15+ Foods We Don’t Recommend Keeping in the Fridge (And We’ll Explain Why)

The main function of the refrigerator is to preserve food, but it is not the ideal place for all types of food. Many do not know that taking some food products to the refrigerator can reduce the shelf life and even change their flavor, property and texture. But don’t worry: we’ve made a basic list to help you save money and have healthy food on your table at all times.

O awesome.club decided to bring you a list of 10+ foods, guiding how and where to store them to get the best out of them and not have to throw anything away. Check out what these foods are below.

Due to its apparently fragile texture, it is one of the foods that most households mistakenly end up in the refrigerator. The cold in the refrigerator causes this fruit (you already knew it’s not a vegetable, right?) to spoil more quickly and lose its original flavor. Tomatoes should always be placed in the fruit bowl upside down (navel) as they do at fairs; this helps them not to spoil easily.

The fruit in the fridge spoils much faster, it has a dark skin and the pulp hardens. For bananas, refrigeration only causes damage and does not help to preserve it. Low temperatures annul the enzymes that ripen the fruit, making its pulp pasty and with a bad taste. To keep it longer in the fruit bowl, wrap the handle with aluminum foil or plastic wrap; We even have a video explaining it.

Onions need to breathe, and the humid interior of the refrigerator causes them to deteriorate and dry out quickly. So it’s better to keep it in the fruit bowl. Another important tip is to always keep it away from the potatoes. It is not advisable to leave both together in the same basket, as the onion ends up absorbing the moisture from the tuber and spoils faster.

The humidity in the refrigerator spoils the carrot, so it is recommended to leave it in the fruit bowl without the foliage. If you want to leave it in the refrigerator, wrap it in a paper towel, place it in a clean plastic bag and close it well so that moisture does not get inside. The vegetable drawer is less refrigerated, so it’s the best place to store your carrots if you have no other option.

If the intention is to leave it stored to ripen, the refrigerator is not the most suitable place, as the cold parks its ripening cycle. When it is still green or ripening, store it at room temperature in a cool, dark place. If it is already ripe, storing it in the refrigerator will spoil the fruit much faster, the skin will darken and the flesh will harden.

Like onions, garlic also needs ventilation so that it is dry and good for use. Leaving it in the fridge will take away its characteristic flavor and attract mold. Our grandmothers braided onions and garlic precisely for better conservation; under these conditions it lasts two months or even more.

Despite being a food that does not spoil and does not have an “expiration date”, in order for the honey to always have the same consistency, it must be left at room temperature. So never leave it in the fridge, it will thicken and crystallize it. If you have a problem with ants, just place a saucer of water underneath or make a natural insect repellent.

Despite being very good on hot days, while the melon is closed, it is important to leave it out of the refrigerator so that it becomes sweeter. Once cut, the fruit can go into the fridge without any problems, but don’t leave it there too long, as it has a tendency to absorb odors from other foods. Keep the melon covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, in a container with a lid.

The best place to store eggs is in the refrigerator, but although older appliances have egg holders on the door, this is not the best place. Extreme temperature variations occur in the refrigerator door and this allows bacteria to enter and multiply. With the opening and closing of the door, the eggs can hit and crack the shell, further increasing the possibility of contamination.

Sauces like ketchup and mustard do not need refrigeration. Although some people prefer to keep the packages in the fridge, the possibility of spoiling is minimal. These foods have acids that preserve them for a long period of time. Just a warning: if you prefer to take them to the refrigerator, understand that in the cold they lose their flavor and have a modified texture.

The general recommendation for any bread is to eat it right away or within 3 or 4 days; if you want to preserve it for a longer time, then refrigeration is recommended. The cold in the refrigerator will dry it out, but it will prevent mold from forming. For the bread to last even longer, the freezer can be a good option, but remember that the food can lose a little flavor under these conditions.

Both regular and sweet potatoes should be stored at room temperature; in the refrigerator, the starch turns into sugar and ends up changing the taste, texture and color of this tuber. To conserve, without losing anything from the potato, it must be left in a cool, airy and dark place, preferably in an open fiber or paper bag.

Despite spoiling very easily, cucumber cannot be refrigerated either. The ideal is to leave it at room temperature, as it is sensitive to temperatures below 10º C and stains, depressions, water accumulation and accelerated corrosion can occur. Keep it away from bananas, tomatoes and melons, as it is also very sensitive to the Ethylene these foods release.

Another fruit that needs a dry and airy place. When tidying up, distribute the oranges so that the air circulates and prevents them from rotting. To store, avoid putting weight on top, but if that’s not possible, move them every two or three days. Another interesting tip is as soon as you cut it, make a juice or consume it immediately, as the vitamin C starts to evaporate as soon as the orange is opened.

The powder for making coffee must be placed in airtight containers (that do not allow air) and inside the cupboard or pantry. The fridge humidifies the powder and can change the taste of the drink when it is prepared. To store the powder or grains, the best place is in a ceramic pot and in a dark place. A tip: it is advisable to put the used powder in the fridge, as it absorbs the odor of food.

Like most seeds, nuts are great for health and their oils are recommended for daily consumption. But if they are poorly stored, they can become rancid and lose properties. If they are shelled, they should be kept in hermetically sealed packages inside the refrigerator or outside. If they are still in the shell, the ideal is to store them in a cool, dry place, away from light.

With the pot open or closed, the pepper must always be out of the fridge, as the cold modifies the burning level and the viscosity of the seasoning. Homemade sauce and preserves last an average of 3 years, precisely because vinegar, sugar and oil are included in the recipe. For industrialized pepper, you only need to observe the expiration date, and always keep it out of the fridge.

For some, this may be considered strange, but there are many people who keep oils and oils inside the refrigerator. It is not the most suitable place, as the cold can alter the components found in olive oil and it can even absorb the odors of other foods that are nearby. In the refrigerator, oils also become thicker and cloudier and may even change in flavor.

Apples can be stored for two to three weeks outside the refrigerator at room temperature. The most suitable place is in the fruit bowl or in a fruit box, but remember to keep them away from the bananas, so that ripening is not accelerated. Avoid leaving bruised fruit near fruit that’s still good, so they don’t spoil.

The softness and flavor of the cakes end when they are stored in the refrigerator. It’s best to avoid toppings and fillings that spoil easily and prefer those that last longer at room temperature. Now, if you are not going to eat them all at once or within three days, use the refrigerator to store them, but put them in airtight packaging, wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic film.

Did you like the tips? Did you store some of these foods in any other way? Tell us.