cheese
If you’re a cheese aficionado then you probably already know this, but hard cheeses should never go in the fridge. It may sound odd as cheese is a dairy product but it’s true! If hard cheese is left in the fridge then it turns from hard to rock hard.
Hard cheese goes through a curing process that takes around six months to complete. After its cured, there is no need to keep it chilled. Just store it in a cool, dark place like your pantry or cupboard. Other cheeses need to be refrigerated, so make sure to check if it has been aged or not.
Advertisement
Potatoes
Do you want sweet and gritty potatoes? No, we didn’t think so either. Putting your potatoes in the fridge quickly turns the vegetable’s starches into gooey sugar. Yuck! Just keep them in the pantry away from extreme temperatures.
Once a potato has been cooked make sure that you keep it in the fridge. Baked potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil should never be left to sit out at room temperature, as they can form deadly strains of botulism.
Advertisement
Sealed Tuna
Some people think that unopened canned tuna should go in the refrigerator but that isn’t the case at all. Yes, it is fish, but it comes in a can from an unrefrigerated section of the grocery store for a reason.
Keep your cans of tuna at room temperature stored in the pantry or cupboard. After the can has been opened then you can store it in the fridge. Just put the tuna in a sealed container (don’t keep it in the tin can!) and it will keep for around three to four days.
Advertisement
Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread
It might surprise you to hear that chocolate-hazelnut spreads such as Nutella do not need to go in the refrigerator. It even says so on the label. In the cold of refrigeration temperatures, the spread actually becomes a solid and will no longer spread.
The sugar content of the spread serves as a preservative and prevents bacteria growth. Spreads like Nutella harden when refrigerated due to the high-fat content from the hazelnuts. So, if you want a smooth and creamy spread, keep it out of the fridge!
Advertisement
Garlic
Full bulbs of garlic should be stored in a cool, dry place, such as your pantry. Keep them in a ventilated container. If you keep them in an airtight container they will mold quite rapidly. If you store your garlic properly it will stay good for months.
Once the head of the garlic clove is broken you should use all the cloves without around 10 days. Garlic is a superfood, so make sure that you keep your garlic good for as long as possible and avoid wastage.
Advertisement
Onions
Whole, uncut, onion bulbs should never be kept in the fridge. If you do, they will quickly become moldy and mushy from the humidity in the refrigerator. When onions are chilled the starches inside the bulb are converted to sugars.
If they are left long enough in the fridge, the onion will liquefy completely. And nobody wants that. Onions should be kept in a cool dry place in a ventilated container or easier, just keep them in the mesh bag they already come in.
Advertisement
Eggs
This is a controversial food to keep out of the refrigerator for sure. But it actually is fine to keep eggs at room temperature. As a general rule though, if you buy eggs in the refrigerated section, keep on refrigerating them.
If you buy eggs at room temperature, then it’s fine to keep doing so or put them in the fridge, should you wish. According to Tim Hayward, presenter for the Food Programme on BBC Radio 4, “A fresh, free-range egg should last beautifully at room temperature for at least a week.”
Advertisement
Coffee
Never ever keep your coffee or coffee beans in the fridge or freezer. That’s what all the experts say, including Starbucks. The fridge and freezer are far too humid and will make your coffee tasteless and less aromatic.
The only reasons why you should even think about putting coffee in the freezer is if you have either bought in bulk and won’t be using it right away or if you are not a daily coffee drinker and just keep it around for guests.
Advertisement
Honey
If you put honey in the refrigerator it will begin to crystallize and turn into a clumpy sugary mess. Not recommended. Experts say that the best storage for honey is in your pantry, away from extreme temperatures. Honey can also be dangerous due to botulism and should NEVER be fed to children under 12 months old.
It might surprise you to hear that technically, honey never goes bad. The color and consistency will change over time but the properties of honey and its high sugar content protect it from growing bacteria as long as it’s stored properly.
Advertisement
Butter
This next one is going to be a tad controversial. But butter can actually be left out of the fridge. And once you try it you will understand. Room-temperature butter spreads like heaven on earth. Who wouldn’t want that?
