John Myers
Some foods definitely belong in the refrigerator, while others are often wrongly put in there. We explain which foods actually have no place in the fridge.
Storing food properly has many advantages. After all, when stored correctly, food not only has a longer shelf life but also retains its taste, color, and shape for longer. For example, did you know that you shouldn’t put apples right next to bananas, because then the latter will brown faster?
There are many pitfalls in dealing with the refrigerator correctly. It is not only often incorrectly granted and operated with little energy saving; Many refrigerators also contain food that actually has no place there.
Either their shelf life is not extended at all by staying in the cold (which unnecessarily costs energy), in the worst case they even lose their taste there, change their consistency or spoil faster than at room temperature. All of this costs money, nerves, and enjoyment unnecessarily.
These foods do not like it too cold
Many foods are not refrigerator fans for these reasons – these 14 are among them:
- Bananas and other southern fruits – such as pineapples, avocados, mangoes, melons, or papayas – are used to warm temperatures “at home” and do not belong in the refrigerator until they have been cut open. Bananas often turn brown faster in the cold.
- The bread stays freshest when stored at room temperature in an air-permeable container (e.g. made of clay). Bread products are too damp in the refrigerator: risk of mold. More on this: Storing bread properly.
- Coffee absorbs moisture and foreign odors and therefore does not belong in the refrigerator. If you want coffee to retain its aroma, you should keep the pack closed and store it in a dark and cool place. More on this: How to store coffee properly.
- Potatoes only belong in the fridge after they have been cooked, otherwise, they can change their taste.
- Garlic likes it cool and dark, but also dry. Therefore, the refrigerator is not an ideal place for the spicy leek, as it molds faster there. In addition, there is a risk that the garlic will give off a smell and taste to other foods in its vicinity.
These foods don’t need to be refrigerated
- Honey only gets harder in the fridge, hardly any longer. It contains so much sugar that it can “survive” well outside the refrigerator.
- Incidentally, if white spots form on honey, that is no reason to throw it away. It is most likely not mold, but the so-called “blooming” caused by air pockets. It is even considered a mark of quality.
- Olive oil can flocculate in the fridge. Excessive temperature changes can also damage the quality of the oil. Olive oil is therefore best kept at room temperature.
- Hot sauces such as chili, Tabasco & Co. only need room temperature, they contain sufficient preservatives. Best kept away from light.
- Schnapps and other strong alcoholic beverages last almost indefinitely, even if they are not refrigerated.
- Chocolate cream hardens in the fridge, but doesn’t last much longer. As with honey, the high sugar content ensures a long shelf life.
- Chocolate develops its aroma best at room temperature and therefore does not have to be in the fridge (except in midsummer). Exceptions are special varieties such as yoghurt or chocolate with a milk filling. Read more: Store chocolate in the fridge?
Some foods are too wet
Tomatoes lose their flavor in the cold. They prefer a mild 15 degrees. This also applies to other water-rich vegetables such as aubergines or zucchini. More on this: Store tomatoes correctly.
Onions (like garlic) find it too moist in the fridge and could spoil. Better to keep it cool and dry.
Thanks to their thick skin, citrus fruits such as oranges and co. can handle heat very well and do not require cooling.
For some other foods – such as fennel, carrots, kohlrabi, peppers, cucumbers, or celery – there is no dogmatic right or wrong. Most of these types of vegetables can be stored at room temperature for a few days without hesitation. Alternatively, you can put them in the vegetable drawer, where they stay fresh a little longer on average than outside, especially in summer.
Here’s an energy-saving tip: You don’t have to keep the fridge colder in the summer. Because: A contemporary refrigerator keeps the internal temperature constant to which it was once set (e.g. 7 degrees) – regardless of whether it is summer or winter “outside”. So there is no need to turn the dial to keep it as cold in the fridge as it was before.
