While keeping fruits, vegetables and other assorted foods in the fridge might seem like a no brainer, chances are you are putting something in there that doesn't belong.
Refrigerators are essential to this day and age, and can help keep weeks
of food fresh and ready for consumption. So what could possibly be
wrong about keeping everything in there? Refrigerating certain foods can
actually make them lose their vitamins and minerals, cause bruising, or
make the rotting process speed up. It also contributes to food waste;
the United States alone wastes almost 40% of the food we buy. Not only is that number enough to feed 25 million Americans per year, it is completely avoidable by storing food properly. We've compiled a list of foods that should not be refrigerated:
1. Cucumbers
I know right? I definitely used to refrigerate my cucumbers the minute I brought them home from the store. As it turns out, cucumbers are sensitive to temperatures below 50°F and may develop
"chilling injuries" including water-soaked areas, pitting, and
accelerated decay. If you absolutely want to refrigerate your cucumbers, limit it to
1-3 days and eat them as soon as possible. Also, cucumbers are highly sensitive to ethylene and should be kept away from bananas, melons, and tomatoes.
2. Tomatoes
While this is common knowledge, some people like to eat their tomatoes cold, especially me! I find the texture weird when eating a cold salad with warm tomatoes. But why is this wonderful fruit not supposed to be in the fridge? It's because of the volatiles in the tomato -
the flavor of a tomato is a result of an interaction between sugars, acids, and multiple volatile compounds. Refrigerating tomatoes causes its volatiles begin to break down.
Volatiles associated with green and grassy notes were those hardest hit,
which explains why refrigerated tomatoes lack that fresh-picked flavor.While you should not refrigerate fresh tomatoes, DEFINITELY put cut tomatoes in the fridge.
3. Winter Squash
These hardy vegetables in all of its glorious varieties should be stored in the pantry or on the counter for maximum taste, texture, and length of freshness. They should not be stored in the fridge because the humidity causes the squash to deteriorate rapidly. When stored outside of the fridge they can last about a month or more, depending on the temperature of your home.
4. Melons
Melons have a naturally hard rind on the outside that keeps bugs and other pesky problems from entering the fruit. So why should you not refrigerate it? It's because these fruits continue to ripen after being picked, and premature refrigeration will cause them to lose flavor and develop a mealy texture, just like tomatoes! Once they are fully ripe though, go ahead and throw them in the fridge if you're not ready to eat it so the ripening process slows.
5. Avocado
When you purchase avocado from the store it is usually stone hard, right? That's because avocados take a long time to ripen - up to two weeks depending on your storage method. Placing them in the fridge causes time to basically stop - i.e. the fruit will not ripen due to the cold atmosphere. The best way to store them? In a brown paper bag for about 3 days.
6. Basil
Basil is just like coffee; it loves to absorb the smells around them. When placed in the fridge, the odors will get into the basil, causing the taste to change irreversibly. They will also become soggy and practically unusable. Store them in a dry, air tight container for maximum freshness.
7. Coffee
As I mentioned above, just like fresh herbs, coffee should not be refrigerated or frozen. This is because it causes condensation, which can lead to mold as well as changing the flavor of your coffee. As with everything else on this list, store on the counter or pantry for maximum freshness and flavor.
8. Peanut Butter
While you don't
absolutely have to store peanut butter in the pantry, storing it in the fridge causes the oils to freeze up, making the consistency of the p.b. hard and virtually impossible to spread. It can also change the color and flavor, making it aesthetically unpleasing.Though, if you're the type to eat all natural foods, definitely refrigerate it as it does not have the preserving agents as many other brands do.
9. Spices
If you're like me, you have a TON of spices that seem to take up an entire cabinet or two. While putting them in the fridge or freezer to save room might seem like a good idea, don't!
Once
again the humid environment of a refrigerator is detrimental to the
flavor of spices, and since most can be safely stored for years without
refrigeration, there's no benefit to cold storage at all.
10. Honey
This one is obvious - to me, anyway. Honey is its own natural preservative, one of the oldest known to man. When refrigerated, honey becomes cloudy, loses its anti-oxidant properties, and will crystallize, making the process of getting it out almost unbearable. Honey can last almost indefinitely when stored in a dark, dry place.
11. Farm Fresh Eggs
Now I know what you're thinking - but we've been told since we were little to store eggs in the fridge! Well, that logic is partially right. In the US we're told to refrigerate them to reduce the risk of salmonella, but if you think about where your industry eggs are coming from - i.e. big corporations that mass feed chickens, the chances of salmonella are drastically higher than those from local, farm fresh eggs. Store
farm fresh eggs at room temperature if you plan to eat
them within 7-10 days. Local eggs are the freshest and will keep the
longest. Otherwise, store eggs in the fridge to be safe.
12. Cheese
Yep! Cheese is one of the many foods that typically don't need to be refrigerated. The earliest evidence of cheese making dates back to 5,500 BCE. Mechanical refrigeration has been around for maybe 160 years.Cheese tastes best when it is served at room temperature, so it's perfectly fine to leave wedges on the counter. To give you an even shorter explanation: It's all about butterfat. Butterfat holds a
lot of the flavor, and butterfat is solid when cold and unctuous at room
temperature. You want it unctuous.
13. Tuna in a pouch
While you may store your canned tuna in the pantry, what about vacuum sealed pouches? These are sealed just like canned tuna, and will do better when stored in a cool, dry place to retain texture and flavor. Depending on the type of tuna (such as tuna in oil) definitely don't store them in the fridge because - you guessed it - the oil will become cloudy and the consistency will be off.
14. Chocolate
While chocolate doesn't like air and sunlight as some other foods, it definitely doesn't like being in the fridge either. Chocolate in the fridge or freezer will build up condensation when warming up, causing it to lose flavor, texture, and color. The cocoa butter in chocolate also sucks up odors faster than a dry sponge sucks up water. Store chocolate in a cool, dry area where the temperature stays between 68-72 degrees.
15. Lemons and Limes
Citrus fruits like lemons and limes can suffer from chill damage, causing the internal structure of the fruits to become more bitter, harder, and contain less vitamins. Store lemons, limes, and other citrus fruits on the counter away from bananas to maintain freshness and consistency.
The next time you come home from the grocery store, make sure you keep these tips in mind to avoid food waste!
http://sacramentocagaragedoorrepair.com/news/foods-that-dont-need-refrigeration/
it
causes condensation and changes the flavor. Goes for beans and grounds.
Keep in airtight container in pantry. - See more at:
http://www.mythirtyspot.com/2013/03/15-things-you-should-not-refrigerate.html/#sthash.hn0pELcl.dpuf
it
causes condensation and changes the flavor. Goes for beans and grounds.
Keep in airtight container in pantry. - See more at:
http://www.mythirtyspot.com/2013/03/15-things-you-should-not-refrigerate.html/#sthash.hn0pELcl.dpuf
