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Foods You Should Never Store in the Refrigerator
We often think the refrigerator is the best place to store almost everything because keeping food cold helps it last longer. However, that isn’t always the case. Some foods can actually lose flavor, change texture, or spoil faster when stored in the refrigerator.
Knowing which foods belong in the pantry, on the counter, or in a cool, dry place can help you avoid wasting food and money. Here are some common foods you should generally avoid storing in the refrigerator.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the most common foods that shouldn’t be refrigerated. The cold temperature can damage their texture and make them mealy. Refrigeration can also reduce some of the fresh flavor that makes ripe tomatoes so good.
Store tomatoes at room temperature, preferably away from direct sunlight. Once a tomato has been cut, however, it should be refrigerated in a covered container and used within a few days.
Potatoes
The refrigerator isn’t a good place for potatoes. Cold temperatures can cause the starch in potatoes to convert into sugar, which can affect their taste and cause them to become sweeter than you want.
Instead, store potatoes in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated place. Avoid storing them in plastic bags or anywhere with excess moisture, since this can encourage spoilage.
Onions
Whole onions generally don’t belong in the refrigerator. The moisture inside a refrigerator can cause them to become soft and moldy more quickly.
Keep whole onions in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. It’s also a good idea to keep them separate from potatoes, since the two can contribute to each other’s spoilage when stored together.
Once an onion has been cut, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate it.
Garlic
Whole garlic bulbs should be stored somewhere cool, dry, and well-ventilated rather than in the refrigerator. Refrigeration can encourage sprouting and may affect the texture.
A pantry or another dry area away from heat and sunlight is usually a better choice. Keep the garlic in a mesh bag, paper bag, or another container that allows air to circulate.
Bread
Putting bread in the refrigerator may seem like a good way to keep it fresh longer, but it can actually make bread go stale faster. The cold temperature encourages the starches in bread to recrystallize, which can make the bread firm and stale.
Keep bread at room temperature if you plan to eat it within a few days. If you have more bread than you can use, freezing it is a better option than refrigerating it for longer-term storage.
Bananas
Whole bananas generally do best at room temperature. Refrigerating an unripe banana can interfere with the ripening process, while the peel may turn dark or black.
Once bananas are fully ripe, you can refrigerate them if you want to slow down further ripening. The peel may darken, but the fruit inside can remain usable.
If your bananas are ripening faster than your family can eat them, peeling and freezing them is another great option for smoothies, banana bread, and other recipes.
Avocados
Unripe avocados should generally be kept at room temperature so they can ripen properly. Putting a hard avocado in the refrigerator can slow the ripening process.
Once an avocado is ripe, refrigeration can help extend its usable life. Cut avocado should also be refrigerated and protected from air as much as possible.
Whole Melons
Whole melons such as watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew don’t necessarily need to take up valuable refrigerator space before they’re cut.
Keep whole melons at room temperature until they are ripe. Once cut, they should be refrigerated promptly and stored in a covered container or wrapped well.
If you prefer your melon cold, you can always refrigerate it after it has ripened.
Coffee
Coffee is another food that many people mistakenly store in the refrigerator. While it may seem like refrigeration would help preserve coffee, the refrigerator can expose coffee to moisture and odors from other foods.
Coffee beans and grounds can absorb surrounding odors, potentially affecting their flavor.
For the best quality, keep coffee in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place away from heat and sunlight.
Honey
Honey doesn’t need to be refrigerated. In fact, storing honey in the refrigerator can cause it to crystallize and become thick and difficult to pour.
Keep honey tightly sealed at room temperature. If your honey does crystallize, gently warming the container can return it to a more liquid consistency.
Crystallization doesn’t mean that honey has gone bad. It is a natural process.
Peanut Butter
Natural peanut butter is sometimes refrigerated because it doesn’t contain the same stabilizers found in many conventional peanut butters. However, refrigeration isn’t necessarily needed for every type of peanut butter.
Check the label and follow the manufacturer’s storage instructions. Many commercially processed peanut butters can be stored in the pantry after opening, while some natural varieties may recommend refrigeration.
