Do you ever feel like your fridge seems to be getting smaller and smaller? Well, it’s probably because you’re putting things in there that you shouldn’t. Many Americans make the mistake of putting everything they get from the grocery store into the fridge, not knowing that it will actually kill the flavor of many foods.
By removing these items from your fridge, you not only free up space, but you also improve the taste and quality of the items that should be stored at room temperature.
Here’s a handy list of things that really don’t need to be refrigerated.
1) Potatoes
Potatoes don’t like being cold. It turns their starches into sugar, which will ruin their flavor. Instead, keep potatoes in a cool, dry place for maximum flavor.
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Pixabay
2) Pickles
Pickles don’t need to be refrigerated because they are in so much sodium and brine. They’re already preserved, so you can go ahead and keep this item in the pantry to free up some valuable refrigerator space.
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Pixabay
3) Oils
Storing oils in a fridge will cause them to harden and lose their smoothness. It’s best to keep oils in a cupboard on or the countertop. Note: Nut oils should be refrigerated.
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Pixabay
4) Peppers
This is one set of veggies you don’t need to toss into the crisper. If the pepper hasn’t been cut open yet, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated. They’ll last quite a few days in a produce bowl on the kitchen counter.
5) Fruits with hard seeds (peaches, plums, etc.)
Fruits need air and sunshine just as much as plants do! Give them some natural light to ripen so they can be as sweet and juicy as possible. Especially stone fruits.
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Pixabay
6) Bread
Bread is best kept at room temperature in a sealed plastic bag. Storing bread in the fridge actually speeds up the dehydration process, making the bread go stale faster. So, stop wasting money and keep it in a bread box or in the pantry.
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Pixabay
7) Peanut Butter
Peanut butter doesn’t need to be refrigerated at all. It can be kept in the cabinet for months without spoiling, unless it’s organic. Check for instructions on the label if you’re unsure.
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Pixabay
8) Garlic
Why: The cold temperature of the refrigerator will make garlic lose its flavor. Not to mention, your entire fridge will smell like garlic. No one wants flavorless garlic and a stinky fridge!
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Pixabay
9) Ground Coffee
While you should keep coffee beans cool, don’t keep them in the fridge! It will create moisture, which will turn your beans bad and cause them to lose their taste. And the last thing you need to start your day is bland coffee. Store it in a tightly-sealed container to retain flavor.
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Pixabay
10) Honey
Storing honey in the refrigerator will make it crystalize and hard. Don’t ruin your honey by leaving it in the fridge and instead, keep it in the pantry. It has a longer shelf life than you think.
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Pixabay
11) Hot Sauce
You know that shelf in your fridge where you store all your hot sauces? You shouldn’t be doing that. The cold weakens the flavor of hot sauces, which is the whole point of them. It also changes the viscosity, which makes it more difficult to pour.
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Pixabay
12) Spices
Chill kills. Keeping spices in the fridge will kill their flavor, which is kinda the whole point of spices. Instead, get a spice rack that hangs on your kitchen wall or dedicate a drawer or cupboard for all of your spices.
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Pixabay
13) Tomatoes
Refrigerating tomatoes will actually turn them mushy and ruin their natural flavor. That’s the last thing you want! So, make sure you have firm, ripe tomatoes by storing them in a produce bowl outside of the fridge.
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Pixabay
14) Basil
Many people store their basil in the fridge, believing that it will help preserve their flavor. In reality, it is the exact opposite. The cold actually kills the flavor. For maximum freshness, keep your basil in water and change the water every 3 days.
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Pixabay
15) Avocado
Is your avocado not ripening fast enough? That’s because it’s in the fridge. Putting an unripe avocado on the counter is a much more effective idea. It will ripen so much faster! But if you really want to speed up the process, then put it in a paper bag with a banana or apple.
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Pixabay
16) Whole Melons
Take note this is for whole melons, i.e. before you start cutting them. Refrigerating whole melons will cause them to lose their antioxidants, which are one of the biggest health benefits. Keep these outside of the fridge for healthy melons. If you’ve already cut them, however, put them in a tupperware and store in the fridge.
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Pixabay
17) Apples
Keep apples on your countertop instead of the fridge to keep them crisp and flavorful. Once again, the cold refrigerator temperature will zap them of flavor and give them a less-than-appealing texture.
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Pixabay
18) Rice
Only store rice in the fridge if it’s cooked. Dry rice can last in canisters or plastic bags for years without issue. Free up some valuable real estate in your fridge by keeping it in your pantry or cupboard instead.