You should always keep your butter covered and in a cool area outside of direct sunlight. Butter is pasteurized and salted which helps keep it from going bad. You should also consider the climate where you live. If you live in a particularly hot climate, it might not be possible to store it outside the fridge.
Advertisement
Melon
Melons are sweetest and juiciest at room temperature. That goes for all melons, whether watermelon, cantaloupe or honeydew. The USDA actually did research on the topic and found that this was indeed the case and that being at room temperature helps to keep antioxidants intact.
Not only will the melon have more antioxidants, they retain more nutrients at room temperature and are tastier. Once you have cut the melon, then you should wrap it in cling wrap and store the remaining pieces in the fridge. The cut melon should last for at least three days.
Advertisement
Basil
Keeping basil in the refrigerator is one thing you for sure don’t want to do. When in the fridge, you will find that basil very rapidly turns into a wilted brown mess. Yuck. Some herbs do well in the refrigerator, like parsley and cilantro but it’s best to keep basil at room temperature.
The best thing to do in order to keep your basil fresh, aromatic, and full of flavor is to just trim the stems and place them in a glass of water like you would do with flowers. This way your glass of basil can also be used as a decorative piece in your kitchen and add some color to the room. It’s a win-win situation.
Advertisement
Eggplant
If you plan on using your eggplant within about two days of purchasing it, it’s best to keep it out of the refrigerator. Just place it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Eggplants are best kept at room temperature.
If you don’t plan on using your eggplants right away then they can be kept in the crisper of your refrigerator to increase their longevity. Eggplants are quite sensitive to ethylene gases produced by bananas, tomatoes, and melons, so it’s best to keep them away from those fruits.
Advertisement
Peanut Butter
Who likes rock hard peanut butter that won’t spread? Pretty much no one… There is no need to keep peanut butter in your refrigerator, so don’t. Apart from not spreading, peanut butter will get dry and hard if kept in the icebox.
Natural peanut butter, however, is a different story. It is best to keep natural peanut butter in the fridge and most of the labels on these products advise to do so. The ingredients in natural peanut butter can separate and the peanut oil can quickly go rancid if left unrefrigerated.
Advertisement
Olive Oil
Keeping your olive oil in the fridge is a bad idea. Refrigerators are damp and humid places and the condensation can severely affect the flavor of your olive oil. It will also cause your olive oil to become cloudy and solidify over time.
Instead of the fridge, try putting your olive oil in a cool, dark cupboard. It should keep for at least a year. Unopened bottles of olive oil can even stay good for up to two years. If you currently have your olive oil in the fridge and it is changing consistency, don’t fret. Just take it out. Once at room temperature, the consistency will change back to normal.
Advertisement
Pickles
If you buy pickles in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, then it’s best to keep storing it in the fridge at home. But really most pickles don’t need to be refrigerated due to their contents.
The high salt and vinegar content in pickle jars is strong enough to ward off harmful bacteria and micro-organisms. Pickling something is actually a food preservation method, so your pickles should stay good for quite a long time.
Advertisement
Vinegar
Some foods are able to preserve themselves, like vinegar. It virtually has an indefinite shelf life. It’s recommended to keep vinegar in a cool, dark place, out of direct sunlight. A pantry or kitchen cupboard is perfect. This only goes for plain vinegar.
Other condiments, like vinaigrettes containing herbs, garlic, onion, or other add-ons, may actually require refrigeration. If you are still questioning whether vinegar really has such a long shelf life, know that the Vinegar Institute did a study confirming such.
Advertisement
Berries
Berries can be tricky to store and if you do it the wrong way they will mold and become soggy quickly. It’s actually best not to refrigerate berries, but only if you are planning on using them promptly. They remain juicy and firm at room temperature.
Only rinse the berries right before using them, otherwise, they are likely to mold. When you do rinse them, do it in a colander. Don’t submerge those precious berries in water. You can store them in the fridge for longer-term use but make sure they aren’t in an air-tight container. This applies to all types of berries, including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc.