Baked Goods
Not every baked good benefits from refrigeration. Cakes, cookies, muffins, and other baked goods without perishable fillings or frostings are often better kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Refrigeration can dry them out and affect their texture.
However, baked goods containing ingredients that require refrigeration, such as cream cheese frosting, custard, whipped cream, or certain dairy-based fillings, should be refrigerated.
Basil
Fresh basil can suffer from the cold temperatures inside a refrigerator. The leaves may turn dark and develop a wilted appearance.
Instead, treat fresh basil somewhat like flowers. Place the stems in a glass or jar with a little water and keep it at room temperature. Loosely covering the leaves can help keep them fresh.
Other fresh herbs have different storage needs, so don’t assume they should all be treated the same way.
Chocolate
Chocolate doesn’t generally need to be refrigerated unless your home is particularly warm and you’re trying to prevent it from melting.
The refrigerator can introduce moisture and cause condensation, which may affect the chocolate’s texture and appearance. Chocolate can also absorb odors from other foods.
Store chocolate in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and strong odors.
Apples
Whole apples can be stored at room temperature for a short period, although refrigeration can extend their storage life considerably.
Because apples actually can benefit from refrigeration, this one is a little different from the other foods on this list. If you have room in your refrigerator and want to keep apples fresh for longer, refrigeration is perfectly fine.
If you’re going to eat them quickly, however, there’s no need to refrigerate them.
Citrus Fruits
Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits can be kept at room temperature for a short period. If you’re going to use them fairly quickly, there’s no need to refrigerate them.
Refrigerating citrus can help it last longer, though, so this is another food where refrigeration isn’t necessarily bad; it simply isn’t always necessary.
So, What Should You Refrigerate?
It’s important to remember that “don’t refrigerate” doesn’t mean a food should be left out indefinitely. Many foods have different storage requirements depending on whether they are whole, cut, cooked, or prepared.
For example, a whole tomato can sit on the counter, but a cut tomato should be refrigerated. An unripe avocado can stay on the counter, while a ripe or cut avocado can benefit from refrigeration.
When in doubt, check the food’s packaging or follow food-safety recommendations, particularly for foods containing meat, dairy, eggs, or other perishable ingredients.
How to Keep Food Fresh Longer
Knowing where to store your food can make a surprising difference in how long it stays fresh. Keeping potatoes, onions, garlic, and other pantry-friendly foods in a cool, dry location can help prevent unnecessary spoilage.
At the same time, don’t be afraid to use your refrigerator when it is appropriate. Some foods that don’t need refrigeration can still benefit from it when you need to extend their shelf life.
The biggest thing to remember is that not everything belongs in the refrigerator. Sometimes the pantry or kitchen counter is actually the better place to store your food.
Foods You Should Never Store in the Refrigerator FAQ
Can you store tomatoes in the refrigerator?
Whole tomatoes are generally best stored at room temperature because refrigeration can affect their texture and flavor. Cut tomatoes should be refrigerated.
Should potatoes be refrigerated?
No. Store potatoes in a cool, dark, dry, well-ventilated location instead of the refrigerator.
Does bread last longer in the refrigerator?
Refrigerating bread can actually make it stale faster. For longer-term storage, freezing bread is usually a better option.
Should you refrigerate onions?
Whole onions are best stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location. Cut onions should be refrigerated in a covered container.
Should garlic be refrigerated?
Whole garlic bulbs are generally best stored in a cool, dry place with good air circulation.
Does honey need to be refrigerated?
No. Honey should be stored tightly sealed at room temperature. Refrigeration can cause it to crystallize more quickly.
Can bananas go in the refrigerator?
Unripe bananas are best left at room temperature to ripen. Once ripe, they can be refrigerated to slow further ripening, although the peel may turn dark.
Should coffee be stored in the refrigerator?
Coffee is generally better stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry location. The refrigerator can expose coffee to moisture and odors.
Can you refrigerate avocados?
Unripe avocados should generally remain at room temperature so they can ripen. Once ripe, refrigeration can help them last longer.
What foods should never be refrigerated?
Some common examples include whole tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, bread, unripe bananas, unripe avocados, whole melons, coffee, and honey. However, storage recommendations can vary depending on whether a food is whole, cut, cooked, or commercially packaged.
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