Introduction
Since their invention, refrigerators have changed the way humanity stores and plans meals. That’s why it’s a big problem when they break down. In that case, you can search for “refrigerator repair near me” and hire pros to fix it for you. While refrigerators are used for refrigerating food, you should not shove anything and everything in them. Let’s check out food you shouldn’t put in the refrigerator.
The Foods
- Garlic – While the best way to store ginger is to put it intact in a freezer bag inside the crisper drawer of the fridge, the same doesn’t hold for the aromatic it’s paired with the most – garlic. Garlic is aromatic that needs to stay as dry as possible. When you store it in the refrigerator, you make it absorb a lot of moisture and deteriorate quicker than it would have in the kitchen pantry. Unless peeled and prepared, garlic should always stay in a dark and dry place with good ventilation. It’s also best to leave the bulbs intact unless you need to use them in cooking.
- Honey – Honey is a healthy sweetener that contains all kinds of enzymes and antioxidants that stay preserved forever. There’s no need to keep it in the fridge. If you leave honey in an airtight container on a shelf, it’s going to last longer than you. When you keep it in the fridge, you waste shelf space and power. Moreover, the honey starts to crystalize and hardens when kept in the refrigerator.
- Nuts – When nuts are kept at a lower temperature, it may help to preserve their natural oils. However, the cons outweigh the pros since cold air can also deteriorate their flavor. That’s why it’s best to store nuts in a sealed airtight container in the pantry. While the refrigerator may help to extend its shelf life, in an airtight container, it can already last for around 6 months or more on a regular shelf. The deteriorated flavor is not worth the extra effort either.
- Onions and potatoes – Whole onions have no place in the refrigerator. Onions are pungent balls of starch. So, if you keep them in the refrigerator, they may get soggy and damp. If left in the fridge for too long, they may spoil and become unusable. On the other hand, you can store cut onions in a sealed container in the fridge.
Potatoes have a similar story. They are the most recognized balls of starch in the world and when you put them in very cold temperatures, the starch slowly turns into sugar. That means you get potatoes with a weird color and taste. Potatoes should be kept unwashed in the kitchen pantry, just like onions.
- Oils – If you’ve ever thought about storing oils in the refrigerator, do yourself a favor and save that shelf space for something else. When oils are left in the refrigerator, they get grainy and cloudy and may develop an unnatural flavor. Instead, storing them at room temperature is ideal for maintaining their consistency, color, and flavor. While olive oil does deteriorate when exposed to direct sunlight, storing it in a dark kitchen cupboard is adequate enough.
- Butternut squash – Butternut squash is a delicate fruit. When you expose it to the cold and humid air of the fridge, it starts losing its quality rapidly. Instead, you should store a butternut squash intact and whole at room temperature. If you aren’t able to consume it entirely after it’s cut, you can cut it into slices and put them in an airtight container to store in the fridge. Make sure to consume it within 3 to 4 days to enjoy its flavor.
- Sweet potatoes – Sweet potatoes are similar to potatoes. They are sweetened balls of starch and when you store them in the refrigerator, their chemical composition starts to change. After just a couple of days in the refrigerator, they will develop an inferior flavor and texture. Instead, store them in a dark, cool, and well-ventilated pantry shelf or cupboard.
- Coffee – Coffee is an incredibly sensitive ingredient. Apart from being aromatic itself, it can readily absorb the scents around it. Moreover, storing it in the fridge can also damage its flavor and composition. Instead, store it in an airtight corner in a dark place at room temperature. Coffee doesn’t stay at its best for a very long time and that’s why you should not order large quantities of it at the same time for personal consumption.
- Bread – Similar to potatoes and sweet potatoes, bread is a carbohydrate that doesn’t do too well in the refrigerator. Cold temperatures can alter the structure of bread and make it develop a stale taste. On the other hand, if you have a lot of bread with you, you can put them inside the freezer and pop them in the toaster over the next few weeks.
- Avocados – Ripe avocados can stay in the fridge without any consequences. However, if you have avocados that need to ripen before consumption, putting them inside the refrigerator would just extend the ripening time. Instead, allow them to ripen in the pantry and after that, they can be stored in the fridge.
- Condiments – Condiments are usually shelf stable and don’t need to be stored in the refrigerator. Most condiments like ketchup and hot sauce don’t require refrigeration. If the condiment has acid, salt, or other kinds of preservatives in it, you can safely keep it on the table or in the pantry for months. Check the label and the brand would recommend you refrigerate condiments that do require it.
Conclusion
Certain foods don’t require refrigeration and can stay fresh for months in the kitchen pantry. There are also a few ingredients that may lose their flavor when stored in the refrigerator. Use the above-mentioned list as a reference to store things in your refrigerator. On the other hand, if your refrigerator breaks down, you can search for “refrigerator repair near me” and hire pros to fix it for you.