10 Foods you shouldn't put in your fridge

Don’t Do It: 10 Foods that really shouldn’t go in the fridge

Angela Goh

31 Mar 2017

1/10
Potatoes & sweet potatoes
Prevent your spuds from getting that weird grainy texture you hate. When you place potatoes and sweet potatoes in the refrigerator, the starch they contain magically transforms into sugar, giving them the yucky gritty texture. Best to keep them in a cool, dry place - not in plastic bags, mind you, or they’ll rot much faster!
2/10
Onions
Besides the fact that they make us weep, onions lose their spectacular crunch when you put them in the fridge. Also, they tend to transmit their funky fragrance to other products stored nearby. Just be careful not to place your potatoes and onions in the same place - the latter emits gases that will rot and mould both foods!
3/10
Melons
They delight our taste buds, for sure, but did you know they may lose their flavor and antioxidants if you put melons whole (i.e. not cut up) in the fridge? You can, of course, slice them into cubes according to your needs and keep them in airtight containers first, before you shelve them in your fridge!
4/10
Tomatoes
Put them in the refrigerator and they may become soft and pasty, which is probably not really how you’d like to eat them…
5/10
Cucumbers
If these sticks of green come in contact with the cold, they could lose a bit of their flavour, and possibly wilt quicker. After all, cucumbers are mostly liquid, and the cold will make them dry up.
6/10
Eggs
Eggs aren’t usually kept in the cold section at the supermarket, so why do you do it? As long as you keep your eggs in a cool, dry area of your kitchen, they will remain fine. Cold eggs are also less convenient when you need to use them for baking.
7/10
Stone fruits
Peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots have no place in your fridge! Leave them at room temperature instead - the cold will leave you no chance to ripen them.
8/10
Fresh herbs
Basil, parsley, coriander… these herbs, if fresh, shouldn’t be placed in your fridge. Why? Because like flowers, they require water to remain fresh. However, if you freeze your herbs, you’ll be able to preserve them much longer.
9/10
Avocados
If you want your avocados to ripen quicker, placing them in the fridge is just going to hinder their ability to get nice and soft.
10/10
Garlic
Garlic in the fridge is a surefire way to make them go soft and moldy quicker. Why not leave them in a cool, dry place?

If you keep fresh food in the house, you’ll need to read this guide.

Because we live in a hot and humid country, the fridge is the first place we’d think of to store our food. We all tend to store our fruit and vegetables in the refrigerator drawer at the bottom, and sure, this might work well for some items, but it may not be the best choice when you’re aiming to preserve certain foods.

Mould, loss of texture, loss of taste… it’s surprising what the fridge can do when you stick certain ingredients in it. From tomatoes to fresh herbs to eggs, head up to the gallery to discover 10 foods you really shouldn’t refrigerate!

Kahina Boudjidj

Photos:

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