Advertisement
Ketchup
Due to ketchup’s natural acidity, it is inhospitable for microorganisms to grow and turn your ketchup bad. So, you don’t need to store it in the refrigerator. Lots of people do this, and many report that it has a better flavor at room temperature.
If you live in a particularly hot climate, then you might want to consider keeping your ketchup bottle in the fridge after opening. Or if you rarely use it, the fridge will increase its longevity.
Advertisement
Mustard
Mustard is another one of those condiments that people generally just put in the fridge without thinking twice. But actually, there is no need to. Just like ketchup, mustard has a very high acidity content, so mustard is quite self-preserving.
Have you ever seen a restaurant refrigerate their mustard? Nope. So neither do you. It really boils down to personal taste. Some people like their mustard room temperature, while others prefer their mustard chilled. Make your decision wisely.
Advertisement
Stone Fruit
Stone fruits, such as peaches, apricots, nectarines, and plums ripen the best at room temperature. So, it’s best to avoid placing them in the refrigerator unless you’re not planning to eat them right away. But either way, let them ripen at room temperature first.
If stone fruits are left to ripen in the fridge then they can become victims to chill damage. When a fruit is left to ripen at temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the ripening process stops altogether. The result is a mealy and flavorless fruit.
Advertisement
Tomatoes
Another fruit that you should never put in the refrigerator is a tomato and there is scientific evidence to back it up. That’s right! New research recently confirmed that exposing the fruits to cold temperatures, such as in a refrigerator, damages the flavor-enhancing cells.
Researchers are looking into genetically modifying tomatoes to prevent this from happening, but for now, if you want to preserve the flavor of your tomatoes, it’s best to keep them away from the refrigerator. Also, the window-sill is a good place for unripe tomatoes.
Advertisement
Molasses
Keeping molasses in the refrigerator is simply impractical. Molasses is already a highly viscous substance and when you keep it at such a low temperature, like in the fridge, it becomes solid and impossible to use. So find another place to keep it.
Most recommend keeping molasses in an airtight container in a cool area, such as your pantry. An unopened jar of molasses will generally keep good for about a year. Once opened, its life expectancy is cut in half, around just six months.
Advertisement
Nuts & Dried Fruits
Nuts and dried fruits shouldn’t be stored in the refrigerator. The chill temperature of the fridge can smother the nutty flavor and make dried fruits too firm and tasteless. It’s best to keep the nuts and dried fruits in an airtight container in the pantry instead of the fridge.
And remember, if the nuts are still in their shells, then they can absorb the odor of things near them. So store them separately. If you do have nuts in the fridge then just give them a quick toast in the oven before using them for anything.
Advertisement
Bananas
The placement of your bananas is going to be dependent on whether they are ripe. Unripe bananas should be kept out of the fridge and it will be possible to tell if they are ripe by their color. The unripe bananas are green and firm.
If your bananas are already ripe and you aren’t going to be eating them within the next few days, then you can place them in the fridge to stop them from over-ripening and going bad. And remember not to keep them near other fruits and vegetables that you don’t want ripening any further due to the gas bananas emit.
Advertisement
Chocolate
Some people like to keep their chocolate and candy bars in the refrigerator. To that, we say, “to each his own.” But in fact, keeping chocolate in the icebox is damaging to the chocolate and ruins its taste and texture.
When chocolate is kept in the refrigerator a phenomenon called “sugar bloom” occurs. Sugar bloom can be seen on the outer layer of the chocolate. It literally looks like little blooms and it causes the chocolate to be grainy and gritty.
Advertisement
Bread
It is never recommended to keep bread refrigerated. It will severely dry your bread out and make it quickly become stale. It’s best to just keep bread out and stored at room temperature. Pre-sliced bread should stay fresh for up to a week.
Just make double sure that the package is tightly sealed shut after use. If you find yourself with too much bread then you can always freeze what you don’t need and reheat it later. That way you’ll always have bread on hand and not have to worry about it going bad.
Advertisement
Cucumber
Another vegetable that might surprise you is the cucumber. Cucumbers are best and tastiest when stored at room temperature. The University of California even did a study on it. They found that storing the vegetable in temperatures lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit caused damage to the cucumber.
