Although it is hard to believe, these 10 foods don’t belong in your fridge.
Sadly, you’re not the only person who has more sauces stored in your refrigerator than edible fruit and vegetables. Mind-blowing fact – most of those pickles and sauces don’t belong in the fridge and could even turn toxic if stored there for too long. Armed with this knowledge, you can now free up at least one entire shelf. Start with removing these 10 foods from cold storage.
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Potatoes
Potatoes don’t belong in the fridge – they should be stored in a cool and dry area in the kitchen, but never in the fridge. The cold temperature increases the sugar levels in potatoes which leads to higher levels of acrylamide when cooked at high temperatures. This vegetable has a shelf life of two weeks at room temperature.
Coffee
If you love a great cuppa Joe, you know better than to ruin the flavour by storing it in the fridge. Coffee absorbs flavours around it, which in turn changes the taste. The moisture also adds to the breakdown of texture and flavour. Keep your java beans or granules in an airtight container in a cupboard – it’s the best way to store coffee.
Watermelons
There is nothing as cooling as a perfectly chilled slice of watermelon on a hot summer’s day. But… if you store your cut melons or watermelons in the fridge it reduces the antioxidants by as much as half. A study also concluded that when these fruit are left at room temperature, it almost doubles beta-carotene which is great for eyesight and healthy skin. Definitely chill your melons before consumption, but try not to store them in the fridge.
Honey
Honey will last forever outside the fridge if you store it in a container that is tightly sealed. Placing honey in the fridge causes crystalisation which ruins the flavour and texture.
Tomatoes
Storing tomatoes in the fridge destroys their flavour-producing enzymes and their cells rupture which damages the texture. It is far more harmful to ones that have not had a chance to ripen yet. Best storage advice is in a cool place in your kitchen.
Onions
We’re all guilty of storing cut onions in the fridge, but it’s actually quite dangerous to do so. Uncooked onions are a magnet for bacteria so it’s best to use the whole onion or buy smaller onions to avoid having to store them. Whole and unpeeled onions, however, absorb moisture and can turn to mush in the fridge so keep them in a dark area instead.
Garlic
Garlic sprouts quickly when placed in the fridge. Even though it doesn’t make the garlic inedible, it does create a bitter taste. Garlic should be stored in a dry area.
Chilli sauce
Surprise, surprise! All that hot sauce littering the shelve can safely be stored in your pantry or cupboards and not in the fridge. You must, however, read the label because not all have preservatives that can keep outside a cold environment. But for most hot sauces, it is safe to store for a few months on a shelf in the kitchen.
Chocolate
Chocolate bloom is a real condition and if you love chocolate, this is against the law of good chocolate. So keep the chocs out of the fridge. I repeat! Do not refrigerate it, as it affects the flavour, colour and texture. The only extreme circumstance you should be allowed to store in a cold area is if it is completely melted.
Pickles
Pickles are bottled in brine and stored outside the refrigerator in stores. They can even last a year past their expiration date – assuming they look edible. The trick is to tightly reseal the bottle so they can be stored in or outside the fridge.
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