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Pixabay
19) Makeup
While makeup doesn’t technically count as food, it’s often seen in many fridges. Some cosmetics are better stored in cool environments, but be sure you read the label. Most makeup is meant to be stored at room temperature.
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Pixabay
20) Baked goods
Storing baked goods will actually cause them to go stale. Counter-intuitive right? Keep food like bread and cookies outside to maintain their freshness. But, let’s get real–those cookies won’t last long anyway because they’ll get snatched up in no time.
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Reddit
21) Dried Beans
Never keep dried beans in the fridge as it will take all the flavor away. It can also cause the beans to start sprouting and you definitely don’t want a garden in your fridge! Keep dried beans in the same place you store your rice.
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Pixabay
22) Soy Sauce
Much like pickles, soy sauce doesn’t need to be refrigerated because of the sodium content. Soy sauce can last for up to 3 years as long as the bottle is unopened. Once open, it can still last for about a year or two.
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Pixabay
23) Berries
Trust me, you do NOT want to leave your berries in the fridge. These fruits have a limited lifespan once they are plucked from the field, and putting them in the fridge will only cause them to go bad faster. It will even increase your chances of finding mold.
24) Nuts
Nuts are not meant to be stored in a fridge. They do well in a dark, cool place, but it doesn’t need to be too chilly. Your cupboard or pantry is just fine.
25) Salad Dressings
Some dressings, such as vinaigrettes, do not need to go in the fridge. They are best stored at room temperature so that they will taste and mix better. Keep them in your cupboard until you use them again. Other dressings that have cream and dairy will need to be refrigerated.
26) Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
This stuff is fantastic, and it keeps great without any refrigeration. When refrigerated, the spread actually loses its chocolatey flavor and spreadable viscosity. Keep it on a shelf so it will taste and spread wonderfully.
27) Jam
Jam has plenty of sugar and preservatives, so it doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge. It is best stored on your counter or in your pantry. Freeing up ample door space in your refrigerator.
28) Ketchup
Just about everyone keeps ketchup in their fridge, but there is no real reason for it. Time in the fridge does extend the ketchup’s lifespan a bit, but most families use it so much that it doesn’t expire before it runs out. If you are looking to free up some fridge space, send your ketchup to the pantry.
29) Mint
Some herbs don’t do so well in a cooled environment. Mint is actually best kept at room temperature. Trim the stems and place them in a jar of cool water by a sunny windowsill for the best results.
30) Dried Fruit
There is no need to refrigerate a fruit that is already dried out. Chilling dried fruit can even more make it more difficult to eat. Leave it in the pantry for a quick and easy snack that’s much easier to chew than if it was refrigerated.
31) Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits take up a lot of space in your fridge, and it’s not really necessary. Citrus will last at room temperature for about a week. If you plan on keeping it longer than that and not eating it, then, by all means, refrigerate it.
32) Vinegar
A bottle of vinegar will last for months as long as it is kept in a dark place like a cupboard. Refrigerating it can extend its shelf life, but the vinegar will continue to lose its flavor over time no matter where you store it.
33) Butter
Butter can last for up to two weeks at room temperature, especially if it is stored in an airtight container. It can last much longer in the fridge, but it will be SO difficult to spread. Store the amount you are going to use for the week in your cupboard, and keep the rest in the fridge.
34) Onions
Onions will lose all their flavor when refrigerated. Keep these guys out of the fridge for the best taste. Keep a bowl on your counter for things like onions, shallots, and garlic–none of which need to be refrigerated.
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Pixabay
35) Tropical Fruit
These fruits grow in a hot, humid environment; they don’t need your cold, dry fridge to thrive. Fruits like figs, mangos, and papayas will be just fine at room temperature. They will last until they are ripe, and they will be so refreshing.
36) Maple Syrup
Real maple syrup should not be kept in the fridge – it should be kept in the freezer. This stuff will not freeze, and it will last pretty much forever. It tastes SO MUCH BETTER than the type with preservatives in it.
37) Mustard
Mustard can be stored outside of the fridge, but it might lose its flavor over time. It will be good for up to one month when kept at room temperature. Otherwise, it can last for months with optimal flavor in the fridge. It’s up to you if it’s worth the fridge door space.
38) Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes will be much better when stored in a paper bag in your pantry. Refrigerating them will cause their starch to convert to sugar, which will result in spuds that are unpleasantly sweet.
39) Cake
Some cakes need to be stored in the fridge, but some will be just fine in an airtight container. Cakes frosted with ganache or buttercream (or the ones that are frosting-free) can last 3-4 days. You can even cut small pieces and store them in the freezer so they don’t dry out.