So, just keep cucumbers in your pantry (away from apples and bananas) and they will have a longer life expectancy and maintain their delicious taste longer. Read on! The next food item you should never keep in the fridge is going to shock you.
Advertisement
Cereal
This food might surprise some of you. Some people keep their cereal in the refrigerator and doing so can actually damage the texture of the cereal. Due to humidity, cereals can quickly lose their crunch by keeping them in the icebox.
Not to mention that cereal boxes will take up loads of refrigerator space. Still, there are a number of reasons why some people choose to keep their cereals in the fridge, including bug issues. So, that, we can understand. Do whatever it takes to keep those pesky ants out!
Advertisement
Pumpkins
Have too many pumpkins for Halloween and want to save some of the medium-sized and smaller ones for later use? No problem. But don’t put them in the refrigerator, even if you have room. The cold will, in fact, damage the pumpkin, not preserve it.
Instead, store your pumpkins in a dry, cool environment such as your pantry. Feel a pattern emerging? Most things can be stored safely in your pantry (that’s what it’s for!), except for most dairy products… always refrigerate those.
Advertisement
Spices
There is nothing worse than spices losing their flavor and clumping together. That’s exactly what happens when you keep your spices in the refrigerator. Just don’t do it. Most ground spices are good for years in dry storage anyways.
Place your dry spices in your kitchen cupboard or spice rack. At room temperature, they will be more potent, taste better, and be more aromatic than if there were kept in the cold fridge or freezer. You’ll thank yourself for it in the long run.
Advertisement
Apples
Apples can be risky to keep in the fridge as they are an ethylene-producing fruit. If you keep them with other fruits and vegetables, then they will ripen more quickly. Sometimes that might just be too quick and leave you with spoilt fruits and veggies.
Apples can last for a good week or two on the counter and they can be quite the decorative piece with their delicious colors. If you do end up keeping them in the fridge (as they will last longer) just make sure to keep them separate! And remember, one bad apple spoils the whole bunch!
Advertisement
Hot Sauce
Hot sauce is made of some pretty strong ingredients — so strong, in fact, that they create inhospitable environments for bacteria and foodborne illness. As such, hot sauce does not require refrigeration. Some hot sauces will even solidify if you put them in the refrigerator, so be careful!
That being said, your hot sauce will have a longer shelf life if you keep it in the fridge and the flavor will last longer. So it really depends on what type of hot sauce user you are. Do you keep just one bottle for years? Or do you run through a bottle on a monthly basis? If you’re a more frequent user then keep it out and enjoy the fresher taste.
Advertisement
Peppers
Peppers don’t need to go in the refrigerator and will last several days on the counter. However, this is only true if they are uncut. However, if you have cut into the pepper and want to save a portion of it, it’s best to put them in the refrigerator crisper to keep them crunchy and juicy for longer.
As peppers pass their prime ripeness, they get softer and drier. If your bell pepper feels soft, it’s probably time to toss it. Luckily, this shouldn’t happen too often since peppers have a decent shelf life, even after they have been cut if they are stored properly.
Advertisement
Rice
Rice in its dry grain form does not need to be stored in the fridge. The best way to store rice is in an airtight container to keep it as dry as possible, and to keep that container in an area with minimal light, such as in a cupboard or pantry.
It can even be helpful to include an oxygen absorbing packet with the dry rice to ensure it stays dry. As with other items on this list, that’s only true when it’s in dried form. Once it’s been cooked, it’s best to store it in the fridge – but keep in mind that cooked rice spoils quickly.
Advertisement
Cookies and Other Baked Goods
It may seem counterintuitive, but keeping baked goods like cookies and brownies in the refrigerator actually saps them of moisture pretty quickly. That’s because cool air can be quite drying.
Unless the baked good has a primarily dairy component, such as custard, it is best to store baked goods in an airtight container at room temperature. We know a lot of you may find this hard to believe, but that includes cakes. (Yes, cakes.) The good news it, they probably won’t last long, since cookies and baked goods have a funny way of going quickly.
