Some foods don’t require refrigeration (or don’t require it at first) and will just be taking up space. Some foods will have their taste or texture affected by cooler temperatures. And other foods may even spoil quicker in the fridge. These foods shouldn’t be refrigerated.
Avocados
Storing your avocados in the refrigerator will prevent them from fully ripening and affect the flavor, so you only want to store them in the fridge if they’re fully ripe and you need an extra day or two. You can also store a cut avocado in the fridge, but otherwise, keep them on the counter.
Bananas
Refrigeration is confusing to bananas; the banana stops ripening in the fridge, but the outside gets darker quicker. Keep bananas ripening properly by keeping them at room temperature. If you want your bananas to ripen slower, wrap the tops in plastic wrap. If you want them to ripen faster, put them inside a loosely folded paper bag.
Bread
Yes, bread is less likely to get moldy in the fridge...but at what cost?! Refrigerated bread will dry out and get stale in the fridge, so you’re better off eating it fresh or sticking it in the freezer (in a freezer-safe container).
Coffee
Although it may seem like a good idea to keep coffee beans or ground coffee in the fridge, it is not advisable for either. The cold won’t help prolong the coffee’s life, the temperature change is not good for the taste, and neither is the fact that the beans/grounds will absorb the other flavors in the fridge. Instead, keep coffee in an airtight, opaque container in a cool, dark place for up to two weeks, and then freeze it.
Cucumber
Once you cut your cucumber, it needs to go in the fridge (ideally wrapped in a damp paper towel). But until that point, you should leave it out. Cucumbers will last two to three weeks on your counter or in your pantry, but only a week if you immediately put them in the fridge.
Herbs
Like bread, fresh herbs will also dry out if you store them in the fridge. In fact, the best way to keep them fresh is in a glass of water (stem-side down), on your counter, away from sunlight. Then simply use what you can for about a week, and freeze the rest.
Hot sauce
Take a tip from restaurants and store your hot sauce at room temperature. Vinegar and capsaicin—ingredients in most hot sauces—are inhospitable to bacterial growth, and most sauces are specifically designed for fridge-less storage. If you rarely reach for the hot stuff, keeping it in the fridge will prolong its life, but if you’re a regular user, hot sauce will last at room temp for months or even years.
Melon
Do you know how grocery stores usually just store melons—cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon—in big piles on the counter? Do that! (But not the big pile part, unless you eat a ton of melon.) Whole melons thrive at room temp in terms of both flavor and keeping antioxidants intact. Once you cut them, they can be safely stored in the fridge.
Stone fruit
The flesh of stone fruit like cherries, nectarines, peaches, and plums will get mealy and lose its juiciness if put in the fridge too early. Leave them out at room temperature until they’re soft and perfectly ripe—then you have the option to eat or store them in the fridge for a few days.
Tomatoes
Until you slice into that juicy tomato, keep it out of the fridge. Tomatoes should be stored at room temperature in order to preserve both the taste and texture, which are adversely impacted by cooler temperatures. If you want them to last longer, simply trim off any excess vines and flip them upside down for storage!
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