40) Bananas
Bananas will not ripen if you place them in the fridge. The cold will turn their skins brown prematurely; they will still be edible, but they will be unappealing to eat. Store them at room temperature instead. Of course, if you freeze them, they make a delicious, ice cream-like texture. Yum!
41) Winter squashes
Butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, and pumpkin are popular types of squash that we like to cook with, but they don’t need to be stored in the fridge. A fridge will deplete them of their vitamins, and besides, a squash can last for about a month at room temperature.
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Flickr
42) Canned tuna
Here’s an item that might seem obvious not to refrigerate, but if you’re unsure, canned fish is completely fine to keep at room temperature. Since it’s canned, it’s completely airtight, so even though it’s fish, it’s fine to keep in the pantry.
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Flickr
43) Nail polish
Much like makeup, some people believe that if you refrigerate it, it will last longer. However, that’s simply not always the case. Nail polish will thicken if stored in cold temperatures, making it nearly impossible to paint your nails with. It’s best if stored at room temperature, out of direct sunlight.
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MaxPixel
44) Perfume
Perfume is another beauty product that some people might think can last longer if kept in the fridge. But, moisture, light, and temperature changes are not your friend when it comes to perfume. Refrigeration can completely alter the fragrance, so it’s best to story in dark, dry place like a closet or cupboard.
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Pixabay
45) Depending on where you live…eggs.
Many Americans and North Americans, in general, are used to keeping their eggs in the fridge. And that’s because that’s how they’re processed. “In the U.S. and Canada, almost all eggs are refrigerated immediately after being washed and sanitized. And once they’ve been chilled, storing them at room temperature actually increases the danger of diseases like salmonella,” says Business Insider. So, basically–if you live in North America, refrigerate your eggs. If you don’t, don’t.
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46) Eggplant
Eggplant, otherwise known as aubergine, do not need to be refrigerated. But, you’ll want to be careful because temperatures that are too warm will cause them to shrivel up. Your best bet is to store them in a cool, dry place away from the direct sun.
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Pixabay
47) Chocolate
Love Food says, “The fridge is the worst place for your bar or box of chocolates. The temperature and moisture of the fridge can tamper with the taste, colour and texture. Chocolate (specifically the cocoa butter) also absorbs the smell of surrounding food, so it’s best kept away from other, odorous ingredients. Instead, protect your chocolate in a cool, dry place, in an airtight container if you’ve already broken into it.”
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48) Champagne
Unless you plan on drinking your champagne in the next 5 days or so, it’s best to leave it out of the refrigerator. The cold temperatures will alter this delicious beverage’s flavor. Champagne is best stored on its side, away from light, in a room with a moderate temperature.
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Wikimedia
49) Mature white wines
Since we’re on the topic of champagne, let’s make a slight transition to mature white wines as these also shouldn’t be stored in the fridge. Many people think that white wines should be chilled, and this is true if you were planning on serving it right away. If you have a wine fridge, it’s set at 10-13ºC (50-55.4ºF) is the most ideal option for wines like Chardonnays or Viogniers.
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Public Domain Pictures
50) Aged cheese
If you’re a hardcore cheese fan, you might already know this one, but hard cheeses (like parmesan, manchego, or pecorino) are best left out of the fridge. It might seem odd because it’s a dairy product, but it’s true! If you put it in the fridge, it won’t make it last any longer and it will also make it so hard that it’s nearly impossible to cut or slice.
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Pixabay
51) Molasses
Much like syrup or honey, molasses should not be stored in the refrigerator. Not only does a fridge do nothing for its shelf life, but storing the molasses in cold temperatures will render it completely useless because it will become rock solid. “An unopened jar of molasses will generally keep good for about a year. Once opened, its life expectancy is cut in half, around just six months,” says Ice Pop.
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Wikimedia
52) Cucumber
Surprisingly, cucumbers should be left out of the refrigerator. People so often associate this vegetable with being “cold and cool,” so a refrigerator would be the natural place to store it. But, the University of California system did a study and found that “storing the vegetable in temperatures lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit caused damage to the cucumber.”
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Pixabay
53) Cereal
This probably isn’t a common one, but some people think that storing their cereal in the fridge will prevent it from becoming stale when, in fact, it does quite the opposite. Due to humidity, cereals can quickly lose their crunch by keeping them in the fridge. Plus, the bulkiness of the box takes up so much room!
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Pixabay
That’s all folks!
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