Advertisement
Dried Beans
As with rice, dried beans don’t belong in the fridge. They actually don’t belong in the plastic bags they often come in, either. Plastic bags make the beans susceptible to moisture and pests. To optimize shelf life and preserve flavor, opt for an airtight plastic container.
Then store the container in a cool, dark place that doesn’t exceed 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The good news is that if stored properly, the shelf life of beans can be years long, though experts recommend cooking and eating them within a year for optimal flavor.
Advertisement
Soy Sauce
You might think that after you open a bottle of soy sauce, you should keep the remainder in the fridge. But that is not necessarily so. Even after you open the bottle, it’s okay to keep it in the cupboard or pantry, as long as the lid on the bottle is tightly sealed.
That’s because soy sauce had a very high sodium content, and sodium is a natural preservative that will prevent it from spoiling. That being said, soy sauce producer Kikkoman does say to keep it in a “cool place.”
Advertisement
Salad Dressing
Some salad dressings don’t need to go back in the fridge even after you open them. That of course, comes with a caveat: creamy dressings like ranch or thousand island certainly need to go back in the fridge after opening. However, oil-based dressings, such as most vinaigrettes, do not need to be stored in the fridge after opening.
Instead, make sure the lid is tightly screwed on, or if you made the vinaigrette, in an airtight food container, such as Pyrex or Tupperware, and store it on the counter in a cool, dry place.
Advertisement
Jam
This one tends to have a lot of confusion around it, but the verdict is in: You don’t need to store jam in the fridge, even after you open it. That’s because jam is packed with sugar, which is a natural preservative that prevents it from spoiling quickly, given that the lid is tightly sealed and it’s stored in a cool, dry place, such as a cupboard or pantry.
But jam lovers across the country prefer to do so – particularly if the jam has residuals from use-age, such as bread crumbs. Many jam jars do recommend refrigerating after opening to preserve flavor, so this one is a matter of personal choice.
Advertisement
Citrus Fruits
Like many other fruits, citrus fruits don’t need to be stored in the fridge. Makes sense – they do ripen on the vine in the peak of warm, summer weather.. The key to citrus fruit ripeness is preserving its moisture content. The cool temperatures of the fridge actually dry the fruit out.
However, that only gives you about a week to get through them before they start to go bad. If you anticipate it will take you longer to get through your citrus supply, you can extend their shelf life by keeping them in the fridge.
Advertisement
Tropical Fruits
Coming from the warmer climates of the world, tropical fruits don’t like the cold. That’s why it makes sense that they lose their rich flavor profiles and do not keep very well when stored in a fridge.
In order to help them preserve their maximum flavor, it is ideal to keep tropical fruits outside the fridge at around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This of course is to preserve flavor – if you have a tasty tropical fruit you are worried you won’t get to in time, keeping it in the fridge can put a few extra days onto its shelf life.
Advertisement
Winter Squashes (butternut, Winter, Etc. )
Squashes prefer, cool, dry places more than they like it in a refrigerator. If they had it their way, they would stay in the 50–60 degree Fahrenheit range, with humidity levels at 50–70%. Sunlight will greatly expedite their ripening process, so their shelf life is prolonged by keeping them out of the light, such as in a pantry or cupboard.
It is preferable to store squashes on a rack or shelf, elevated off of the floor. Avoid storing them with or near ripening fruit, as they do not do well with ethylene gas.
Advertisement
Opened Cans
Canned food comes with juices to give it coating and saturation, which is best for preserving the food in the tin for long periods of time. However, once you open it, a different situation arises. Once a can is open, the air that gets in causes oxidation processed that makes the tin, iron, or aluminum of the can better able to leech into foods.
This will not only give your food an unpleasant, metallic taste, but also poses health risks. If you open a can, but want to save a portion of its contents for later, transfer the contents to another food-safe container (such as a ceramic bowl 0r Tupperware container) to avoid spoiling.
