Foods that are highly perishable, like milk, cheese, and meats have to be refrigerated, however today I want to discuss foods that should never be refrigerated and how to properly store them. Due to the cold temperature, the refrigerator can hurt the quality, flavor, and texture of certain foods.
Refrigerating tomatoes damages their membranes. The tomato will become mushy, mealy, and flavorless. Also, the cold prevents them from ripening. Tomatoes should be stored on your countertop, out of the sunlight. After slicing a tomato and not using all of it, store it in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, and use it within a day. For you single folks, I suggest you buy Roma tomatoes, they last longer and have great flavor. Have an overabundance of tomatoes? Can or roast them to preserve their flavor.
We all know that potatoes and sweet potatoes need to be stored in a cool dark place. However, that is not the fridge. Cold temperatures will interfere with their starches, turning them into sugar. The potatoes will be discolored and flavorless. Store unwashed potatoes in a place that doesn’t see any sunlight. The Farmer’s Almanac suggests storing your potatoes in a paper bag.
Who doesn’t like a nice cold melon? Refrigerating whole watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew negatively affects their flavor. Watermelons that have been refrigerated have a decrease in antioxidants and other nutrients than those at room temperature. Keep your melons at room temperature and once cut, store them in the refrigerator for up to four days.
I use a lot of honey, mainly as a sweetener for tea and cooking. My choice is raw, unfiltered honey, which over time will crystallize. Crystallization is completely natural, the sugar in honey, (glucose and fructose), bind together and form crystals. If your honey does not crystallize, it is not natural. Do not refrigerate your honey, raw or otherwise, that promotes crystallization. To liquify your honey again, place it in a pot of hot water, do not microwave.
My favorite breakfast is 2 boiled eggs, bacon, and a whole avocado sliced or avocado toast. Avocados should be kept on your countertop. If you have ripe avocados, refrigerating them will help to last a few more days. If you use only half an avocado, the remaining must be refrigerated. To prevent the avocado from turning brown, fill a plastic container nearly full of water. With the flesh side down, place the avocado in the container, cover it, and place it in the refrigerator. That will prevent it from turning brown for two days.
Stone fruits such as peaches, plums, apricots, and plums, don’t store well in the fridge. Cool temperatures will not allow these fruits to ripen and will leave them harder in texture, less juicy, and less sweet. If you are unable to eat them right away refrigerating them will help them to maintain their freshness for a few days. Store these fruits at room temperature.
My go-to snack is peanut butter spread on a muti-grain cracker. Refrigerating peanut butter causes it to harden and the oil separates. Store your peanut butter in your kitchen cabinet where it will last 6-9 months or until it exceeds the expiration date.
Storing onion and garlic in the refrigerator will give other foods a strong odor. The cold will also affect their allium levels altering their flavor and texture. Keep onions and garlic in a cool, dark, well-ventilated space. I store mine in a corner of my countertop beneath a cabinet. After cutting onions and garlic store them in an air-tight container to prevent the growth of mold.
I don’t consume a lot of bread and buying a whole loaf makes the birds who hang out in my trees very happy. Yep, my leftover bread becomes their food. They come early in the morning and start chirping to see if I will feed them. Refrigerating bread will prevent it from molding as fast, but the cold will dry it out, change its texture, and give it a stale taste. I store my bread on the counter in a bread box but storing it on your countertop or pantry is okay. Another alternative is to freeze it and use it for toast.
I eat a banana almost every day, they are cheap and have significant health benefits. I have a banana tree that sits on my countertop, and they do well. There is also a banana storage bag on the market that prevents over-ripening. Cold temperatures prevent bananas from ripening. Removing an unripe banana from the refrigerator does not allow it to ripen as it should, and both the peel and fruit will turn black. When there is a great sale on bananas, I will buy them and place a few whole unpeeled ones in the freezer. I use them for smoothies, dip them in chocolate, or make banana bread.
The foods addressed in this Blog are just a few that should never be refrigerated. I suggest if you are uncertain if food should be refrigerated or kept at room temperature, head on over to Google University!
Until next time,
Peace, Love, and Blessings💖
