▲Putting uncut melons in the fridge can actually reduce the number of antioxidants by half.

▲If you want to enjoy crisp, non-mealy, flavorful tomatoes, don't put them in the fridge where the cool air makes them mushy and slows chemical pathways that that contribute to flavor.

▲Cold temperatures convert potato starch into sugar, resulting in a too-sweet flavor and a gritty texture. Instead, keep them in a paper bag in a cool, dark pantry.

▲Refrigerated basil turns black very quickly. Instead, treat it like a flower and keep them on the counter with their stems submerged in a glass of water.

▲Refrigerators' moisture causes coffee beans to deteriorate, meaning you won't get the bold flavor you crave in your morning brew. Keep them in an airtight container instead.

▲Garlic cloves actually taste best when kept at room temperature.

▲The vinegar and preservatives in store-bought hot sauce keep it from going bad, so skip the fridge, as it actually diminishes some of their heat.

▲Whole onions need air circulation to stay fresh, so keep them in a paper bag with holes in the pantry—but away from the potatoes as they can spoil them with their gas and moisture.

▲To get the most flavor out of your nuts, keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Though nuts can eventually spoil, they don’t have enough moisture to support rapid bacterial growth on their own.

▲Bread is best kept at room temperature in a sealed plastic bag, as the fridge actually speeds up the dehydration process and makes the loaf go stale faster.

▲All those delicious, juicy peaches, plums, nectarines, and apricots are best kept at room temperature so they can ripen to perfection.

▲Although the fridge keeps mold at bay, it also dries out the loaf. Instead, store extra bread in the freezer, but if you go through the loaf quickly, keeping it on the counter is perfectly fine.

▲Olive oil should be kept in a cool, dark place, but not the fridge, as those cold conditions ruin the consistency.

▲The common mistake of throwing cucumbers in the fridge ends in a watery and pitted veggie.

▲Cold temperatures cause peppers to lose their crunch, and no one like a mushy pepper. Cut peppers do, however, go in the fridge.

▲Keeping your pickles out of the fridge is fine because they’re preserved in so much sodium and brine. They can stay in your pantry until you're ready to munch.

▲If the creamy fruit isn't ripe yet, keeping it in the fridge will not do it any good. Avocados are best kept at room temperature until they've hit their perfect ripeness, at which point, if you're not going to eat them right away, you can put them in the fridge (or freezer!) to last longer.

▲Keeping spices in the fridge will kill their flavor, which kills the whole point of buying spices in the first place.

▲Peanut butter (not the fancy all-natural, organic kind) doesn’t need to be refrigerated at all. It can be kept in the cabinet for months without spoiling.

▲A cool, crisp apple is refreshing, but they’ll lose their crisp freshness and sharp flavor if you keep them in the fridge.

▲If you're going to eat it within a few days of purchase, keep that eggplant on the counter. If you bought it with the hopes of someday, eventually, maybe cooking it, chuck it in the fridge, but know that the flavor will not be the same.

▲

Much like pickles, soy sauce doesn’t need to be refrigerated because of the sodium content.

▲Only store rice in the fridge if it’s cooked.

▲For maximum flavor, which is very important when dealing with chocolate, keep it somewhere dry and dark.

▲Storing baked goods in the fridge, though counter-intuitive, will actually make them go stale. Keep treats like cake and cookies outside, in a container, to maintain their freshness.

▲Berries have a limited lifespan once plucked, but putting them in the fridge will only cause them to go bad faster.

▲One of the greatest debates: does ketchup go in the fridge? It turns out there's no real reason for it if you plan on using it a lot. Time in the fridge does, however, extend the condiment's lifespan if you're not an avid ketchup eater.

▲Many non-dairy vinaigrettes do not need refrigeration. If you store them at room temperature they'll taste and mix much better.

▲Citrus will last at room temperature, and taste better, for about a week. If you plan on keeping it longer than that, then throw it in the fridge.

▲

In the fridge, bananas don't ripen nicely and their skin browns prematurely. Store this fruit at room temperature instead.

▲This store-bought spread keeps for a long time without refrigeration, plus it won't lose its flavor or easily spreadable quality.

▲Why make your life harder with hard butter? Butter can last for up to two weeks at room temperature, especially if kept in an airtight container. It can last longer in the fridge, of course, but do yourself a favor and separate the amount you'll use in a week, and keep the rest in the fridge.

▲

Honey is known to seize up and crystallize in cold temperatures, and it will last much longer than you'd think at room temperature.

▲

Are you one of those people who puts nearly everything that's not in a package or box from the grocery store into the fridge? You're actually doing yourself a huge disservice, as you could be enjoying a lot more space and way more flavor.

Click through to see the surprising foods that shouldn't go in the fridge, based on a list from Sweet and Savory, and stop depriving yourself of the delicious natural flavors and textures you spent your hard-earned money on!

Stop putting these foods in the fridge!

You probably didn't know these foods fare better outside

01/10/24 por StarsInsider

FOOD Tips

Are you one of those people who puts nearly everything that's not in a package or box from the grocery store into the fridge? You're actually doing yourself a huge disservice, as you could be enjoying a lot more space and way more flavor.

Click through to see the surprising foods that shouldn't go in the fridge, based on a list from Sweet and Savory, and stop depriving yourself of the delicious natural flavors and textures you spent your hard-earned money on!