Advertisement
Corn
Corn is not a vegetable, and it doesn’t belong in a fridge either. Putting corn in the fridge for a day or two may not be a bad idea, as it slows down the chemical reaction process that may cause corn to lose its sweetness.
But at the same time, keeping it in the fridge also dehydrates it, causing its juicy flavor to disappear overnight. That will make it tasteless for you. Further, its texture will become rubbery; it won’t taste fresh. So avoid keeping corn in the fridge.
Advertisement
Jerky/Biltong
Jerky is merely dried meat, not ideal for keeping in the moist environment of the fridge. That’s why it’s no surprise you can keep jerky dry for longer out of the fridge.
You should store jerky at room temperature for the best taste for when it comes time to eat it. The fridge’s moisture will make it lumpy, taking out the effects of ingredients used to get the dryness. Outside a fridge, you can eat jerky over a long period without worrying about its life span. Storing it in the fridge will shorten its shelf life.
Advertisement
Pears
You may not like to see pears on this list for foods you shouldn’t be keeping in the fridge. However, the pears’ skin is delicate, and cold air can damage its juicy and tenderness.
Furthermore, the skin gets dull and devoid of any taste and becomes odorless in a fridge, which is no way to enjoy a pear. If you’re in the mood for some chilled fruit, try opting for other summer fruits such as watermelon, peaches, apples, or cucumbers.
Advertisement
Carrots
Like cucumbers, the fridge isn’t the best place to store carrots. The cold air will accelerate its rotting process. This happens due to the presence of natural water in such vegetables and fruits.
Carrots’ genetic makeup reacts rapidly with the cold chilling environment in the fridge. This may be the reason you observe a layer of white tinge within a carrot when you cut it across. The fridge will shorten their shelf life. That said, storing them for a few hours in the refrigerator may not affect carrots’ taste or appearance.
Advertisement
Croutons
While they’re a lovely addition to a salad, people shouldn’t store their croutons in the fridge. The savory crunch of croutons when you’re eating a chicken salad will have people wanting to keep croutons for the long haul. However, store-bought croutons will stay fresh for a long time because of the lack of moisture in the bread.
While croutons won’t last long in the pantry, you can store them at room temperature for over six months. Of course, this changes when homemade croutons become a factor because too much moisture can build up.
Advertisement
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is one of the longest-lasting condiments you can keep out of the fridge. Experienced campers know that there’s nothing better than fresh-off-the-skillet flapjacks soaked in maple syrup. As long as you store the syrup in a cool, dry place with a quality container, feel free to stock up on a year’s worth of maple syrupy goodness.
However, once you open a bottle of maple syrup, it’s wise to leave it in the fridge after a couple of weeks of breaking the airtight seal. Realistically, you don’t ever need to put maple syrup in the refrigerator unless you lost the cap, in which case the constant exposure to air could encourage mold growth.
Advertisement
Corn Syrup
As long as you store it properly, corn syrup will stay fresh and delicious for years at a time. Corn syrup is one of the primary ingredients in your favorite foods and beverages, such as pastries, candies, sodas, frostings, and more. While there’s certainly a debate about the healthiness of corn syrup, there’s no arguing that it can satiate any craving.
Once you open a container of corn syrup, you still don’t need to refrigerate it. Opened corn syrup has a shelf life of about six months, giving you plenty of time to use it in your baking projects before needing to stock up.
Advertisement
Peaches
Contrary to popular belief, storing store-bought peaches in the refrigerator won’t help retain their quality taste. Instead, it would help if you let the fruits air out on the kitchen counter until they’re ripe. If you only store peaches a room temperature, as a general rule, they’ll stay fresh for up to twenty days out of direct sunlight.
It only makes sense to refrigerate peaches if you want to store them throughout the year, in which case the fruit can last up to nine months. If that’s the case, we recommend allowing the peaches to thaw for an hour before serving them. However, if your grocery store consistently offers fresh peaches, it makes more sense to buy as you need.
Advertisement
Fruit Pies
Everyone knows that an apple pie loses its flavor the second you stick leftovers in the fridge. Luckily, as long as your pie contains sugar (what psychopath doesn’t?), you can leave the apple pie next to the loaves of bread on the counter. Just make sure to wrap the pastry in foil or a plastic bag to avoid excessive bacteria growth that’ll lead to spoiling.
