21 Foods You Should Never Refrigerate

The refrigerator can keep our food fresh and delicious, but there are a surprising number of items you should never refrigerate. Cool temperatures may make them less tasty and even cause potential health risks. Read on to see the list of foods that should never be refrigerated.

1. Bread

Cool air speeds up the staling process of the bread, making it look and feel older than it actually is. Hmm… maybe this writer has been keeping himself in a fridge all these years?

2. Eggs

We are not saying you should never put your eggs inside the refrigerator. Cool temperatures will keep the eggs fresh for a longer time, but they can ruin the taste and texture.

3. Yogurt

We all know that yogurt tastes better when it’s chilled, but colder temperatures can kill the beneficial bacteria in the yogurt. So, if you want a healthy diet, you might need to sacrifice the flavor.

4. Avocados

Cold temperatures will prolong the ripening process of avocados. However, they can stay in the fridge once ripened.

5. Mangoes

Same with avocados, mangoes are better kept outside the fridge before they are ripened.

6. Berries

Refrigerated air is too humid for berries. Putting them in refrigerators will not keep them fresh and actually speed the molding process.

7. Whole Melons

Cold temperatures can speed up the rotting process of melons. Also, taking whole melons out of your refrigerator is quite a space saver. However, cut melons should be covered and refrigerated to keep them fresh.

8. Tomatoes

Cold temperatures damage a tomatoes’ membranes so they will taste mealy and watery out of your refrigerator. However, if you want them chilled in a salad, you can put them in the fridge for a few minutes before you cut them.

9. Apples And Pears

Cold temperatures can hurt the delicate skin of pears and apples, ruining their juicy and delicious crispiness.

10. Cucumbers

You may be surprised to know that cucumbers actually decay faster when cool. Next time try to keep them at room temperature and see how long they last.

11. Carrots

Similar to cucumbers, carrots will last longer at room temperature.

12. Bananas

If you put bananas in the refrigerator hoping to keep them fresh, you may find them turning black even quicker because of the impact the temperature has on the fruit’s cell walls. Also, bananas need room temperature to ripen correctly; cool temperatures will halt this process.

13. Potatoes

Potatoes are never fit for a fridge because cold temperatures turn starch into sugar much sooner than at room temperature. Too much sugar can make potatoes discolored and less tasty. Just keep your potatoes unwashed in a cool and dry place. That way, they’ll last longer and won’t turn too hard before cooking.

14. Onions

Many People don’t know onions also contain starch. So, like potatoes, they will be spoiled if left in the fridge for too long. Also, remember to keep onions away from potatoes because potatoes can speed up an onions’ aging process.

15. Garlic

Garlic in the fridge is likely to sprout early, and mold may grow within the inner layers of each bulb. So, we recommend you to keep your garlic somewhere dry and warm unless you have a vampire friend.

16. Cheese

Fridges are too moist for cheese. It needs to be kept somewhere dry and warm.

17. Coffee

The air in a refrigerator is too moist for coffee to remain fresh. Keep your coffee somewhere dry and away from sunlight. You’ll thank us in your mornings when you sip on your steaming hot cup of espresso!

18. Hot Sauce

There is no need to put your sauce in the refrigerator because it usually contains lots of vinegar and preservatives, which slow down any bacteria from growing. Hot sauce is also more potent at room temperature, so if you think you have taste buds made of steel, try taking your hot sauce out of the refrigerator.

19. Pickles

Like hot sauce, pickles also contain lots of vinegar. Putting them in the refrigerator will ruin the flavor.

20. Honey

Honey will crystallize and seize up under cold temperatures. At room temperature, it can last for hundreds of years, if kept in an airtight jar.

21. Eggplant

Eggplants are very sensitive to temperature. They need room temperature to keep their crunchy texture.

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