Cold Storage Blunders: 37 Foods to Keep Out of the Fridge

Preserving our food’s freshness, taste, and quality is essential, and most of us instinctively turn to our refrigerators for this very purpose. It’s a common belief that cold storage is the best way to extend the life of many food items. However, not everything belongs inside that frosty fortress.In fact, certain foods not only lose their deliciousness in the cold but can also undergo undesirable changes in texture or even become a breeding ground for unwelcome bacteria.

Think about the difference between a juicy tomato ripened on a window sill and its mealy, cold-stored counterpart. Or consider honey, which can crystallize and harden when chilled, making it far less spreadable. Understanding the nuances of food storage is both an art and a science. Join us as we delve into 37 foods you might be surprised to learn should stay out of your refrigerator and why. 

This article was originally published on worldtravelling.com and has been republished here with permission.

Bread

If you keep your bread in the refrigerator, it will quickly dry out and become stale. It’s recommended that people store their bread at room temperature in a cool, dry space such as a pantry.

Make sure the package is airtight and closed each time you use it to avoid the growth of mold. Sliced bread can also be frozen.

Aged Cheese

Cheese lovers might already know this trick, but hard cheeses shouldn’t go in the refrigerator. Although it’s a dairy product, hard cheese keeps well at room temperature. If you put it in the fridge, it will go rock hard and difficult to grate.

Did you know that hard cheeses go through a curing process that takes about six months to complete? You can then grate it and store it in a Tupperware in the fridge.

Potatoes

If you place potatoes in the refrigerator, you run the risk of them turning gritty and sweet. The cold will transform the starches of the spud into sugars. Just store them in a dark, dry spot at room temperature, and they will keep fresh for longer.

Make sure you put them in the fridge after you cook them to avoid bacteria to start growing on them. This goes as well for potatoes baked in aluminum.

Sealed Tuna

Although it’s canned, there are people that believe that tuna should go in the refrigerator. There is a reason why canned tuna is stocked in the unrefrigerated section of the grocery store.

Keep the cans in your pantry or cupboard at room temperature. Once you open it, you can store it in the fridge for about 3 days. But don’t keep it in the tin can, put it in a container with a lid.