Also, make a conscious effort not to store the apple pie next to a decorative bowl of lemons or apples. When these fruits riped, the gas released can cause nearby products to tarnish. For other types of pies made with dairy products, you should refrigerate them because they’ll spoil faster than sugar.
Advertisement
Unripe Mangoes
Like peaches, mangoes are another fruit that you don’t need to refrigerate. When you buy mangoes at the store, the chances are that the shipment of fruit hasn’t begun to ripe because trucking companies and grocery stores keep them at cooler temperatures to maintain the visible quality. Once you get home from the supermarket and wash all your fruit, keep the mangoes in a cool and dry place away from any direct sunlight.
Storing the mangoes at room temperature allows them to begin the ripening process. Over the next couple of days, the mangoes will grow softer and sweeter, meaning they’re ready to eat.
Advertisement
Fresh Pastries
There’s a reason bakers wake up at the crack of dawn to start baking their bread. Once refrigerated, fresh pastries begin to lose the crispiness that you drove to buy in the first place. Instead, if you don’t have time to finish your cinnamon roll, storing it in a paper bag is the best way to keep it fresh.
Another way to keep pastries fresh for a couple of hours is to store them in a ziplock bag. Gentle push out as much air before sealing the bag shut for the vacuum-seal effect. However, if you want to save bakery-quality pastries for a more extended period, the fridge instead is not the best place either. Instead, deep freezing pastries in a freezer are the best way to retain a fresh quality.
Advertisement
Champagne
For the uninitiated, storing an expensive champagne bottle in the refrigerator is one of the easiest ways to waste money. Instead of the fridge, good bottles of champagne need to be stored somewhere with a constant temperate and far away from sunlight. The temperature fluctuations of a typical fridge will cause the refined taste to sour.
Instead, a wine cellar is one of the best places to store any bottle of alcohol, especially champagne. However, not all of us have access to the casks of amontillado, so a basement or back closet will work just fine.
Advertisement
Coconut Oil
A popular item on everyone’s grocery list is coconut oil. While it’s famous as cooking oil, refined coconut oil has many health benefits, such as encouraging a healthy gut flora and skin. Once you open a container of coconut oil, you don’t have to worry about replacing it for another two years.
However, the long shelf life of coconut oil depends on your storage method. For example, depending on the layout of your kitchen, don’t store the bottle of coconut oil in direct sunlight. Since refined coconut oil is an expensive product, you must keep it correctly to squeeze out the most benefits.
Advertisement
Himalayan Salt
As with most spices, we don’t need a refrigerator to keep salt fresh and clean. Instead, all you need is a cool and dry place that you know isn’t prone to leaks. Ancient civilizations once fought wars over access to salt mines, because their antimicrobial properties kept the meat from going rancid with bacteria.
If you want to store a lot of Himalayan salt for months or even years, purchasing blocks of salt is the most cost-effective option. As long as your storage place is well-kept, you don’t need to worry too much about the salt getting dirty. Regular maintenance only requires a gentle sponge bath every month.
Advertisement
Fish Sauce
As with many condiments on this list, fish sauce possesses an extraordinarily long shelf life. Food-quality fish sauce has a light red color that should be clear of debris. One of the problems people run into with soy sauce is the fact that not too many recipes call for the ingredient. As a result, people will buy a large bottle at the grocery store and not use it for a month.
Luckily, the pantry is the perfect spot for a bottle of fish sauce. Storing it in the fridge will degrade the taste, and refrigeration isn’t necessary due to the higher level of sodium in most store-bought bottles.
Advertisement
Vodka
Everyone knows that if you leave a good bottle of vodka in the fridge, it won’t freeze because of the alcohol’s chemical properties. However, that doesn’t mean the fridge is the best spot to store your liquor. Preserving the taste of vodka requires you to store it at room temperature, and a fridge’s colder temperatures interfere with the distilled liquor’s natural aging process.
