5 Foods That Are Better Off Out of Your Fridge

5 Foods That Are Better Off Out of Your Fridge

A couple of years back I decided to switch to bio produce from the farmers’ market over the plastic GMO fruits and vegetables that flood most supermarkets. Yes, it did take some budget adjustments, but considering that my health was at stake, I thought it was worth ditching the tomatoes and apples that seemed flawless and lasted unspoiled for months on end.

Almost immediately after the switch I noticed that I was so used to consuming the store-bought products that a shelf life of only a couple of days for some products seemed unnatural. Which it wasn’t. Bio-products have significantly shorter expiration dates, so my solution was to shove everything in the fridge and hope to preserve fruits and vegetables for longer.

Modern fridges have a number of features, including different temperature compartments and a myriad of settings (you can find a great list of the latest in fridge innovation at Luxurious Refrigerators), which make us believe all products thrive in there. It came as a bit of a surprise when I realized some fruits and vegetables spoiled faster after refrigeration. I went on the internet to confirm my suspicions and I came across scientifically backed-up lists of foods that should not be placed in the fridge. Here is what I learned.

• Tomatoes

This fact surprised me the most – refrigeration was the cause for tomatoes to taste mushy and even to have tiny crystals formed inside. The reason is that low temperatures ruin the texture of tomatoes and their flesh becomes mealy. Ideally, tomatoes should not be left out in the open in very hot temperatures either as they are quick to rot. Store them at room temperature for a maximum shelf life.

• Onions

I absolutely hate the permeating smell of onions in my fridge. If I had cut up some onions and decided to store them neatly wrapped up in the fridge, everything else in there ended up absorbing their intense smell. I stopped storing them in the fridge altogether even before I read it was actually better that way.

As with tomatoes, the onions’ texture is ruined in cold temperatures and they start rotting and developing molds more quickly. To avoid this, simply store your onions in a dry, cool, ideally dark place, since light and moisture encourage them to sprout.

• Melons

It is important to note here that all melon fruits are better off in a sealed contained or a tight wrap in your fridge once they have been cut up. Until then, however, think about storing them somewhere at room temperature or even outside on the balcony or in the garden if the weather permits. The reason is that these fruits are packed with natural antioxidants that start to deteriorate in the cold, so to get their maximum health effects, keep them out of the fridge.

• Garlic

I wouldn’t normally store cut garlic in the fridge for the same reason I don’t do it with onions – the smell tends to spread over to all other products and even the fridge interior walls. I didn’t see a reason not to place my whole, unpeeled garlic cloves in the fridge though.

It looks like garlic actually enjoys the low temperatures and tends to sprout when exposed to them for long. To keep garlic fresh and longer lasting, store at room temperature in a dry and dark place to prevent the sprouting process.

• Avocado

While avocados don’t really lose their properties in the refrigerator, they take much longer to ripen if left in there. When you purchase avocado, it is usually too hard to consume right away, so you will need to let it soften and ripen for a bit. For best result, keep it at room temperatures.

I am sure there are a lot more foods that are better off out of your fridge. Have you noticed any fruits or vegetables going spoiled faster when refrigerated? What else can you add to the list?

John Miller is a home improvement and design expert who loves sharing what he has learned throughout his career on various online media and websites.