However, that isn’t to say you should just leave vodka bottles lying around the kitchen. As the temperature of your house rises and falls throughout the year, exposed vodka will begin to evaporate with that climate change. A cool and dry pantry will work fine, as well as a freezer specifically designed to store alcoholic beverages such as vodka, beer, or whiskey.
Advertisement
Whiskey
Similar to vodka and champagne, the refrigerator is not the place for high-quality whiskey. Many people find that chilling a glass of whiskey is an effective method to chilling the drink prior to serving it. Bars often have special rooms designed to keep the internal temperature ideal for whiskey bottles.
Another storage tip that most whiskey enthusiasts follow is keeping the liquor stored upright. Unlike wine and champagne bottles, which hold well on their sides, distilled liquor retains its qualities longer when its container is stored upright.
Advertisement
Ground Pepper
When people properly store ground pepper, it can last up to four years and taste great. However, like most long-term ingredients, the storage place needs to be dry and cool year-round.
Heat and light are the primary components that lead to ground pepper deteriorating, which is why the back of a pantry is the best place to store it long-term. Black pepper is a great spice always to have on-hand, which is why proper care will help season foods for years.
Advertisement
Watermelons
Another food that doesn’t need to be refrigerated quickly is watermelons. Once you slap your watermelon and determine it’s ripe enough to take home, you can store watermelons on the kitchen counter for nearly two weeks. Melons mature when exposed to room temperature; however, you need to keep watermelons near other fruits such as apples.
Fruits like apples and oranges release certain gasses as they age, and these chemicals can make other foods such as watermelons deteriorate before they’ve even reached ripening.
Advertisement
Pasta
Another stape of diets worldwide, pasta, doesn’t require refrigeration. While refrigeration might seem logical to help the pasta last longer in storage, all pasta needs are the original container in a cool and dry place. For this reason, it’s a commonplace activity at supermarkets to purchase a month’s worth of pasta at a time. Pasta can last for up to two years before you need to replace your supply.
However, you should always keep an eye out for the quality of your pasta over time. After about two years of storage, you run the rust of mold beginning to develop on the pasta due to elements outside anyone’s control.
Advertisement
Pop Tarts
Who doesn’t love a freshly-toasted pop tart in the morning? For anyone looking to free up some real estate in the fridge, Pop Tart’s packaging means that you can store them in your pantry without any issues.
Pop-tarts are an excellent morning addition to breakfast for parents because they require a minute or two in the toaster. Instead of spending time cleaning the cooking pan, frying up some eggs, and serving it with enough time to get to school before traffic, parents can quickly heat a pop-tart.
Advertisement
Trail Mix
Any experienced hiker will tell you how satisfying a bag of trail mix is after a long day in the woods. Luckily trail mix doesn’t need any refrigeration. However, people should always keep an eye out for those pesky expiration dates.
One of the benefits of trail mix for outdoors enthusiasts is the mix of carbohydrates and protein, allowing hikers to stay hydrated and fueled to keep hiking a steep trail. Plus, in the popular travel-size pouches, you can store away a day’s worth of fuel in a backpack and then forget about it until you’re hungry.
Advertisement
Protein Powder
As long as you keep a protein container in a cool and dry environment (away from the kitchen sink), people can supplement their meals for months at a time. While gym rats might go through a 100oz container in a week, protein powder can last for extended periods without the help of a fridge.
As more people incorporate protein powders in their diets, recipes on the internet exist for nearly everything: pancakes, french toast, brownies, and more. Companies have also listened to the complaints in the past about the taste and added new options that are friendly to everyone’s pallet.
Advertisement
Canned Meats
Canned foods are a great addition to any long-term food storage plan. According to sources such as the USDA, canned foods keep fresh for five years. Of course, this ability to last through many seasons depends on the reliability of a storage place.
While storing canned foods in the fridge won’t hinder their longevity, it just doesn’t make sense due to the space it takes up in a fridge or freezer. Foods that need refrigeration such as bagged vegetables should take precedence over foods that can last five years in the pantry.
Advertisement
